The Soul Winner’s Reward
I Thessalonians 2:19, 20 – “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.”
In the two most recent posts, we have seen how NOT to win souls, how TO win souls, and now, we will briefly examine the reward for winning souls. The idea of a reward for soul winning, in one sense, sounds absurd. What reward does a person need for pulling a child out of a burning house? What reward would you demand for giving a dying man life?
Make no mistake about it. Every Christian will stand before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ to receive the things done while living as a Christian upon this earth. Christians will be rewarded; and Christians will suffer loss. For the things we do in obedience to the commandments of Christ, we will receive a reward. For the things we do that are anything less than obedience, we will suffer loss. I heard a preacher say one time that it was nonsense to believe that some Christians will suffer loss at the judgment seat of Christ, and yet those Christians will be saved. Really? Let us examine it for ourselves:
I Corinthians 3:14, 15 – “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, HE SHALL SUFFER LOSS: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire.”
It doesn’t sound like nonsense to me! Christians will receive a reward for any soul winning that they accomplish. The Psalmist speaks of a reward for the soul winner:
Psalm 126:6 – “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
What is our reward? That is the question. I have heard some shallow Christians say that if you do not win very many souls, you may have “furniture taken out of your mansion.” Dear reader, furniture in my heavenly mansion is NOT my reward for winning souls. To put it simply, my reward for winning souls is THE SOULS I WIN. Look again at Paul’s words in I Thessalonians 2:19, 20 – “Are not even YE in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For YE are our glory and joy.” Paul said, “You are our glory and joy!” If you rescued a child from a burning building, just watching that child grow up who would have otherwise died would be a great reward! Soul winners will be full of joy in heaven, when they see the ones that they won to Jesus Christ. If you win all your children to Jesus, and all your grandchildren to Jesus, and your neighbors, and your co-workers to Christ – and you see them all in heaven – what more could you desire? Those who win few or no souls, even in heaven, will experience an emptiness – they will suffer loss when they see so few that they pulled out of the fire!
