There are at least six motivations for sharing your faith described in the Bible. Ultimately, all six of these are rooted in living a Spirit-filled life.
Motivation #1: The Soul Winner's Compulsion
2 Corinthians 5:9 tells us: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.” He is simply saying, “I want to be acceptable to God. I want Him to be pleased with me.”
If we are not endeavoring to bring souls to Christ, we are not acceptable to God. It doesn’t matter how much money you give, how often you attend church, or how faithfully you live your life; if you are not endeavoring to bring souls to Jesus Christ, you are not acceptable or pleasing to Him.
Motivation #2: The Soul Winner's Compensation
The Apostle Paul was motivated by future rewards. In 2 Corinthians 5:10, he says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
Motivation #3: The Soul Winner's Conviction
In 2 Corinthians 5:11, Paul continues by saying, “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...” Paul was a soul winner because he knew what it meant for a soul to die unredeemed and go to Hell. He called it “the terror of the Lord.”
Motivation #4: The Soul Winner's Compassion
The Apostle Paul was also motivated by overwhelming compassion that caused some to say he was not mentally stable–that he was “beside himself.” He replied, “For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us...” (2 Corinthians 5:13-14). How can we say we love Jesus and not be concerned for the souls He died for?
Motivation #5: The Soul Winner's Confidence
In 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, we see another of Paul's motivations: “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Here's Paul’s confidence–if I lead a soul to Christ, he will be a new creature. He will become brand new in the Lord Jesus Christ. We too should not see people, but souls that Jesus died for and wants to transform.
Motivation #6: The Soul Winner's Commission
Finally, Paul was motivated by his calling–his commission. Second Corinthians 5:18 and following: “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.”
We all have been called to the ministry of reconciliation. We have been reconciled. And we now have a responsibility to be ministers of reconciliation. If we're not interested in winning souls, we are guilty of treason against Heaven's King.
