According to the Bible every person has an eternal soul. The only question is when we die where will we spend eternity. It is no accident that Jesus spends a great deal of time talking about heaven and hell because what can be more important than our eternal destiny. It is also clear from the Scriptures that we are all born lost sinners in need of a Savior.
Thankfully, the overarching theme of the Bible is God’s great love for us and His redemption plan through Jesus Christ. The Scriptures also tell us that the only way we can receive eternal life is to believe in Jesus Christ. (John 3:16) tells us plainly: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
We as Christians are thus in the unique position of being able to share the only message of real hope for the lost. For without knowing Jesus mankind is eternally lost. The only question that remains is do you have a burden for the lost?
My friends we need to ask God to give us more boldness to share the gospel, to give us more opportunities to share Jesus, and to help us develop a more vibrant prayer life for the lost.
Satan has deceived mankind into believing that they are basically good and this “goodness” is good enough to get them into heaven. It is so important that when the opportunity arises for us to share the gospel we let people know that while God loves them, He also hates their sinfulness. And it’s our sin that caused Jesus to die on the cross as our sin substitute. But it’s not enough to just share the gospel. I believe we must also be burdened to pray earnestly for those we share Jesus with. Prayer is so important because it activates God to move in the spiritually dead hearts of those we share the gospel with in some mysterious and wonderful way to open their blind eyes and hardened hearts to see that they are indeed sinners in need of a Savior.
This combination of sharing the whole gospel message with persistent earnest prayer for the lost should be what we as Christians ask God to burden us with every day. Do you have a burden for the lost? If not, I pray that you would cast all of your cares and burdens on Jesus thus freeing you up to bear a new burden for the lost. Eternal destinies are what’s at stake so let’s get busy for: “…The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” (Matthew 9:37).
Burden Isn’t a Mood, It’s a Mission 🔥 by the Apologist
I’ll tell ya what I see:
Curt’s post basically says, to me, the “burden for the lost” is not my feeling sad in church and then going to lunch like nothing happened. Instead, the burden has a definite spiritual weight that matches spiritual reality, eternal souls, eternal destiny, and a Savior that people (especially people like me) need.
So, by the numbers we go.
1. Eternal stakes, not spiritual small talk.
If heaven and hell are real (and Jesus talked and walked like they were), then “lost” is not a poetic adjective. It’s a condition. Curt drives straight to that bus stop and loads up. Every person has an eternal soul. The question: where does eternity land?
That does not leave room for a comfy, low-drama Christianity that never risks a conversation or has a bad-attitude day.
2. The Gospel is exclusive because the problem is sin, not “being a little off.”
Curt anchors the claim in belief in Jesus (John 3:16), then calls out the favorite human fairy tale: “I’m basically good, so God will grade on a curve.”
Humans love curves. God loves truth. The Gospel answer is sharper and kinder: God loves people, God hates sin, Jesus dies as our substitute, because sin actually kills, and we can’t charm our way out of it. (Not like I HAVE any charm, uhh…)
3. Burden shows up as bold witness plus stubborn prayer.
Notice Curt’s pattern: ask God for boldness, ask for opportunities, then build a real prayer life for specific lost people.
Then, when you share the whole Gospel, you keep praying because God moves in dead hearts in ways we can’t manufacture.
Translation: you don’t argue someone into the Kingdom like it’s a spreadsheet. You speak faithfully, then you pray like you mean it.
I kinda think Christ meant it.
If my “burden” never leaves my ribcage, it’s probably just indigestion wearing a halo.
The real burden makes me move, speak, and pray, even when it costs me comfort, timing, and social points.
How about you?
If you say you believe people are eternal, then your life should contain at least two visible things: a mouth that can say “Jesus,” and knees that can say “Lord, save them.” Otherwise, you don’t have a burden for the lost, you have an opinion about evangelism.
A Gospel you never speak becomes a belief you slowly stop believing.
Thanks Curt, I needed that one.