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Our Unsaved Loved Ones |
Key Verse: “How can I bear to see the destruction of my family? (Esther 8:6)
About 475 BC, Queen Esther asked
the burning question that forms the essence of this article. She was referring
to her own people, the Jews, who were in very grave danger. A decree had been
signed that all Jews were to be put to death (Esther 3:13). Esther was horrified, and filled with
concern for their deliverance. Her words have something solemn to say to us,
for:
1. Some people who are near and dear to us are in very great danger.
Esther spoke of the destruction
of her family. What is the spiritual condition and position of our loved-ones
who are not Christians? Take your Bible, and you will discover that they are:
Lost - Luke 19:10; 2 Corinthians 4:3.
Perishing - John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9.
Condemned - John 3:18; 1 Corinthians 11:32.
Under God’s wrath - John 3:36; Romans 1:18.
Spiritually blind - 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians4:18.
Spiritually dead - Ephesians 2:1; Colossians2:13.
Without God, hope and Christ - Ephesians2:12.
Their present condition and their
future prospect are indeed terrible (John
8:21,24). If our unsaved loved-ones die in their present condition, they die in
a state of separation from God, from Christ and from Heaven. This is what Jesus
taught and what the Bible teaches. Study 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, and apply the
teaching from the Bible passage to those whom you love but do not belong to the
Lord.
It was the thought of the actual
danger that her people faced that caused Esther to cry out in agony (Esther 8:6). Do you feel like
that about your loved-ones who are not Christians? Surely, bear in mind
their desperate need and share the good news of the Gospel with them.
2. We should feel a deep concern for the salvation of our loved-ones.
Esther did. She cried, how can I bear seeing my people
die? It was almost more than she could bear. Indeed, from Esther 4:16 you will
see that she was willing to die if need be in order that her people
might be saved from destruction. What a tremendous love and compassion filled
her heart for her people! The book of Exodus32:32 and Romans 9:1-3 reveals something similar.
However, when our loved-ones are in physical danger, we are
immediately filled with a great concern for them. Do we have any concern
in relation to their greatest need, the need for their soul’s salvation? After all, our
bodies are only temporal, but our souls will never die (Mark 8:36-37;
Revelation 20:12-15).
How is it with your brothers, sisters, your husband, wife
and children? Are they Christians? If not, have you any real concern for
their salvation? Do you in any sense say with Queen Esther that “how can I bear the thought of my
loved-ones being separated from God in eternity when I, through His grace, will
be enjoying the blessings of my heavenly home?”
If we have any concern for the salvation of our loved-ones,
surely we shall need to do something about it in a practical way with love and
concern.
3. Concern for our loved-ones should lead us to do something for their
salvation.
When Esther realized the danger
her people were in, she went into action in three ways. Her concern showed
itself in her determination, her intercession and in the co-operation she
sought for their deliverance. These are the three ways in which we are to go
into action for the salvation of our loved-ones:
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He that winneth a soul is wise |
Esther resolved to give herself
no rest until her people were saved. How wonderful it would be if every
Christian with unconverted relatives were filled with a holy determination like
this! This resolve to help her people gripped hold of the Queen! Here is
something you can do: make a list of the members of your family and friends who
do not, as far as you know, belong to the Lord, and pray daily for God to work
in their hearts.
INTERCESSION
Esther went into the presence of
the king and pleaded for him to release her people. You will find this in
Esther 8:5. The king had the power to deliver the Jews, so Esther asked him to
do it. Here is a picture of a Christian going into the presence of the King of Heaven to plead for the
salvation of his or her loved-ones (Romans
10:1). This is what you must do with your prayer-list: pray systematically and
believingly for each relative by name. Will the Lord deny such a prayer? Check
out what the book of James 5:17 have to say about this.
CO-OPERATION
Esther and her uncle Mordecai
worked together for the salvation of their people. We must do the same. We can
work together by prayer, as we are encouraged to do in Matthew 18:19, and we
can also work together by practical effort, as illustrated in Mark 2:1-5.
It is a good idea to write a
letter to some of your Christian relatives and friends and ask them to join you
in prayer and in other practical ways for the salvation of the members of your
family circle who are not yet Christians.
Whenever Christians determine to
pray and co-operate for the salvation of the members of their own family, the
Lord will lead them, step by step, into the ways and means for bringing those
loved-ones to the point of decision. Do not limit the power of God or the
ability of the Holy Spirit to perform mighty miracles in answer to prayer. At
the same time, do not forget that the Lord may be waiting to perform these
miracles through your determination, your intercession and your co-operation.
Why should your loved ones
perish? God still awaits people who would stand in the gap for the salvation of
others. Be the “Esther” for your family and loved ones and watch the mighty
hands of God work miraculously to save them from sin and death.
Esther’s passion to save her
loves ones was eventually rewarded beyond measure (Esther 8:16). The Lord is looking up to you to spread the
Gospel light among your family members, in your neighborhood and your
community.
Remember, you are the light of the world…let your light so
shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father
which is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16). “He that winneth a soul is wise” (Proverbs
11:30) and “they that turn many to righteousness will be as the stars that
shine forever and ever (Daniel 12:3).
*** Courtesy Francis Dixon | Words of Life Ministry ***
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