When The Hardshells Died

The Hardshells died when they quit making "soul winning" their main business. What does the bible say of the soul winner?

"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." (Dan. 12: 3)

The soul winner will be rewarded for turning many to righteousness. Spurgeon was such an one indeed. How many Hardshells will shine as the stars forever for their soul winning? How do I measure up?

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls." (Prov. 11: 30)

In the passage in Daniel, as well as in Proverbs, wisdom is needed to be a good soul winner. If we do not win souls, how can we claim to be wise?

Said the apostle Paul:

"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more." (I Cor. 9: 19)

Soul winning was important to the apostle Paul. It ought to be important to us. If it is not, something is truly amiss. 

Said James:

"He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." (James 5: 20)

How many sinners have we turned from the error of their ways? How many have we saved from death? 

Jude admonished believers to "save others, snatching them out of the fire" (Jude 1: 23). Can we be like firemen who save those in danger of being consumed by fire? Can we tell sinners that they are in a house that is on fire? Can we say this with some urgency? 

The Hardshells are happy to tell you that they don't believe the commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature applies to them, because 1) it has been fulfilled, or 2) it is the duty of the ordained ministers and I am not a minister. Well, what can I say? Let me ask them this - "will you be willing to go across the street to your neighbor to preach to him the gospel?" 

Do you feel any duty to "go" in any sense? A dead church is one that has lost all sense of need to go and tell sinners the gospel with the intent of saving them. This has happened to those who call themselves "Primitive Baptists" with few exceptions. Thankfully there are exceptions as in the Eastern Association of Primitive Baptists. In this sense we may say that such Hardshell churches "have a name that they live, but are dead." (Rev. 3: 1)