The text Scripture for this preparation is Jude 1:20–24, where the Lord’s earthly brother pens an admonition to see souls saved to the extreme of “snatching them out of the fire” (v. 23).
It is an understandable desire that when a natural disaster is at hand, everyone works to save those in its deadly path. How much more should the believer’s urgency be when eternity is in the balance? How much more of an urgency when unquenchable fire awaits those unsaved?
That is Jude’s premise as he is encouraging the saints to share the Gospel.
As I was meditating on the passage, Proverbs 11:30 came to mind,
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”
– Proverbs 11:30 KJV
Which prompted the question: Why is he that wins souls wise?
Here is the answer, preceded with steps on how I arrived there.
First, notice that winning souls is connected to righteous fruit as a tree of life. It is a single sentence and, thus, needs to be understood in that context.
Next is the translation itself and I think the NASB keeps the distinct meaning of the two-phrased sentence better (notice where wise is placed in the two passages),
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.”
– Proverbs 11:30 NASB
Finally, for my understanding, Thomas Constable articulated the context well,
“A righteous person exercises a life-giving influence. Furthermore, a wise person wins others to wisdom. That is, he or she captures others with ideas or influence….While it is true that evangelistic soul-winning is wise work, soul-winning is not all that this verse is talking about. The idea here is that wise people influence others to follow the way of wisdom, which includes turning to God for salvation.”[1]
What does all this mean?
I believe it is easy for the everyday believer to cast off the idea of winning souls as the work of the clergy, and particularly the gifted evangelist. However, this passage relates more to the overall life of righteous wisdom exhibited in the everyday believer, who, in turn, prompts others to ultimately accept the One who is Wisdom (Proverbs 8:22)—Jesus Christ.
Thus, live righteously, and practice God’s wisdom both in everyday life and in discerning the path you use in showing forth Wisdom to friends and family:
“And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.”
– Jude 1:22-23 NASB
