How Can We Get More Love For The Souls Of Men?

Article by Brother JW

Here are replies I received, to the question that was asked. They are in the order that they were received and I have left them anonymous. Hopefully no one minds the sharing of your thoughts in this way. I might attempt to sum up these thoughts this way: That what is needed for love to increase, is a simple, humble, child-like faith that loves God, embraces Jesus, and then walks in obedience. It is out of a child-like heart that love pours...

The question:

How can we get more love for the souls of men?

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One gets more love when one gives more love.

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First thing is to change this mysterious trying to "get a love for the souls of men" into a simple " go love our fellow men".

Jesus went about healing because he loved the people he daily met. He told John the Baptist that "the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is being preached to the poor.”

Profound in it's simplicity.

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Humility, love for God and absolute faith in His unchanging Word.

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...It took me to 1 John 4:10-13.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

First I am thinking that love for the souls of men is not something we can find ourselves. It is received. And when we talk of having more love, more or less is not a choice we have when we are only a recipient. We have before us an invitation to come to the Cross, and when we accept that invitation, and dwell at the Cross, we receive love. This love is compatible with whatever situation or circumstance we find ourselves in at any given time. I know that sounds a little too cut and dried, but I am thinking I have done way too much “trying to find”, instead of “receiving”.

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Know the Savior. (The author of love) Can you know him and not be affected?

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It comes as a result of drawing close to God. Isn't it inherent in His work in our hearts? Furthermore, it is fostered by our response. If a Christian has a "heart" or burden for the souls of men, but doesn't do anything, how long will that burden remain?

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We must remember. We must remember our own depravity. We must remember our own desperate need of a Saviour. We must remember how it came to be that we experienced the hope of salvation, and salvation itself. We must remember those first heart pulsing days when we visited and communed with God. When we comprehended that HE had a plan for our lives. How rich and secure we are in His love and security! When this is bubbling over in our lives our eyes turn to God, and then to what God sees. The need of man. We feel compassion for the depravity of lost souls, the mindlessness of their lives, and the futility of man’s efforts… I could rattle on. Now I have changed my mind. This has been idealistic, perhaps. Perhaps the answer can be summed up in the word, repent. If we repent, remember from whence we have fallen, and simply have the all encompassing love of God in our hearts, will we not have love for the souls of men?

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It is a question that relates to the heart condition of men.

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