How do you win souls?
The term "soul winning" is one of the most heard term in evangelical churches. What is the definition of soul winning according to the Bible?
Proverbs 11:30 "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise."
Previously, we have studied the term "tree of life", and have established from Scripture that the tree of life is the 66 books of the Holy Bible, the church, and every born again believer in the body of Christ with the words of the LORD written in their good ground hearts.
A righteous man is a tree of life, but Proverbs 11:30 also tells us that "the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life". Within the fruit are seeds, and seeds are the genetic material for the next generation of the tree of life.
Luke 8:11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God."
The seed is the word of God, and the word of God sown in the good ground of an honest and good heart will bring forth another tree of life, and so on and so forth. Consider this verse:
Proverbs 13:2 "A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence."
A righteous man is a tree of life. The "fruit of his mouth" are the wholesome words (seeds) that proceed from his mouth. When Adam ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he died the first death according to the words of the LORD.
Genesis 3:22 "¶ And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:"
The antidote for the first death is the tree of life. According to this verse, if man were to eat from the tree of life after he had taken from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it is going to reverse the curse of the first death. But of course, God made sure that did not happen.
Proverbs 18:20 "A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled."
Today, the tree of life is present in the form of the 66 books of the Holy Bible, as well as the words that are written in the hearts of every born again believer. The wholesome words that proceed from the mouth of a born again believer is not only fruit for himself, it is also fruit for another soul, and whosoever shall eat from the tree of life shall be satisfied.
Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."
The tongue that speaks wholesome words is the tree of life for another soul, and they that love the fruit shall be satisfied with eternal life. That is the biblical basis of soul winning. It is not going from door to door asking people to pray the sinner's prayer or join the church. Soul winning is as "wisdom" in the book of Proverbs:
Proverbs 1:20-23 "¶ Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: 21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, 22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you."
The soul of a born again believer is as wisdom who crieth without and uttereth her voice in the streets. She can be heard in the chief place of the concourse, in the opening of the gates, and in the city. Her message is to the people asking them to "turn you at my reproof" i.e. repent, and her ministry is to "make known my words unto you" i.e. reveal the gospel unto whosoever will hear her.