The single most tragic word in the English language is "lost." We know something about its meaning from our experiences in this life. In Grand Cayman, people would be declared "lost at sea." Someone would go out to sea in a small boat and not return. Many were "lost" in that way. Children get separated from their parents. Jesus’ parents once "lost" Jesus while on a journey to Jerusalem. A commander of an army after a battle counts how many men he "lost." But we speak about those lost in the most solemn and tragic sense. A lost sheep and the lost coin is a financial lost to the owners, but a lost son is heart-breaking and the most fearful of all. Being "lost" spiritually cannot be fully understood in this life. It extends into eternity.

1) All will not be saved. Some believe and teach universal salvation. Notable among them is the Unitarian Universalist Church. They affirm that a God of love will in the end save everyone through Jesus Christ. Most people have an "incurable optimism" about salvation. Regardless of how they are living, they believe that they will be saved. It is difficult to get anyone to admit that they are lost!

According to Romans 1-3, the foundation for any discussion about salvation must begin with the admission that all (Jew & Gentile) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:10, 23.) If we have not been reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ, we are lost. Any discussion of the Gospel begins with men lost in sin.

"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." (Heb. 5:8-9.) Everyone will not be saved because everyone does not obey Jesus Christ. "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46.)

The problem presented in the Scriptures is not how a God of love can allow men to be lost. But rather how a righteous and holy God save sinful man. (See Romans 3:26.) How can God maintain his righteousness while justifying sinful man? The only way found was through the work of Jesus Christ.

2) The majority will be lost! This is one of the most disturbing thoughts in all the Bible. In Ivan Stewart’s Open Bible Studies, one of the true or false questions is, Will the majority of people be saved or lost? What does the Bible say?

"Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be that go in thereat. Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads unto life and few there be that find it." (Matt. 7:13-14.)

No preacher takes pleasure in preaching this truth. But Jesus clearly taught it, and our experience in the world confirms that the majority reject the way of Jesus Christ. In the Bible we have these numbers: a) Only eight in the ark (1 Peter 3:20). b) Three saved from Sodom (Gen. 19:1f). c) Only two adults and the little children were allowed in the Promise Land (Deut. 1:35-39). d) Only Noah, Daniel, and Job if they lived in Jerusalem would be saved (Ezekiel 14:14, 20). e) Two thirds cut off; one third refined when the Shepherd is smitten and the sheep scattered (Zechariah 13:8-9).

Batsell Barrett Baxter described the church as "an island in the great sea of humanity." I often thought about that statement when we once lived on a small island---only 22 miles long and 3 or 4 miles wide in places. The vast ocean surrounded us.

When Jesus separates the sheep from the goats, the ones on the right will a very small group indeed. The vast numbers will be on the left. (Matthew 25.) Edward Myers wrote that out of 250 million Americans, 65 million never attend any religious meetings; 8% attend Sunday mornings; 2% attend Sunday evening; and 0.1% attend Wednesday Bible studies.

3) All religious people will not be saved. Most religious people have been deceived into thinking that they are saved because they have some form of religion and faith. Most religious bodies are convinced that they alone are the redeemed. But note these passages.

a) Some candlesticks, which represent churches, will be removed. (Rev. 1:20, 2:5.) b) Some believers will be lost. (Matt. 7:21-23.) c) An apostle was lost. (Judas; Acts 1:17, 25; John 6:70.) d) Many followers of Jesus once turned from him. (John 6:66-69.)

Two figures of speech show that not everyone who is religious will be saved. One is a net thrown into the sea to catch fish. Many are brought in by the "gospel net." A fisherman then separates the fish, the good from the bad. A second figure is a farmer planting seed in his fields. When they come up, both wheat and tares are found growing together. The servants were told to let the tares alone until the harvest lest the wheat be uprooted. Jesus said, "Every plant which my heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted up." (Matt. 15:13.) He said this after the disciples rebuked Jesus. They said that Jesus had offended the Pharisees. Jesus replied, Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind.

4) There is no salvation after death. Everywhere in Scripture, death is the great dividing line between time and eternity. "Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:2.)

"And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Heb. 9:27-28.) Two things about time stand out in these verses. After death is the judgment; when Jesus comes again it will not be to be a sin offering. He will come in judgment.

Many falsely assume that salvation is possible after death. Others envision a time of purging, then full salvation. The story of the rich man and Lazarus should make clear that salvation can be received only by those still alive on earth. The rich man was offered no relief; his brothers were still alive and had opportunities. (Luke 16:19-31.)

5) One day will be your last opportunity. The five brothers of the rich man could listen to Moses and the prophets and be saved. But one day, just like the rich man, those opportunities would be ended. We speak incorrectly when we speak about only "a second chance or opportunity." Most lost people have had thousands of opportunities!

The Bible says that when Lot and his family were warned to get out of Sodom, he lingered. This is typical of lost mankind. We often linger when we should hasten. We are slow to obey God. Jesus said to the two men from Emmanus, "O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?" (Luke 24:25-26.)

The central theme of the Bible is the effort of God to save the lost. All have sinned and therefore in a lost state until redeemed. The Bible describes this intense effort to reach the lost before they perish forever. It ought to be encouraging to see the effort and plan of God to bring lost man back unto Himself. I believe that everyone who wants to be saved can be.

1) Messengers were sent forth to the lost. Prophets, apostles, and disciples were trained and sent forth with God’s message. Jesus sent forth seventy disciples, two by two, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The Great Commission first sent the apostles and now every believer into all the world. Those receiving God’s gracious offer of redemption counted the feet of preachers as beautiful! (Rom. 10:15.)

Today, 2000 years later, families still train and go into other nations and communities with the Gospel. A group of us once worked for a week in Hamilton, AL. One of our teachers, Basil Overton, worked along with us knocking doors. He and his co-worker found a man who was hostile to them for coming to his house. When they departed, Basil commented that the man did not realize that God had sent them to his house. He was lost; they came with the Gospel. He rejected it. Salvation was that near to him, and he did not seize the opportunity. The Kingdom of God is brought nigh by messengers of God.

2) Letters were written, copied by hand, and sent. To continue to teach newly established churches and to make a permanent record of God’s will, many letters about Jesus’ life, Christian living, worship, and helping the needy were written. These letters and gospel accounts have been copied millions of times over the years. Relief from the laborious task of hand copying came finally in 1453 with the invention of the printing press by Guttenberg.

I believe that the Bible would have long ago been destroyed if God did not providentially protect His Word from evil men. Some had as their goal the destruction of the Bible. We do not have very many manuscripts beyond the 3rd century due to the work of Diocletian in destroying them. God preserved His Word so that we may know his will and be saved. The Holy Spirit guided the writers so that we might have God’s will and not the opinions of men.

3) The saved have always prayed for those yet lost. Those now redeemed know what it is to be lost in sin. The people of God have always interceded on the behalf of others. Christians are priests of God; we can act as priests on the behalf of others.

Moses prayed for Israel. "Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin---, and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book." (Exodus 32:31-33.)

"And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not. Ye have done all this wickedness; yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Turn ye not aside, for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you, but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider how great things he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king." (1 Samuel 12:20-25.)

One song beautifully expresses the attitude of Christians toward the lost, "I’m praying for you." Not in self-righteousness, nor haughtiness, but rather sincerely and humbly seeking the eternal good of the lost.

4) Christians sacrifice possessions for the lost. Since the first Christians sold land and possessions to spread the Gospel message, untold wealth has been freely given to the work of God for the lost.

Let me remind you of some of these sacrifices. I have some material discussing "Seven Hundred Plans To Evangelize The World," by David Barrett and James Reapsome, 1988. The authors analyze some 788 plans that they know about that are in print. They recognize that this number is not complete. The last two centuries have seen a substantial rise in world evangelistic efforts.

For the past decade, the churches of Christ have been working a campaign known as "One Nation Under God." This was begun by the Sycamore Church of Christ in Cookeville, TN. The mailing into 100 million homes in July 1991 was the largest mailing in the history of the US Postal Service. The latest effort is to send material to every college student in America. All of this is done because of the love of those lost in sin.

I know about one mission work from one church in Alabama to India. Their budget is 1.1 million dollars per year. The total amount spend on missions would be staggering. This is what those saved do for those lost.

5) Jesus died for the lost. "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:7-8.)

"For he (God) made him (Jesus), who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Cor. 5:21.)