“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our strenuous effort, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”- Charles Spurgeon
The great commission that our Lord Jesus Christ gave us was to preach the gospel. To make disciples, baptize them, and teach the things He has commanded us. So what does this have to do with a burning house? At a bible study I went to, not sure when, but it was when I just got saved because I needed help preaching the gospel to my wife who wasn't saved at that time. She is now saved and baptized. This story helped me to realize that there was nothing I could do to save my wife. She sat in a burning house of sin while I was outside frantically trying to go in and save her. I wasn't equipped. But Jesus is equipped and He has the power to save.
The story goes like this. A house in the middle of nowhere is engulfed in flames. A man happen to be passing by and runs to the home. He looks through one of the windows and sees somebody sitting in the middle of this empty house. The man wants to help this person and asks them if they can call for help. The person inside the burning house says "No! I don't need your help and go away!" Determined, the man keeps trying to help. He cannot go in because he risks dieing in the flames. So the man outside the firey house, waits. He keeps asking if the person in the house wants him to call for help. This goes on for a while. The flames get bigger and closer inside the house and the person inside finally says "Please call 9-11! CALL 9-11 I am burning up!" So the man calls for help. The fire department comes to the house and puts the fire out and save the person in the home. The man who passed by, represents the believer in Christ. The person in the burning house is the non believer. The burning house represents sin. The fire department represent Jesus and His saving grace.
I want to share how this applied to me and how I understand it. I really hope this becomes a blessing to somebody. At the time, I had just received Christ, but my wife had not. She was not ready to come out of the burning house. No matter how much I preached, how much I talked about Jesus, or invited her to church, she would have to come on her own time. As the man on the outside watching the house burn with my beloved inside, all I could do is pray and wait. I had to wait until the flames got too much to bear for my wife to withstand. I had to wait until she called out for help to ask Jesus to come save her life. Sometimes it happens quick. Sometimes it takes a while. Worst case scenario...the person in the burning house never responds. Remember that we can choose if we want to be saved or not. Some people love their sin. We do not decide who gets saved or who doesn't. We also do not know if and when they will ever turn their life over to Christ. We as believers must be faithful to God's commandments, be the light and salt of this world. When somebody is ready for help, make yourself available to them for support but let Jesus put out the fire because He has been given all authority in heaven and earth.
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