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I preached part one of this sermon on Saturday evening. Tonight I am giving you a second sermon on the same text,

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).

I told you that the key word in the text is “winneth.” I said if we know what “winneth” means the rest of the verse unfolds naturally, and is easy to explain. I said that the Hebrew word translated “winneth” means “to bring in,” to “draw in,” to “receive” (Strong). I said if you interpret that meaning in the light given by the New Testament the verse is easy to understand – “He that winneth souls” is the person who “brings in,” “draws in,” and “receives” lost sinners in the local church. That is the true soul winner!

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).

Spurgeon said,

There are two things in the text, and these are laid out…in its two [parts]. The first is – the life of the believer…[which] ought to be full of soul blessing – “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.” In the second place – the pursuit of the believer ought always to be soul winning. The second is much the same as the first, only the first [part] sets forth our unconscious influence, and the second our efforts [in] winning souls for Christ (C. H. Spurgeon, “The Soul Winner,” The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Pilgrim Publications, 1971 reprint, volume XXII, p. 254).

Following Spurgeon’s simple outline, we will look at the two sides of the soul winner.

I. First, the soul winner must be full of love and concern to win the lost.

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life…” (Proverbs 11:30).

I think this refers to the “fruit of the Spirit” in a real convert’s life.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance”
      (Galatians 5:22-23).

A person who tries to win souls, but does not have the fruit of the Spirit, will be nothing but a religious zealot, trying to force lost people to be saved. Isn’t that exactly what happened in the Dark Ages? Augustine, though right on some things, said that the lost should be compelled to come into the church “with the sword.” That teaching had a terrible effect in the Dark Ages that followed, with the Inquisition trying to force people to become Christians. There is no Bible basis for such forcing.

I fear that sometimes Baptists and evangelicals have also forgotten that we are to display the “fruit of the Spirit,” and so are not Biblical soul winners. I remember seeing one person like that chasing an elderly man down the street, screaming at him, “You’re going to Hell, old man!” An impudent rudeness in “witnessing” does not win many souls, if any!

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life…” (Proverbs 11:30).

The Bible says,

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:5-6).

So, a real soul winner is not a hard-hearted, overbearing religious zealot. Oh, no! A real soul winner has tears of compassion, and rejoices when people are saved.

I believe in Hell. I preach about Hell often. But there is a time and place for that. I know by years of observation that a so-called soul winner can go around telling people they are going to Hell, and yet never really win a soul who can be counted or seen in a church. After years of that kind of “witnessing” they can’t point to an actual person who has been saved and come into the local church. Where are the converts from such “witnessing”? They will be few and far between – if any!

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psalm 126:5).

One brother who knows the subject recently said to me, “There are many tears in China.” He knows how often the Chinese “house church” Christians weep for the lost. They weep when they are converted. They weep when they pray. They weep when they win souls. One very large group of these Chinese Christians is even known as “the weepers.” But tears are not restricted to that group alone. Weeping is very common in the house churches in China. “There are many tears in China.” No wonder they have such revival! It is estimated that there are 700 conversions to Christianity every hour in China!

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psalm 126:5).

It is not necessary to cry all the time to win souls. But our hearts must be in that attitude, an attitude of brokenness, concern, and care for the souls of the lost!

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life…” (Proverbs 11:30).

Spurgeon said,

I suppose it means a living tree, a tree calculated to give life [to] others. A fruit becomes a tree! A tree of life! Wonderful result this! Christ in the Christian produces a character which becomes a tree of life. The outward character is the fruit of the inner life; this outer life itself grows from a fruit into a tree, and as a tree it bears fruit in others (Spurgeon, ibid., p. 257).

We have been singing an old gospel song, “Make Me a Channel of Blessing” (by Harper G. Smyth, 1873-1945). I think it expresses very well what our text means, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” (Proverbs 11:30). But I wonder if some young people know what the word “channel” means. It means “a passage way” that water can come through.

Is your life a channel of blessing?
   Is the love of God flowing through you?
Are you bringing lost people to Jesus?
   Are you ready His service to do?

Sing the chorus!

Make me a channel of blessing today,
   Make me a channel of blessing, I pray;
My life possessing, my service blessing,
   Make me a channel of blessing today.

That chorus is a prayer. Sing it again as a prayer.

Make me a channel of blessing today,
   Make me a channel of blessing, I pray;
My life possessing, my service blessing,
   Make me a channel of blessing today.

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life…” (Proverbs 11:30).

Yes, the true soul winner must be full of love and concern for others. Let that be our prayer, “Make me a ‘tree of life’ to the lost! Make me a channel of blessing to them!”

II. Second, the soul winner must be wise to win the lost.

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).

Spurgeon said,

The two things are put together – the life first, the effort next: what God hath joined together let no man put asunder (Spurgeon, ibid., p. 259).

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).

The text implies that souls need to be won. The souls of men are lost by nature. Their very nature is corrupted and lost! They must be won for Christ and for the local church!

You must be wise to win souls, very wise indeed! You will not win anyone by accident. You must have wisdom from God to win a soul. You will have to think about it a lot, or you will never be able to win a soul. You will have to pray a great deal for wisdom or you will never be able to help anyone become a true Christian! Spurgeon said,

True lovers of men’s souls learn the art of dealing with them... It is not because a man has more abilities, nor altogether because he has more grace, but the Lord makes him to love the souls of men intensely, and this imparts a secret skill, since for the most part the way to get sinners to Christ is to love them to Christ (Spurgeon, ibid., p. 262).

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).

Dr. Criswell said that it is better to translate this as “he that is wise winneth souls” (The Criswell Study Bible; note on Proverbs 11:30). Either way, wisdom is required to win souls. For the most part, church members today have very little wisdom in soul winning. The main reason is that they don’t ask God for such wisdom. The Apostle James said,

“Ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2).

Again he said,

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God…and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

“…he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).

Someone may be saying, “Oh God, I don’t have that wisdom! I am not wise enough to help anyone become a Christian! Oh God, give me wisdom to help them!” If you pray a prayer like that often and sincerely, the Bible says God will answer you!

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God…and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

“Ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2).

“Oh God, give me wisdom to help someone become a real Christian!” Let that be your constant prayer!

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).

Sing that chorus again, “Make Me a Channel of Blessing.”

Make me a channel of blessing today,
   Make me a channel of blessing, I pray;
My life possessing, my service blessing,
   Make me a channel of blessing today.

I must not close this sermon without saying a word to you who are lost. Many have worked hard to get you here tonight. Others have prayed hard for your salvation. Several even fasted, going without food yesterday, praying for you to be saved. Jesus Himself went through great agony and bore your sins on the Cross, shedding His own Blood so your sins could be cleansed. Will you believe on Jesus? He is alive, at God’s right hand in Heaven. Will you come to Him? The Bible says,

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”
     (Acts 16:31).

Let us all pray for a conversion.

(END OF SERMON)
You can read Dr. Hymers' sermons each week on the Internet
at www.realconversion.com. Click on “Sermon Manuscripts.”

Scripture Read Before the Sermon by Dr. Kreighton L. Chan: I Peter 4:7-9.
Solo Sung Before the Sermon by Mr. Benjamin Kincaid Griffith:
“Lord, Lay Some Soul Upon My Heart” (by B. B. McKinney, 1886-1952).