Forbearing to Deliver Them Prov. 24 :1-12 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Prov 24:11-12 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

If thou forbear to deliver them describes a situation like a man on death row.  You have evidence to prove his innocence and you withhold the evidence that would spare his life.  Paul’s sister’s son foiled the ambush that would have killed Paul.  Mordecai foiled the assassination plot against Ahasuerus.  We can foil the plot of the devil to damn people forever by giving them the gospel.  If you intervene, God will reward you.  If you forbear, you will suffer loss.

Col 3:24-25 – God is a rewarder of the good and the wrong that we do – and one of the areas that we are going to face in judgment concerns our witness – if we faithfully witness, we receive a reward – if we forbear, we receive for the wrong.

We are witnesses – Jesus Christ is not physically here to do this work – he’s left it for us to do – and we KNOW that every soul that dies without Christ will go to hell – and we know that they need someone to tell them – like Paul said, “How shall they hear without a preacher” – are you telling them.

They are drawn unto death – they are ready to be slain – God already sent Jesus for them – Jesus already died for them – they just need someone to tell them – you and I have that job to do.

You and I don’t have the excuse “we didn’t know” – we know and we know that we have been told to do this work – so what happens it thou forbear to deliver them – if we don’t tell then we have some responsibility concerning:

Their blood – Ezek 3:17-21 – the watchman must tell – Paul said in Acts 20:26-27 that he was pure from their blood.

Their fiery torment – Jude 23 – in 1 Cor 6:2 we are going to judge the world – on preacher described souls that we didn’t tell looking back at us and asking, “Why didn’t you tell me?” as they are descending into the fire – Paul in Rom 9:1-3 said that he could wish himself accursed for their sakes.

Their sin – Jas 5:20 – when we were preaching on the street in Mobile, Alabama, we witnesses to a fellow going to bar for a pick up – with the Bible we were able to talk him out of it and spared him from that sin – Paul in Acts 24:25 reasoned with Felix of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come and when he did, Felix trembled – I wonder if our friends would tremble if we were to preach.

Conclusion: Because we forbear when we should speak up, there are tears in heaven, Rev 21:4 – here’s what Paul did about it, 1 Cor 9:22 – and that is what you and I need to do!