Snatch Them Out Of The Fire

I sat with tears in my eyes as I listened intently to the news reports about an event that happened near my home the other day.

During the morning rush hour on Monday, a bus filled with passengers was traveling in the special lane designed for multiple passenger vehicles. The driver might have been distracted, because he did not notice the traffic ahead had slowed down to a very slow pace. The bus plowed into the back end of an SUV containing a mother and her children.

By the time onlookers and fellow motorist got to the scene to render aid, the gas tank began to burn. The mother was helped out and someone pulled the little boy out, but the nine-year old girl was trapped. About ten to twenty people tried to help get the girl out, yet without success. After fifteen fire extinguishers were exhausted, the flames finally overtook the vehicle and the little girl burned to death. All this happened within a few minutes. It was a horrible tragedy.

I can only imagine the horror that was going through the minds of those people standing by and watching this little girl perish. The pain of a mother watching her child die cannot be put into words. Whatever happens to the driver who caused the accident is yet to be determined, but just knowing that he killed a person will haunt him for life.

But, as I reflect upon these events there are other things that come to mind.

I can only imagine the cursing and swearing by the thousands of motorists on their way to work because they were inconvenienced by this event. They were fussing and fuming about the traffic and their being late to work. I am sure the Lord's name was used in vain on numerous occasions, as our society has no problem with such language.

I can try to imagine the desperate efforts that several were putting forth in running around and asking for fire extinguishers and any assistance at all.

I commend those who rushed upon the burning vehicle and put their own life in a perilous situation because of their concern for a fellow human being. I would imagine that all of them would question their own actions for years to come with the thoughts of "If only I had…"

I feel sorrow for the mother who will miss her daughter and the brother who will miss his sister. Their loss can never be regained.

In view of all these events, I am reminded of a passage in Jude 23. "Save others, snatching them out of the fire;.." I know that the fire in Jude is not a physical fire, but I think it appropriate to bring it up because many that wear the name of Christ are in many ways similar to those described above.

Many brethren usually get upset that someone else has a problem and that it sometimes gets in their way of doing things. No one likes to be inconvienced at any time.

Sadly, many brethren would show great courage to save a human from a gasoline fire, but would not put forth any effort at all to save a soul from an eternal fire.

Commendably, some would certainly be concerned and do what they could to offer assistance, even at the risk of hurting themselves or by providing a necessary need in an emergency. There are far too few of these in the church today.

The real lesson is in the overall picture of these events. Until we Christians can look upon souls of men as being lost, we will not make any effort at all to save them or attempt to snatch them out of the fire.

As His disciples, we are given the great commission to go make other disciples. We are to teach others about God and His laws and His grace. We are to do this because we love souls and each other. Yet, without love, we are just wasting our time (1 Corinthians 13:2-3).

May we all seek to remind ourselves of the great blessings that God has provided for us, and may we not be so selfish as to keep those blessings from others. For if we do, we will have failed to snatch them from the fire and we will have failed in capturing the essence of Jesus in our lives.

Almighty God responded to the cries of help and despair offered by those who had been separated from Him by sin (Isaiah 59:2). He provided a means of salvation. His grace is the gospel message of salvation offered to ALL men (Titus 2:11). Jesus Christ is the means and method of salvation today. The Holy Spirit revealed the good news so that souls could be saved. The gospel was preached so that souls could be saved. The church was built and designed to effect the salvation of souls. The only way to come into a relationship with God is THROUGH Jesus (John 14:6), and the only way to have spiritual blessings is to be IN Jesus (Ephesians 1:3). It is all about saving souls.

Brethren, if we do not try to save souls, we WILL NOT ENTER HEAVEN (Matthew 7:21-23). Think on these things (Philippians 4:8).

By Carey Scott

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