Why don’t people get saved?

This is the question we should ask ourselves: Why do people not accept the world’s greatest message about the world’s greatest person – Jesus Christ of Nazareth? The next question then becomes: What needs to happen for them to be saved? Here is a key to salvation: A warm, giving fellowship draws people to salvation.

Today, people are most easily saved by being part of a community of Christians. Faith has a strong “contagious effect.” Over time, non-believers begin to believe in what their new friends believe in. People are saved through “warm influence,” through fellowship – not just through traditional meetings. They are saved by changing friendships, from non-Christian to Christian.

Generally speaking: COMMUNITY SHAPES what we believe and how we interpret things we encounter in life. We are influenced by those we spend time with. We are shaped by our surroundings. It then becomes less strange to believe, because my friends also believe – in Jesus and the Gospel. People don’t just like existing; we like belonging somewhere. It gives us security to have friends who can help us when we’re in need. And then people “get Jesus along the way.” We are social beings and were created this way.

To reach people, we may need to connect with their club or community and influence others from there. Or we can invite them into our Christian group to influence them here. Why does Mrs. Olsen buy the Electrolux vacuum cleaner? She might not have bought it just because a skilled, elegant salesman knocked on her door to sell it. She buys it because her friend has one and praises it highly. She trusts her friend more than the vacuum cleaner salesman – because she knows her friend. And that is the key to people’s salvation.

Jesus was skilled at this. Once, he was invited to the home of a prominent Pharisee “to eat a meal” (Luke 14:1). Jesus accepted the invitation from someone who was his enemy. At this gathering, he healed a man with dropsy – right there in the home! He used the invitation to show his religious opponent God’s love and power. No one surpasses Jesus in influencing others toward faith!
Another time, Jesus was invited to the home of the tax collector Levi. Levi invited many other “tax collectors and sinners” to his home. “And there was a GREAT CROWD of tax collectors and others who were reclining at the table with them.” (Luke 5:29). The Pharisees didn’t like this and criticized Jesus for eating and drinking with these sinners. Jesus responded: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill! I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31–32).
What do we learn from this? If non-Christians invite us to something, we should do everything we can to join them – whether on a trip, fishing, a picnic, at a restaurant, or at their hobby activities, etc. Here’s the secret: If we can do what they like to do, we can more easily get them to do what we love to do.

I have joined a boxing club in a town in Western Norway. A former professional boxer gave me boxing gloves as a surprise gift a year ago. It was a God-given opportunity. So, I joined the boxing club there – to be a light for the Lord among the boxers. It costs me 100 NOK a year. That’s fine. Paul said: “I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:23).

How much have we done? FIRST AND FOREMOST, we need to gain non-Christian friends – to gradually influence them to choose a better life – the Christian life. It can take time, cost money, and drain energy, as it can be a long process. Evangelization is often more of a process than an event.

I believe we all need to set up a different daily schedule than the one we have. To repent anew. Why are we here? First and foremost, to win people for heaven. That’s why Jesus came. Period! He said: “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (John 4:35). We need to become harvest workers in a world crying out for community, care, truth, and security.

We have what they need, but they don’t know it – yet we do – and we can do something about it!