Land and Sea

Matthew 23:15

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”

This is the third of eight woes pronounced on the scribes and Pharisees. They were very zealous for their beliefs, but Jesus doesn’t praise them for their zeal. They were dedicated to share their faith, but Jesus didn’t support their proselytizing. They were willing to travel great distances to spread their message, but Jesus didn’t commend their sacrifice. They were effective in winning converts, but Jesus didn’t bless their success. On the contrary, He chastises them for making their followers twice the sons of hell as they are. The Bible teaches that like begets like. In other words, your children become like you. The scribes and Pharisees were children of the devil, not children of God (John 8:44). Therefore, those who followed them were likewise children of the devil and doomed for hell.

The false teachers of Jesus’ day were persistent, just like the false teachers of today. They will travel by land and sea to gain followers. Why is it those destined for hell are often more zealous than those destined for heaven? Are you zealous for what you believe? How dedicated are you at sharing your faith? What distance would you travel to win just one convert? The good news is you don’t have to go great distances to win others to the Lord. There are plenty of people around you who need to hear and receive the gospel message. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to share your faith with others. If you are a child of God, then those who follow you will likewise become children of God and no longer be children of the devil. Wouldn’t it be worth the effort to travel by land and sea to see someone receive eternal life? Making converts doesn’t have to be that difficult. Why don’t you share your faith by walking to your neighbor across the street or driving to the corner market? Be intentional about making converts, and make them twice as much a son or daughter of heaven as you are.