Genuine love unselfishly pursues the good of its object, even at great personal cost. If I love someone truly, my first concern will not be what that person can do for me. My question will be, “How can I seek this person’s well-being and meet his or her real needs?” Then I will attempt to bless the person in those ways, even at personal sacrifice.

God’s own love provides this definition and pattern. He demonstrated His love by sending His Son to die for helpless, ungodly sinners (see Romans 5:6–8). There was nothing inherently attractive in us. Yet Jesus met our greatest need by giving Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. This is genuine love.

Our privilege as followers of Jesus Christ is to love lost people as He Himself did. “Even sinners love those who love them” (Luke 6:32).¹ There is nothing special about those who “do good to those who do good to [them]” (Luke 6:33). But here’s a contrast: “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men” (Luke 6:35). We show that we are children of God by loving like He does.

Our goal is to bring them to the One who can meet their greatest need. Lost people need to know and feel the weight of their sin and guilt and repent and believe in Christ. They need someone to tell them these things. They need someone who will love them enough to tell them the truth regarding sin and redemption. They need someone who will appropriately befriend them and spend time with them and reflect the love of Christ. Love and truth must go hand in hand. “Truth without love will be usually ignored, but love without truth is not even real love” (Carl F. H. Henry).²

Loving ungodly people can be incredibly challenging. Our own sinful flesh always turns inward, and we are hesitant to think of the well-being of others at all. In addition, even though Jesus explained that the world would hate His followers (see John 15:18–21), it is very hard to seek the good of others when they reject our efforts and label them as hate. Furthermore, some sins carry with them a shame that makes others uncomfortable, and some sins create physical and spiritual danger for other people.

Despite these realities, God still calls on believers to love lost people and share the truth with them. How can we do this? Consider the following Scriptural principles for meditation and prayer.

1. Recognize the image of God in every human being (Genesis 1:26–27, James 3:8–9). Even if someone denies God’s existence or twists His design beyond recognition, that individual still carries the dignity of being made in the image of God. This ought to affect the way we talk to and about others.
2. Remember your own ungodliness apart from the grace of God in Christ (Ephesians 2:1–10). “Precious Redeemer, dying Lamb of God, were my sins adding to your sorrow? Have I looked down on unbelievers, and all the while forgetting that every sin of mine became more painful to your soul than the cross, or the thorns, or the soldier’s spear that pierced your heart?”³
3. Open doors with genuine kindness (Matthew 11:28–30). Jesus invited people to come to Him and learn from Him, because He is “gentle and humble in heart.” Unfortunately, in their demeanor too many professing Christians reflect cable news personalities and cutthroat political podcasters more than they reflect their humble and gentle Savior. We forget that genuine kindness opens far more doors than sarcastic “one-upmanship.” J. C. Ryle wrote, “Once become satisfied that a man loves you, and you will listen gladly to anything he has to say.”⁴
4. Keep yourself unspotted (Jude 23, James 1:27). We must exercise utmost care and seek the grace of God to remain undefiled.
5. Display and proclaim true blessedness (Psalm 1, Matthew 5:3–12). Lost people often think that they are “living the good life” and that Christianity is drab and sour. By the grace of God, let us say and show that even the “reproach of Christ” is greater riches than the treasures of Egypt (Hebrews 11:26). We have it best of anyone, because nothing compares with Christ! Let us out-rejoice the world!
6. Pray in faith (1 Thessalonians 1:5, Acts 16:14). As we seek to share the love of Christ with lost people, we should pray believingly, knowing that God still opens blind eyes and hard hearts.
7. Think of eternity (Ephesians 5:27, 1 Corinthians 6:9–11). There is a wonderful day coming when Jesus will present the church to Himself spotless, and among the redeemed will be multitudes whose lives were once marked by open ungodliness and shame. Keep that coming day in your sight and lovingly point lost people to Christ. Some of them will one day be a part of the Church in all her glory.