AN INVITATION TO BE GOD’S PEOPLE
THE WORLD AT last is the scene of a grim and awful
tragedy—in it we see everyday misery, hatred, pain, strife, disease, and death
in various inconceivable manner. And man
can only blame himself for that.
As the prophet
Isaiah emphatically declared: “The land
suffers for the sins of its people. The
earth languishes, the crop wither … The land is defiled by crime; the people
have twisted the laws of God and broken his everlasting commands. Therefore the curse of God is upon them”
(Isa. 24:4-6, Living Bible).
No doubt, man
is guilty of breaking God’s holy law.
Consequently, he lies under the sentence of death (Rom. 5:12), on hold
until the day of execution (Rev. 21:8), unless he obtains a pardon from
God. But God is love. Even if men deserve the inexorable severity
and stern justice for their various offenses, God graciously has provided a
plan of pardon based on the gospel.
Yes, God is
displeased, to say the least, with the pride, the lustfulness, the arrogance,
and the haughtiness of man, but we also see His mercy in sending His Son (Acts
4:10-12) to make an atonement for man’s sins—to pour out His life’s blood to
satisfy God’s broken law—thereby making it possible for sinners to be reconciled
to God.
Hence, what is
the Savior’s invitation to all men for them to share in God’s mercy? The Lord Jesus Christ passionately
declares: “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved. Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:9, 7,
New King James Version).
The invitation
of the Savior is clear-cut and open-armed:
“enter by Me”. Note too that the
invitation is for “anyone”, meaning, open to all irrespective of nationality,
color of skin, status in society, or educational pedigree. The promised consequence is also
conclusive: “he will be saved”.
One cannot
comply literally to Christ’s entreaty to “enter” in Him, for He is in heaven at
the right hand of God (Ps. 80:17). To
hearken to Jesus’ call is to be a part of His body (Col. 3:15) which is the
Church (Col. 1:18), the name of which is Church Of Christ (Acts 20:28, Lamsa
Translation). Those who heed His call,
by their membership in the Church Of Christ, are the real beneficiaries of His
salvific death.
Remember,
Christ’s shedding of blood indicated that penalty for sin has been paid; a life
has been sacrificed in behalf of the sinners who should comply with God’s way
of absolving man of his transgressions.
Neither man has power to alter nor the right to change the biblical
terms of salvation.
But why the
Church of Christ? According to the
parable of the Lord Jesus, to what is the kingdom of heaven or the Church Of
Christ being compared? The parable
expressly relates: “And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.” (Matt.
22:1-3, NKJV).
We find the
kingdom of heaven illustrated in this parable about a king who prepared a
sumptuous wedding dinner for his son.
That this son is Christ will not be disputed. Sad, but it also pointedly speaks of the way
people are indifferent to the message of invitation—how they respond to
it. Many guests were invited—the king
even sent messengers to notify everyone that it was time to come—but all
refused.
How much is
this like that of the world today? God
has sent His servants—messengers in the name of Christ (II Cor. 5:18-20)—to
call all men to repentance, as far as they could reach them. At a minimum, people should have taken
seriously the honor of the invitation.
Woeful, that in many cases, they have been ignored. The business and profit of worldly concerns
hinder many from accepting God’s invitation.
For the most part, man would rather follow the conveniences of this
life.
People have
been too busy with their worldly employment and professions to hear the message
of salvation—the invitation means nothing to them. Knowingly or unknowingly, many spurn God’s
overture because of indifference or lack of interest and through sheer
rebelliousness by knowing full well God’s will (I Tim. 2:3-4), yet still
despise the richness of His grace.
Some, not
knowing the righteousness of God, have sought to establish their own as what
Apostle Paul testifies: “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.”
(Rom. 10:2-3, NKJV)
People
brazenly do this today, when they hope for salvation on terms different from
those taught in the Holy Scripture. They
can pretend, but they cannot make it a reality—God can’t be fooled.
There are
those who will even present to Jesus the works they have done in anticipation
of being accepted but will rather find themselves rejected and driven away as
the Savior vividly asserts: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt. 7:21-23, Ibid.).
Not all who
sound religious are really godly people according to the Lord Jesus. They may refer to Him as Lord, but still
won’t get to heaven because the decisive question is whether they obey the will
of the Father in heaven. Furthermore,
many think that just because they are good parents to their children, or good
neighbors, these deeds will be counted as their righteousness before God. The truth is, some may have religiously
followed the golden rule of not doing to others what they don’t want others to
do unto them, but still won’t be among God’s chosen people.
Still, there
are those who are trying to obtain salvation by vocally professing their faith
but without works to prove it as Apostle James emphatically affirm: “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (James 2:14, 17, 19, Ibid.).
Unmistakable
is the judgment to anyone who purportedly has faith and is a Christian but he
isn’t proving it by works—that kind of faith can’t save. It is dead, insignificant. Deeds and actions of obedience must back up
one’s faith. In effect, faith that
doesn’t show itself by good works is no faith at all—it is useless.
Genuine faith
in Christ is faith coupled with obedience (Rom. 1:5). Those who believe, obey, and lead righteous
lives—without precondition—are the true chosen of God.
However, it
must be impressed in everyone’s mind and heart that being chosen means a
privilege as well as a responsibility.
It is central from the beginning:
“This is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be
your God, and, you shall be My people … that it may be will with you’” (Jer.
7:23, NKJV).
Truly, being
chosen carries both responsibilities and blessings as described in the biblical
covenants with God. Believers who
respond to God’s invitation and become members of Christ’s body—the Church Of
Christ—will be counted among God’s chosen, His own special people (I Pet.
2:9-10) who will obtain His mercy of salvation come Judgment Day to enjoy the
sumptuous feast with Jesus in His holy kingdom.
*
-RICHARD J. RODAS
Editor-in-Chief
Pasugo God’s Message
Copied from PASUGO GOD’S
MESSAGE/JULY 2012/VOLUME 64/NUMBER 7/PAGES 1-2
