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God Himself has made the way for man to be able to return to Him and receive the forgiveness of his sins.
REELING TOWARDS its end, the world we live in is like a dying man with an incurable disease. Disasters and calamities bring greater destruction. In addition, escalating economic problems, worsening poverty, never-ending armed conflicts, and widespread hunger are experienced in different parts of the world.
Unfortunately, amidst all these troubles many people have taken for granted what should have been given utmost importance—intimacy with God. Almighty as He is, God can definitely provide man his needs and protect him against the perils in this world. Man needs the grace of salvation that only God can give through His Son Jesus Christ.
Why are turmoil and havoc happening in this world? Who is to blame? The Bible enlightens us:
“The land and the earth also are defiled by their inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, disregarded the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse devours the land and the earth, and they who dwell in it suffer the punishment of their guilt. Therefore the inhabitants of the land and the earth are scorched and parched [under the curse of God’s wrath], and few people are left.” (Isa. 24:5–6 Amplified Bible)
God has cursed the world as a consequence of man’s defiance of His laws. Hence, calamities, epidemic diseases, poverty, and violence beset the world. But, that’s not all. God forewarned the worst to come:
“The earth will crack and shatter and split open. The earth itself will stagger like a drunk, sway like a hut in a storm. The world is weighed down by its sins; it will collapse and never rise again.” (Isa. 24:19–20 Good News Bible)
Indeed, the world we live in will come to its end. On that day, which is called Judgment Day, the earth and everything in it will be consumed by fire (II Pet. 3:7, 10). Neither gold nor any other riches could save man on that day which is very near and coming fast (Zeph. 1:14, 18). Sadly, many people do not give much attention or do not care at all about the greatest disaster ever that will come on earth as God’s judgment because of man’s insurgence against Him.
Man was alienated from God because of sins. The Bible records:
“But the trouble is that your sins have cut you off from God. Because of sin he has turned his face away from you and will not listen anymore.” (Isa. 59:2 Living Bible)
Hence, even if man calls upon God through prayers, God would not listen. Man’s sins serve as a wall between him and God. Also, man has become God’s enemy (Col. 1:21 gnb) and is therefore headed for a certain dreadful punishment in the lake of fire (Heb. 10:27; Rev. 20:14) on Judgment Day. Whether man accepts it or not, that day will come. For God Who appointed Judgment Day is the same God who appointed man to die once (Heb. 9:27). The fact that man dies proves that the Day of Judgment will come.
Hence, man needs to return to God. But returning to God entails making friends with Him, on His own terms, not on man’s.
Full of loving-kindness, God Himself has made the way for man to be able to return to Him and receive the forgiveness of his sins. The Bible records:
“But now, by means of the physical death of his Son, God has made you his friends, in order to bring you, holy, pure, and faultless, into his presence.” (Col. 1:22 gnb)
God sent His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And through Christ’s sacrificial death, those who benefit from it have been made God’s friends—no longer enemies of God. Apostle Paul made it clear that Christ gave His life not for all but for the Church (Eph. 5:25 gnb). That Church is referred to by Apostle Paul as Christ’s body, and “Christ is himself the Savior of the church, his body” (Eph. 5:23 gnb).
As man needs to accept Christ as the Savior, man also needs to enter the Church that Christ will save. In that Church can be found those whom God has made His friends through the sacrificial death of Christ. But among the many religions established in this world, which Church was redeemed through the death of Christ?
“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation)
The Church Of Christ—is the only Church which was redeemed by the blood of Christ. This is where we can find those who are formerly enemies of God but have been made His friends.
The Lord Jesus Christ Himself assured the salvation of His fold or flock—the Church Of Christ. He declares: “… In very truth I tell you, I am the door of the sheepfold. … I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe” (John 10:7, 9 Revised English Bible).
There is no reason to doubt the very truth that man should join the Church Of Christ in order to be saved. It is now that man should fulfill this, for Judgment Day is fast approaching. God wants man to know the truth and be saved (I Tim. 2:5).
While we wait for our salvation, our sojourn in this world is rough and full of hardships. But God’s servants in these last days—the members of the Church Of Christ—can count on His promise that He will answer their prayers:
“… I will test them as gold is tested. Then they will pray to me, and I will answer them. I will tell them that they are my people, and they will confess that I am their God.” (Zech. 13:9 gnb)
