By John Larkins
It seems impossible that anyone would study Jesus Christ’s mission campaign and accept false teachers’ claims that there is more than one Church. There it is, and untold misery in lost salvation will accompany that strange idea. Just one reminder – Jesus willingly paid the price for human salvation. Reflect on that intense sacrifice and consider that it does not make any difference concerning the Church. No wonder high schoolers have such a challenge in reading comprehension!
After our Savior empowered the Apostles to carry out Jesus Christ’s mission, they got busy. Acts of the Apostles: 8 5-8, says, “Phillip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Phillip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits crying out in a loud voice came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city.
“Now when the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”
The Samaritans were an old and religiously complex nation, so their conversion to Christ’s Church was significant. The Jerusalem Church eventually governed eight Churches. The Church’s headquarters then moved to Rome. Christians must continue to spread God’s word to bring about the complete conversion of all nations.
Peter 3: 15-18 says, “Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer from doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit.”
Amen, especially in today’s world! The Communist Democrat minority seems repelled by the idea of accepting Jesus Christ as their savior, in that they themselves are their God!
Jesus clears the air a bit as to what we should do. John 14; 15-21 says, “Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans: I will come to you. In a little while, the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live, and you will live. On that day, you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
No stealing? Oh my, how will our politicians survive? Are there other thieves? Does it mean that we do not love Jesus if we take just a little bit?
No wonder God is so hated today. Are the haters aware they will be judged and sentenced by the very same God they hate?
If there is any way I can be of service, please email me at johnlarkins@bellsouth.net.