By John Larkins
One of the most obvious features of all human culture is the attention paid to a god – or gods – in recognition of an all-powerful presence in our world. The primary motivation for this worship activity is to seek material rewards in this life and to attain a place in the world we may enter after this life is over. The best explanation for this seemingly inherent and universal human behavior is that God “wired” us to seek Him.
About 1.2 billion living humans believe Jesus Christ – who identified Himself as the Son of God – put into action a plan that would enable people to live the best lives possible on earth and to establish a place in God’s eternal kingdom after our death. This gift to us is the Good News.
God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the Triune God – created the universe, apparently, for us to live in while we prove to Jesus that we share and respond to God’s love of us.
Mysteriously, God loves us. He had created the place for His friends in Eden. He then created a man and later a woman to live with Him forever. But those two people disobeyed Him. Perhaps that could have been the end of the entire story. God sent the two people somewhere East of Eden, under conditions of strife and pain, and ultimately, death.
The Good News is that God decided to give us a second chance. The Way was a long and somewhat complex sequence of events (at least in human terms) that would re-establish the covenant between us and God. A covenant describes how parties relate to one another. God initiated the process of establishing what we call a “Church” about 4,000 years ago with a man named Abraham. During this time, several covenants were established with the people involved. Also, the Gates of Heaven, which were necessary for eternal salvation with God, were closed during this time.
Many people celebrate the beginning of the last covenant between mankind and God at Christmas. Although the Savior of mankind, the one who would secure the relationship with God, was well related in the written word of God, few understood and/or believed. Thus, when the Son of God was born as also the Son of Man, the birth was not well known.
When the Son of Man was about 30 years old, He began appointing those who would become the Bishops of His Church. This new Church would administer the process of teaching and distribution of the saving grace given to Jesus Christ after He allowed Himself to be sacrificed so as to re-establish the love bond between man and God.
It seems that the natural human desire to identify, love and worship the one and true God is as strong today as ever. Do you have such a yearning? Jesus established the New and Everlasting Covenant! He is present to us in the eucharist!
The Gates of Heaven have been re-opened! The sacrament of baptism is available! Christ empowered His disciples to forgive sins! 2,000 years ago, the promised Savior commissioned 11 men to bring His Way to all people.
Do you know The Way?
John Larkins was born in Oklahoma to an U.S. Army family. His education was in the Catholic Church and wteaching in the United Methodist Church for 10 years. After 50 years of various positions in federal service at home and in Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, John and his wife Carol live in Gadsden. His formal education includes a BS certified for science teaching, an MBA from the University of Missouri and an MPA from Jacksonville State University in public administration and environmental management. For the past 15 years, John evangelized on the street, door-to-door, in tent revivals and in church situations. Contact him at johnlarkins@bellsouth.net.