By John Larkins
“Blessed are the undefiled in The Way, who walk in the law of the Lord” – Plasm 119 1-2.
The most important choice any human can make is to soberly and respectfully select Jesus Christ’s Church for his or her salvation. This is consistent with the teaching that He himself remains in this Church, physically and actually, in the elements of the eucharist sacrament, sometimes called communion. He told the apostles that He would remain with them forever and that the sacrament was His body and blood.
After our Savior made his majestic sacrifice to compensate for the sin of Adam and Eve, and to provide a way for dispensing the grace of His sacrifice forever, our rejecting His gift would be a just cause for damnation of the soul involved. Jesus delegates all power to the apostles (Matthew 28:18-20), gives them power to forgive sins (John 20:23) and gives the Church the power to speak with Christ’s voice (Luke 10:16).
These delegations of authority are NOT a barrier or diminution of Christ’s love for each of us but an explanation of His plan to save our souls with our cooperation. It is inconceivable to think that God would send us to His Kingdom without our cooperation and active choice.
On the other hand, this is the Good News of His sacrifice! As Peter said when Jesus asked if he and the other Apostles believed what Jesus was teaching, “Lord, where else would we go?” In Timothy 3:15, the Church is the pillar and foundation of truth. We are promised the gates of Hell will never prevail against Christ’s Church.
If ever we desperately needed the reassurance from Jesus that He will win the battle against Satan for us, it is today! What does Jesus ask from us? He said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Because the law given to Moses had been expanded somewhat by men, Jesus restates His commandments. One of them is “Thou shall not kill.” Peter said in his writings, “not all sins are fatal.” This one certainly describes abortion. Do you think Jesus can be persuaded that killing one’s child is a minor sin?
We will get immediate agreement and support for Jesus Christ’s immeasurable mercy for us sinners. Do you ever hear those preaching to you stressing the absolute necessity of REPENTANCE for our sins as a condition for forgiveness? Perhaps just as importantly, Jesus described these times in which we live to be the time of Mercy. When He returns, it will be the time of Judgement.
Think about what Jesus told the Apostles in the parable of the weeds in the wheat. The Apostles asked Jesus why He did not remove the weeds from the wheat crop while the crop was growing (Jesus may be using this idea for us). Jesus said, “No, let the weeds grow with the wheat, then at the harvest, remove the weeds and burn them in the fire.”
In a week or so, most Christians will be thinking especially of Jesus’s death and resurrection. This is a good time to refocus on our debt to the Lamb of God and consider what the Bible really tells us about His Mission.
John Larkins was born in Oklahoma to an U.S. Army family. His education was in the Catholic Church and teaching 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 church situations. Contact him at johnlarkins@bellsouth.net.