In this time Christianity is almost mirroring the World. Politics is becoming increasingly divided and polarized and so is the Church. Where politics is seeing the disappearance of parties in the center and the return of extreme left and right wing parties into the mainstream. The Church is seeing the disappearance of denominations that believe the gospel. They are being supplanted with other denominations who believe that the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the Cross was not enough to save mankind by itself.
As a result we have these various denominations believe that Christ and the Father met in the beginning to decide who would be saved. Still others believe that the believer must do more to ensure their salvation than simply believe. One wonders where these ideas find their source? In a way they are similar to Roman Catholicism even though the proponents of them would rail at the very idea of such a thing. The Catholics make no bones of the fact that in their view no one will make it to heaven without a lengthy stay in purgatory. They teach that life is about making yourself more godly and righteous so that God will accept you.
Meanwhile, society is moving further and further from its Christian roots and is descending into a drug induced malaise. Citizens in so many countries are straying into paganism while social media is exposing them to everything from atheism to the occult. Secular socialism with a spiritual component, paganism. As we moved into a new era in the fifth century as the rise of Christianity changed the face of the world at that time. So, now we are making the reverse move and heading back to pantheism and pagan spiritism.
Our youth are actually quite strong young people but the effects of drugs and secularism are impacting their perspective on life. However, they have community and contrary to popular belief of many are quite good communicators exhibiting loyalty, concern for their peers and genuine love for each other. I think, they are similar to the great generation of WWII in many ways and if they are to go through similar life experiences to that generation and hear the gospel. I think they stand a good chance of becoming Christians and entering the Kingdom of God.
In this light, we have a great opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. These young people can be reached and even though the bible tells us that many will fall away in our time. The gospel will be shared around the world and a multitude will turn to righteousness in Christ Jesus and will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. As Christians we need to start sowing the seed, while others of us water and tend the crop.
Some might read this piece and say "What need we do as the lost are lost and the saved are saved." Personally, I don't subscribe to that belief. The word of God says clearly in Ezekiel 18:32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.” and again in 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
So, it is that the lost have a choice to make and can hear the gospel and respond to it or reject it. They may choose to accept the gospel and live or reject it and die in their sins. In the same vain we have a job to do, fulfilling the great commission and taking the gospel to all the world. That all the world may hear the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ and choose to receive the forgiveness of sins through the His shed blood on the Cross at Calvary. The choice is theirs but the honour to bear the gospel is ours as servants of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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