The Gospel Is For All
by Jerry Fite

Jesus left his chosen apostles with the commission to preach the Gospel throughout the world. All needed the message of Christ in order to be saved (Mark 16:16). Today the apostles are no longer here to walk the earth saving souls, but we stand in our time and place knowing that God desires every soul today to be saved (I Tim. 2:4).

“Every creature,” the object of Christ’s gospel, means we are to be concerned with souls that are in other parts of the world. Separated by seas, is no deterrent to those convicted by Jesus’ desire. The Aegean Sea did not keep Saul from following through with the “Macedonian Call” (Acts 16:9-10). Paul reached the souls of men and women with the Gospel in Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens, Corinth and Ephesus (Acts 16:12, 17:1, 18:1, 19).

We today are concerned for souls throughout the world. Knowing the Gospel is the only power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16), we support men who faithfully carry out their responsibility of reaching the lost as they travel to and live among people in foreign lands
Having the desire that souls in foreign places are saved and strengthened by the preaching of the Gospel will move one to eagerly review the monthly reports posted in the foyer. Men take the time to report about their work in spreading the seed of God’s word in foreign fields. You do read them, don’t you?

The Gospel is for all. This includes your neighbor and the citizens of our local community. The people we work with and attend school with are souls destined for eternity in Heaven or Hell. Yes, they may reject your teaching efforts and be eternally lost. But they cannot reject the gospel if they do not have the opportunity to receive it. There is hope that the next person you contact with the saving gospel of Christ will receive it like close to 3,000 souls did in Jerusalem (Acts 2:41). But there is no hope for the one and no doubt of his or her eternal destiny if one never hears the Gospel. We should be driven every day with optimism and readiness to give those in daily contact with us an opportunity to be saved by the word of Christ.

The Gospel is for all. This includes Christians who must continue to grow in the word. The word of good tidings which is preached, is the word of the Lord which will abide forever (I Peter 1:25). We must continue to feed our spiritual appetites with the word of the Lord as we grow unto Heaven (I Peter 2:2). The word of God’s grace is able to build us up and insure our inheritance among the sanctified (Acts 20:32). Initial salvation, by knowing the significance of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection through the gospel is only the beginning. We continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ protecting ourselves from eternal destruction (2 Peter 3:18).

Next week, the Lord willing, we will have the opportunity each day to provide our neighbors, fellow workers, and classmates with the opportunity to hear the saving message of the Gospel. Look around you and remember, the Gospel is for all. Go ahead and invite that precious soul to hear the preaching of the Gospel. Attend yourself each day. The Gospel is for all. Even you and me who need to constantly grow unto Heaven.

Spiritual, But…
by Jerry Fite

The Pew Forum on Religion released a survey earlier this summer regarding religion in the United States. At first glance one might see a country where the majority believe in God and pray regularly. 71% of Americans surveyed have a “‘absolutely certain’ belief in God or universal spirit”. 58 % also “pray at least once a day.” Among my fellow Texans, the survey found even more resolve in their belief and prayers -- 77% are absolutely certain in a belief in God or a universal spirit, and 66% pray at least once a day.

The questions imply a change in the state of “religion” in America. Many may take comfort that almost 2/3’s of our population believe in God, but notice the God revealed in the Bible must share the stage with some other “universal spirit” even among questioners of surveys. We are therefore “Spiritual” today, not necessarily believers in the one true God revealed in Scriptures

Two results appear incongruent. While 33% of Americans “interpret Scripture as the word of God, literally true word for word”, only 24% “believe their religion is the one true faith leading to eternal life.” Does not Jesus say in God’s Word, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6)? Paul, inspired by the one Holy Spirit writes, “There is one body, one spirit, even as ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). If 33% of Americans believe that Scripture is the word of God -- literally true word for word -- should not 33% also believe their faith is the one true faith leading to eternal life? Do they have a faith that is not the “one faith” of the Bible? Or, is there something else going on in religion today?

One of the questions reveal one answer to the apparent incongruity. Only 27% “believe there is one true way to interpret the teachings of their religion.” More than 25% of Americans accept the premise that there is more than one way to properly interpret revealed teachings. So, maybe we should not be so sure that there is “one Faith,” and Jesus may have meant something else when He claimed to be the way, truth , the life and the only way to the Father. People may be "spiritual" today, but they do not live with the conviction of faith revealed in the Bible.

One premise affecting hearts today is the false idea that love is equated with toleration. For example, we have been told that if we love the homosexuals, we must tolerate their practice and not speak out against their actions. If we love Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, or any other religious group, we must be tolerant of their beliefs. To say that all men outside of Christ are lost today is to many, an unloving comment. But it is the truth from the Bible (Ephesians 2:12). To condemn homosexuality as sin and against nature, while offering “change” in Christ is unloving to some, but it is the truth of Scripture (Romans 1:26,I Corinthians 6:9-11).
Americans may be "spiritual" today, but lack the conviction that their religion is the one true faith leading to eternal life. Tolerance and acceptance seems to be what love is today. It surely is not manifesting the “exclusive” belief as revealed by Jesus Christ. Follow God and His Word, and be not conformed to the “Spiritual”!

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