The early disciples of Christ, upon having more and more spiritual truth opened to their minds and understanding, said, “We cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). It was just too grand, too wonderful, too mind-boggling to keep to themselves. They probably thought, “If our fellow human beings could only come to see and believe what we have come to see and understand, it would change their lives overnight!”
The prophet Isaiah asked the penetrating question, “Should not a people seek unto their God?” (See Isaiah 8:19). Or, in other words, “Should not created intelligent beings such as the human family seek out their Creator? Shouldn’t they want to know more about Him? Doesn’t He desire something from us as His creation? Can we please Him? Can we displease Him?” Even the pagan cultures of centuries past asked these questions and diligently sought answers, even resorting to human sacrifice in an effort to please whatever gods or goddesses might be taking note of their existence and habits! These ancient cultures were totally unaware that their Creator did indeed wish to fellowship with them, but that He had a plan, a plan with a timetable, that they would TEMPORARILY be cut off from Him until God had brought forth a cadre of surrendered human subjects, who would serve with and under His firstborn Son, Jesus Christ, and then, with the proper knowledge and totally submissive wills these brethren of the Lord would assist their Creator and Lord to open the minds and guide and lead all of the rest of humanity into an eternal relationship with the Most High.
Mankind as a whole has no idea that death presents no obstacle to God in the accomplishment of His stated goal. Most are totally ignorant of the fact that God said, “I kill, and I make alive” a long, long time ago. (See Deuteronomy 32:39-41). They did not know that God’s messenger had declared “With God NOTHING shall be impossible!” (See Luke 1:37). Cut off from God, mankind is wide open to satanic error, therefore coming to believe in ghosts, inherent immortal life, going immediately to heaven or hell at the moment of death, and a host of other false concepts.
Those who did come into contact with the holy scriptures and without God’s Spirit to enlighten and guide them misunderstood, twisted and perverted these sacred texts. Many ignored three-fourths of these inspired writings, calling much of God’s Word “the OLD Testament” and ignoring the counsel and guidance contained therein, thereby spawning dozens and dozens of contradictory denominations, each seeing themselves as bastions of truth and the true body of Christ! And all became confusion.
But God is on His throne. His plan is going forward even now. Nothing can or will derail what God set out to do long, long ago before the foundation of the earth was even laid and before He uttered the words, “Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness….” He is doing just that. He is right on schedule time. And this knowledge gives one that peace that surpasses all understanding. Do YOU have that peace?
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12)
Donald Wiley