Marvin L. Weir
The Son of Man came to this world to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He willingly divested Himself of the glory that was His in Heaven for a period of time when He came to this earth and served all mankind by dying on Calvary’s cross (Phil. 2:6-8). Such was a part of God’s grand scheme of redemption as He “would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).
The question that one needs to contemplate is not how many churches are there in this world but rather how many churches does the Lord promise to save? There is only one church or body (Eph. 4:4; 1:22-23) that the Lord promised to save (Eph. 5:23), and it was built by Him (Matt. 16:18) and purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28). The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 2:10) and that one is “baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13). Those on the day of Pentecost who gladly received the Lord’s Word were baptized (Acts 2:41), and the Lord added them to His body or church (Acts 2:47).
The wonderful news is that God has made it possible for all to become a member of Christ’s church. If one hears the Word and believes it (Rom. 10:17), he will turn from (repent) of his sins (Luke 13:3), confess Christ (Rom. 10:9-10), and be baptized for the remission of his sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).
The sad news is that most folks attempt to save themselves by their own rules and regulations instead of by complying with God’s will. It is amazing that the majority of people will affirm that one can be saved by “faith only” which the Bible denies (Jam. 2:24) and deny that baptism puts one “into Christ” which the Bible affirms (Gal. 3:27)!
The Old Testament reveals to all who desire to learn that man will stubbornly cling to his own ideas and thoughts while rejecting God’s will and way. The cry of Israel to God’s prophet, Samuel, rings forth: “…Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Sam. 8:5). Samuel is not pleased with the people’s request, but God reminds the faithful prophet that it is not he but Himself that the people have rejected.
God then reveals the manner of king that will rule over Israel. The king will take their sons, daughters, land, servants and animals as treat them as his own (1 Sam. 8:11-17). All will be mere servants and pawns of the king. In spite of the warning of what will occur the people stubbornly reply, “Nay: but we will have a king over us” (1 Sam. 8:19). The prophet Jeremiah acknowledged a most important truth about men in saying, “O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23). Coffman correctly observes:
This is one of the most profound statements in the Scriptures and one that needs continually to be heeded by sinful men. As long as men seek to be guided by their own counsels, and by what seems good to them, they are destined to frustration and defeat.
It is indeed true that you cannot warn some folks! They intend to do “their thing” even if it does cost them their soul. Just acknowledging Christ as Lord will not get one to Heaven! In every dispensation, the people have always been required to do the will of the Father (Matt. 7:21).
Jeremiah implores his people to follow God in saying, “Thus saith Jehovah, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk therein” (Jer. 6:16).
The problem is not that God has not done His part to save man from his sins. The problem always has been and is that man stubbornly refuses to come to God on His terms and be saved His way!
The saddest words in the Bible are these as Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not” (Matt. 22:37)! Even though the Savior came that all might enjoy the abundant life (John 10:10), He sadly stated to those who professed to be religious, “and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life” (John 5:40).
Folks, you cannot come to Christ on your terms! Those in the Old Testament could not be God’s people while refusing Him as King and selecting among themselves their own king. Wanting to be like the other nations will cause folks to lose their soul! People cannot reject the “old paths” and the “good way” and expect to go to Heaven.
All people must obey the gospel and live the Christian life to be saved. All “must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24, emph. MLW). What a sad epitaph for eternity it will be for all those on the Day of Judgment who are told, “and ye would not.”
