a resounding success, but not because of the numbers of people who obeyed. It was because the Apostles did what God said. They were faithful to the words of Christ; they preached the Word of God. They planted indeed, but God gave the increase. The increase to the tune of (if the numbers are correct) 0.3 percent.
Is it the missionary’s job to save the world? Is it the missionary’s job to save the world? Well, as much as it is any man’s job to save the world. Are we “responsible” for the saving of others? The answer is both yes and no. Yes, if you are asking if it is our job to teach the lost. But, ultimately, it is my opinion that it is not our job to “save” the world. Our job is to sow the seed. To cast as much seed as we can out onto the different soils. But, I cannot control how many people will obey. Now, before you get your stones out to throw at me, let me clarify. All Christians are responsible for saving the world, in that it is our job to stand and warn; it is our job to proclaim the glorious Gospel of Jesus to all that we can. We indeed take an active role in “saving” the lost, but, ultimitely it is not my decision to make, as to whether someone else obeys the Truth or not. How encouraged I have been through the years to read Paul’s statement as found in
A Faulty Measure... <<<
God considered him to be righteous. That is, he was doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. God was pleased with Lot, regardless of how many “converts” he was able to “get.” What about Israel? Why did God choose her? If God was so concerned with numbers, why not choose Babylon or Persia? Why not choose the masses of men in Egypt? Notice Deuteronomy 7:6-7. For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people…. Remember Gideon’s battle? How many Israelite soldiers did God send to battle against the mighty Midianites? 300. Why? Because God does not view success in the same way that men do. What about the “success” of our Lord? How many men did Christ save? We do not know, but was he able to convert the whole world? Was he successful every time he went to preach a lesson? Some in the church would even have to conclude that Jesus was not successful, if we were to judge him by the number of men he saved. (Matthew 7:14.) How many men in Acts 2 were saved? The Bible records that 3000 men obeyed the truth. Most Christians will quickly say, “Yes, the Day of Pentecost was a resounding success.” Now, numerically speaking, were the apostles successful or not? Just how many men were in the city of Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost? Scholars have estimated that somewhere between 1.5 and 2.5 million Jews were there celebrating the festival. Now, supposing that even half of that estimation heard of the events that went on that day, that is roughly (based upon the center, which would be 2 million) 1 million people, and only 3000 obeyed. That is only 0.3 percent “success” rate. Twelve men miraculously endowed with power from the Holy Ghost, preaching the Word of God to the lost of Jerusalem that day, were able to “save” 0.3 percent of the people there that day. That is 3 out of 1000 people. Yes! The Day of Pentecost was indeed
Truth For The World
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