Antidote
for despair
Much of what people see and read
about world events today appear to be spiraling towards even more violence,
environmental disasters, escalating wickedness and criminality---leading to
feelings of fear, grief, and despair.
The rapidly deteriorating economic
condition exacerbates what is happening in almost every region of the world,
thus, forcing individuals to the most desperate of actions. Suicide rates are
soaring as governments slash public spending, cut wages, close public services,
and eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs to cope with needed austerity
measures, in effect, driving millions beyond the upper limits of their
tolerance.
But there is help. God Almighty
fully understands how man feels, after all, He is the Maker and Creator not
just of man but of the whole universe. Through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
He teaches man the very prime necessity of life, thus: “So do not worry,
saying, ‘What shall we eat? Or ‘What shall we drink? Or ‘What shall we wear’ For
the pagan run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you
need them. But seek first his kingdom
and his righteousness, and all these
things will be given to you as well” (Matt.6:31-33, New International Version,
emphasis ours).
People often expressly say, “It does
no good to worry”. But the reality of things is that people do worry
tremendously: about the security of their job, the safety of their children,
their mortgage payment, other bills to pay, food for their family, etc. As though
to pour a dose of cold water on those
who worry so much on these “pagan” concerns, the Savior declared; “your heavenly Father knows that you need
them…and all these things will be given to you”. God will provide---so anxious
care and worriment need not be expended on them if you seek first his
kingdom and His righteousness. Besides, worry creates stress. Excessive
stress can create a life of depression and sadness.
Man must set his priorities straight then. The
biblical command “seek first” implies that it should be the first thing to be
attended to. Nothing should crowd this aside. Not food. Not what to wear or
what to drink. But with most zealous effort and perseverance, man must press on
till he obtains God’s kingdom and His righteousness. His mind and focus must
not be diverted from this divine search. Food and clothing are minor matters in
comparison with them.
The “kingdom” that must be
foremost of all in man’s search was given to the “flock”, as the Lord Jesus
Christ Himself assert: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has
been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32, Ibid.).
Those whom God has rescued
from out of the darkness of this world had been brought to the “kingdom of the
Son” wherein they have obtained redemption and the forgiveness of sins through
the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 1:12-14, Ibid.). The “flock” which was redeemed or purchased by Jesus with
His own blood is the Church Of Christ (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation ).
All men need the Church Of Christ
then. This “Kingdom of the Son” must not be put on the background in man’s
order of priorities in life. Remember, Jesus said “seek first”.
Finding the “kingdom”, or becoming a
member of the Church Of Christ is not the end of man’s responsibility tough. He
must also “seek” God’s “righteousness”. This righteousness was explained by
Apostle Paul, thus: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of
God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the
Gentile. For in the gospel a
righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith first
to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith’” (Rom.
1:16-17, NIV, emphasis ours).
The “righteousness” of God is the gospel. It is god’s powerful way of
bringing all who believe it ultimately unto salvation to share in His “heavenly
kingdom”. But faith in the gospel must be coupled with works or obedience
(James 2:14, 17, 19, 24,Ibid.).,
otherwise, it is inoperative, dead and unproductive for salvation.
Apostle Paul bolstered the need for man’s obedience to God’s
righteousness or gospel when he enthusiastically pointed out such, thus: “Now,
brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you
received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved,
if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed
in vain” (I Cor. 15:1-2, Ibid.).
The gospel which has been preached to
man must be accepted, believed, held fast or kept firmly so as to fully benefit
from God’s promise that “all these things will be given to you”. That is, unless man
never really believes it in the first place.
God set the standard on how man can
receive His promised material and spiritual blessings in a very simple way:
obedience to Him. The problem is, many find obedience to God so difficult in a
world so attractive and which calls on man with a loud, enticing voice filled
with all the delights it can offer. That is why Apostle Paul vividly asserted
that is hard to be a true Christian in these last days, thus: “You may as well
know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult
to be a Christian. For people will love only themselves and their money; they
will be proud and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at
God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad. They
will be hard headed and never give in to others; they will be constant liars
and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and
cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. They will betray their friends;
they will be hot headed, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to
worshiping God. They will go to Church, yes, but they won’t really believe
anything they hear. Don’t be taken in by people like that” (II Tim. 3:1-5, Living Bible).
How true are these things today?
According to a report released last October 9, 2012 by the Pew Research
Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life, more people are atheist, agnostic,
or unaffiliated with religion than ever before. In fact, a third of adults
under 30 have no religious affiliation (32%).
Compound that spiritual crisis
with those who are self-centered and lovers of money, or, in the words of the
apostle “will love only themselves and
their money.” Add up those who are loose in morals and conduct, puffed up
with pride, and “prefer good times to
worshiping God.” The sheer number of religions, churches, and
pseudo-religious organizations today is deceptive and misleading, for, Apostle
Paul declared: “They will go to church,
yes, but they won’t really believe anything they hear.”
No doubt, God decreed that all ungodly men will perish together with
this earth and everything in it on Judgment Day (II Pet. 3:7, 10). On that Day,
even mighty and strong men will cry bitterly. Those who engross themselves with
accumulating “silver and gold” (money) on this earth will find lamentably that
their wealth cannot deliver them from God’s wrath (Zeph. 1:14-15, 17-18).
What makes faithful membership in the Church Of Christ doubly important?
First, members of the Church Of Christ were redeemed by the cleansing blood of
Jesus, and as such, will be saved on Judgment Day. Second, even in this life,
they are enjoined to ask God in prayers with thanksgiving for what they need, because the promise is:
“Don’t worry about anything, but in all
your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful
heart. … And with all his abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will
supply all your needs” (Phil. 4:6, 19. Today’s
English Version).
God promised to liberally supply every need of His people from His
riches. The material worries and everyday concerns of man can be alleviated. He
must not allow himself to be immobilized and be numbed by the feeling of
despair and powerlessness. There is a biblical antidote to it. He must begin taking
steps towards positive action: search for God’s kingdom or the Church Of
Christ. Therein, complete obedience to God’s righteousness or gospel must be
learned even through discipline and punishment from God (Heb. 12:5-10).
Man
may have been accustomed to many promises made and broken by his fellowmen. But
with God it is different. His promises to His people stand. At the end of their
perilous journey on earth, the obedient and faithful members of the Church Of
Christ await “a new heaven and a new
earth” where God “Will wipe away all tears from their eyes.
There will no more death, no more grief or crying or pain” (Rev. 21:1-4, TEV). All of that will be gone forever.