‘Spreading
the Good News’
THE WORLD
ENTERED
the 21st century encountering an onslaught of extremely bad news.
Some of the most notable events that made headlines during the last ten years were: the hijacking of two
commercial jets from Boston, on September 11, 2001, and crashing them into the
World Trade Center towers in New York City; outbreak of severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) in April of 2003, a deadly form of pneumonia; a
9.0-magnitude earthquake on December 26, 2004, causing a powerful tsunami in
the Indian Ocean that hit 12 countries; a school shooting incident on April 16,
2007 that took place on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University in Blacksburg, Virginia,
considered as the deadliest
shooting rampage by a single gunman in
US history; a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastating Port-au-Prince, Haiti on
January 12, 2010; and a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake triggering a deadly
23-foot tsunami that devastated Japan on march 11, 2011 and caused a nuclear
threat when cooling systems in one of the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station failed shortly after the earthquake.
These and many others, with all
certainty, brought immense fear and indescribable grief not only to those who
survived the tragedies but also to those who, through mass media, kept their
eyes open as these dreadful events were unfolded.
Long long time ago, in the
history of God’s early servants, it was bad news that 10 men brought back as they
reported to the Prophet Moses, after they, along with two others, were sent to
explore the land of Canaan-the land the Lord God had promised the ancient
Israelites to be their dwelling place (Num. 14:36, Contemporary English Version).
The 10 bearers of bad news said
that, although the land they explored was rich with milk and honey, the people
who lived in Canaan were much too strong and like giants that they felt as
small as grasshoppers (Num. 13:28-29, 31-33,
Ibid.)
Upon hearing such a truly
disturbing report, the Israelites cried all night, complained to Moses and
Aaron and said to them, thus: “We wish we had died in Egypt or somewhere out
here in the dessert! Is the Lord leading us into Canaan, just to have us killed
and our women and children captured? We’d be better off in Egypt” (Num. 14:2-3, Ibid.)
Similarly, a series of tragic
news dealt a heavy blow to Job, a righteous servant of God, as his sons and
daughters were dining at their eldest brother’s house. His four servants who
arrived in close succession brought these bad news: donkeys feeding beside
them, when the Sabeans raided us, drove away the animals, and killed all the
farmhands except me. I am the only one left. ’While this messenger was still
speaking, another arrived with more bad news: ‘The fire of God has fallen from
heaven and burned up your sheep and all the herdsmen, and I alone have escaped to
tell you.’ Before this man finished, still another messenger rushed in: ‘Three
bands of Chaldeans have driven off your camels and killed your servants, and I
alone have escaped to tell you. ‘ As he was still speaking, another arrived to
say, ‘Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home,
when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the dessert and engulfed the house so
that the roof fell in on them and all are dead; and I alone escaped to tell
you’” (Job 1:14-19, Living Bible).
Yet, no matter how depressing
and heart breaking the accounts of the
loss of his cherished children and all his hard-earned properties, Job did not
point a blaming finger on God. Instead, he knelt on the ground, then worshiped
and praised the name of the Lord---“The LORD alone gives and takes,” he said
(Job 1:20-21, CEV).
In this time of the impending
Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible forewarned about a steady
stream of bad news that will pour in---one disaster will follow
another---fighting in the streets, sickness, hunger, confusion, violence---inevitable
consequences of man’s disgusting conduct that caused God’s anger (Ezek.7:26,
2-4, 15, 17, 23, 25, Today’s English
Version). Without wonder, these as well as many others like earthquakes,
tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, cold spell, heat wave, volcanic
eruptions alternately fill the headlines almost on a daily basis.
The good
news
However, in spite of all these
appalling news which, observably, have increased in frequency by the turn of
the 1st century, the Scriptures gave this reassuring announcement,
although declared more than two millennia earlier yet still rings truly
significant in our time: “But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid! I am
here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This
very day in David’s town your Savior was born-Christ the Lord’!” (Luke 2:10-11,
Ibid.)
This needed is the best news
that man has ever heard---“the most joyful news ever announced” (LB), offering
the most valuable salvation to all men brought by God’s love who gave His only
Son so that everyone who believes or
keeps faith in him will not die but have eternal life (John 3:16-17, TEV).
For man to receive the full
advantage of salvation through the Lord Jesus, he must comply with the first
requirement-to be put right with God through Christ’s blood. Apostle Paul
declares, thus: “But here is how God has shown his love for us. The blood of
Christ has made us right with God. So we are even more sure that Jesus will
save us from God’s anger” (Rom. 5:8-9,
New International Revised Version). That which the Savior died for is His
body or Church---the Church Of Christ He redeemed or purchased with His blood
(Eph. 5:25, 23, New King James Version;
Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation).
Hence, through the Church Of Christ, man will be counted righteous in the sight
of God.
Undeniably, nothing compares
to “the most joyful news ever announced”---the birth of the Savior and that by
His sacrificial death, man will attain salvation by virtue of membership in His
Church, the Church of Christ. For this reason, Apostle Paul’s encouragement
then to the Jews and Gentiles of his time equality applies to all who long to
be saved in this time when the end fast approaches. He said, thus: “And this is
the secret: that the Gentiles will have their full share with the Jews in all
the riches inherited by God’s son’s; both are invited to belong to his church,
and all of God’s promises of mighty blessings through Christ apply to them both
when they accept the Good News about Christ and what he has done for them”(Eph.
3:6, LB).
Sharing the
Good News
To belong to Christ’s Church is the
apostle’s invitation to all who yearn to be saved. It is in this same vein the
Church Of Christ continuous to share its faith to others. Effectively led by
the Church Administration, the Iglesia Ni Cristo ceaselessly strives to reach
more and more people, even through mass media, to have them receive the Good
News of salvation. Ministers and evangelical workers are being sent to various
parts of the globe to propagate the truth that guarantees salvation. Without
let up, the Church’s Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, constantly
takes hold of every opportune time, especially through worship services, to
exhort Church members to win over converts---a sacred call that Church officers
and brethren have been gaining steam adhering to, following the biblical
example of a servant of God who said, thus:”… LORD, I told the good news of
salvation to myself; I have always spoken of your faithfulness and help. …”
(Ps. 40:9-10, TEV).
Active and faithful members of
the Church Of Christ continue to disseminate the truth they firmly believe in,
minding less of themselves yet caring more about God’s work of salvation, like
Apostle Paul who said, thus: “But I don’t care what happens to me, as long as I
finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the
good news about God’s great kindness” (Acts 20:24, CEV).
This, the Iglesia Ni Cristo
members will patiently fulfill not only until the Church’s centennial
anniversary but also until the day the Lord Jesus Christ returns, remaining as
diligent partners in spreading the Good News. The same apostle made this appeal
to the first heard it until now. And I am sure that God, who began the good
work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back
again” (Phil. 1:5-6, New Living
Translation)
Not in Vain
To such servants of God who remain
one in mind and in spirit with the Church Administration in spreading the Good
News, the Scriptures gave this guarantee, thus: “And, my true partner, I ask
you to help them. These women have worked together with me and with Clement and
with the others in spreading the good news. Their names are now written in the
book of life” (Phil. 4:3, CEV).
Hence, what every Church Of Christ member does in service not only in
terms of spreading God’s words but also in all their works for the Lord will
not be counted as fruitless endeavors. All these will attest to their
salvation. Though they too go through difficult times in their life, hear depressing
news like calamities, wickedness, or dreadful diseases, their hearts remain
secure, full of confidence in the Lord, as what the Bible clearly attests,
thus: “He is not afraid of receiving bad news; his faith is strong, and he
trusts in the Lord” (Ps. 112:7, TEV).