The preaching of the Gospel is the last command Jesus gave to his
followers, it is of a higher order and importance. E.G. White said in her book
Review and Heralds that Evangelistic
work, opening the Scriptures to others, warning men and women of what is coming
upon the world, is to occupy more and still more of the time of God’s servants.—The
Review and Herald, August 2, 1906. God is looking for men who are ready to
devout their time to the LORD’s work. Today this world offers so much
distractions, so much occupation that we have less time for the special work
entrusted to us by God Himself. The message is not of us but we are only God’s
emissary, we have to preach the Gospel. Therefore, this week of Revival is
centered on the theme Arise, and Shine,
Jesus is coming. The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy support the fact that
our ultimate mission as a Church is to proclaim the final message. Satan knows
the most powerful weapon Christ has entrusted to us is the preaching of the
Gospel, snatching souls from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.
E. G. White continues saying that a great
work is to be accomplished in setting before men the saving truths of the
gospel. This is the means ordained by God to stem the tide of moral corruption.
This is His means of restoring His moral image in man. It is His remedy for
universal disorganization. It is the power that draws men together in unity. To
present these truths is the work of the third angel’s message. The Lord designs
that the presentation of this message shall be the highest, greatest work carried on in the world at this time. –
Testimonies Vol.6, p.11.
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John 15:16 “ye have not chosen me, but I have
chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that
your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my
name, he may give it you.”
Peter explains this concept better when he says KJV 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him
who hath called you out of darkness
into his marvelous light. Peter also
uses priestly terms to really define the role of the Church.
The Gr. Word translated chosen is eklego which means to pick out or
choose out of. In this term Peter was trying to say that the Church is a
special group that Jesus selected out of the world. Thus, the church is called
out of the world as an agency of God. She has been chosen by God for a special
mission. If the Church forgets its mission it forgets its identity.
The Greek word for church is ekklesia
meaning call out, so the
church is a group chosen by God for a particular purpose.
Peter does not use foreign
words; indeed he made use of OT terms well known to his contemporaries. Here
are some of the OT references related to 1Pet. 2:9.
Deuteronomy 10:15 Only the
LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even
you above all people, as it is this day.
Psalm 33:12 blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
KJV Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if
ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all
people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy
nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of
Israel.
KJV Isaiah 61:6 But ye shall be named the Priests of
the LORD: men shall call you the
Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their
glory shall ye boast yourselves
KJV Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Why has God chosen us?
Why do you think you are a
Christian? Not all those who are in GOD’s house today
are really chosen. A Christian who does not show forth the light he has from
God does not understand his calling and indeed does fulfill the requirement of
the chosen people.
KJV Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all
iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. – The Lord has redeemed the Church from sin, so that like Israel freed from
slavery in Egypt, they can be zealous unto good works. The Church is to show
out the light they have unto the nations in darkness will see the light. - KJV
Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the
LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the
earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and
his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of
thy rising. – KJV Philippians
2:15 That ye may be blameless and
harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and
perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding
forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have
not run in vain, neither labored in vain.
The priesthood of Israel was into the hands of the Levites, a special tribe
among the people. They were closer to God than any other Israelites. According
to Numbers 1:50-53, priests in the Israelite camp had a privilege to be
closer to the Shekinah light than
the other people. Actually, they were the closest to the sanctuary than any
other lay Israelites. In the same way, Ezekiel
44:15 But the priests the Levites,
the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of
Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and
they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the
Lord GOD.
So for Peter uses a Sanctuary image to show that the church is called to the wonderful
light of God as the priest ministering before the Shekinah glory. We are
privileged to have the Light and we are not only spiritual Israelites, but also
Priest of God.
Ellen G. White Comments
“As
His representatives among men, God does not choose angels who have never
fallen, but human beings, men of like passions with those they seek to save.
Christ took humanity that He might reach humanity. A divine-human Savior was
needed to bring salvation to the world. And to men and women has been committed
the sacred trust of making known “the unsearchable riches of Christ.”—The Acts of the Apostles, 134.
“When
Jesus ascended to heaven, He committed His work on earth to those who had
received the light of the gospel. They were to carry the work forward to
completion. He has provided no other agency for the promulgation of His truth.
‘Go ye into the entire world, and preach the gospel to every creature.’ ‘And,
lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ This solemn
commission reaches us in this age. God leaves with His church the
responsibility of receiving or rejecting it.”—Historical Sketches, 288
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