The Two Responsibilities of the Church

Rom 13:11 “this. also, knowing the time that it is already time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we believed.”

The events around us become more ominous. Most of the people think that something is going to happen very soon. We cannot continue like this for a long time. We are cutting the branch on which we sit. The world runs unto its self-destruction. The coming of Christ is very near.

” The days in which we live are solemn and important. The Spirit of God is gradually but surely being withdrawn from the earth. Plagues and judgments are already falling upon the despisers of the grace of God. The calamities by land and sea, the unsettled state of society, the alarms of war, are portentous. They forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude. The agencies of evil are combining their forces, and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones”. –Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 11. {ChS 52.2}

Our generation is ill. All the humanity is ill.

Jer 8:22 “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the healing of the daughter of My people not come?”

Is there no balm in this world? Yes, there is. It is called Salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. It is the amazing divine grace, given to all. The balm is that marvelous plan of salvation. What a pity that the people are not interested. The world runs unto its end. Anyone who has heard and accepted the message of redemption has the privilege of taking part in the proclamation of it.

“They would see that in the great judgment day those who have not worked for Christ, who have drifted along, carrying no responsibility, thinking of themselves, pleasing themselves, will be placed by the Judge of the whole earth with those who did evil”. ST Oct 28. 1897. Those who have not shared their faith would be counted with those who have done evil. What do we do for the salvation of the others? We have the responsibility to make the third angels message heard.

Act 2:47 “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

The church must be like the Ark of Noah, Sheltering those who have been invited. Here are the two responsibilities of the church:
1- To bring the message to all
2- To shelter those invited

I am asking today two questions.
1. How are we going to receive those who accept the invitation?
2. What will they see in our church?

Let us look at an ancient story. It happened more or less 3000 years ago…

Ruth 1.:1 “And it happened in the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
Ruth 1:2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-judah. And they came to the fields of Moab and stayed there.

This family left Bethlehem because they encountered a difficult situation- famine. They moved to Moab to look for a better life. And they stayed there.

Ruth 1:3 And Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died. And she was left, and her two sons.
Ruth 1:4 And they took wives for themselves from the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years.
Ruth 1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion also died, both of them. And the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

How long a time did the good time last? First the father died, latter the two sons. At the end we see three widows alone. Let us draw a parallel. In which days did this story happen?
And it happened in the days when the judges ruled. In which time do we live?
Dan. 7 and Rev.14 Since 1844 we live in the days of the investigative judgment. This is a critical time, a time of shaking, a time of crisis. At this time some say, it is better to leave the church to look for a better life out there. And when the church solves its problems we will come back. When there is no famine we will return.

Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared has come upon me, and that which I was afraid of has come to roe.

Do not leave the church, thinking that out of it you will have fewer problems. The thing which you greatly feared, will come upon you. Remain with the Lord.

Ruth 1:6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law so that she might return from the fields of Moab. For she had heard in the fields of Moab how Jehovah had visited His people in giving them bread.

Naomi decided to return. Her daughters in law were very close to her, yet she told them

Ruth 1:8 … Go, return each one to her mother’s house. May Jehovah deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me?
Ruth 1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters. Why will you go with me? Are there yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

Their names were Orpah and Ruth. Orpah loved the woman Naomi, Ruth loved not only her noble character, but also her faith, her ideals, that is why she decided not to leave her, but go with her.

Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Do not beg me to leave you, to return from following after you. For where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
Ruth 1:17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Jehovah do so to me, and more also, {f anything but death parts you and me.
Ruth 1:18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, then she quit speaking to her.

A pagan woman was captured, convinced by the life of her mother in law— Naomi.
Now comes the second question— How will she be accepted by the people of God, how will they accept her-the foreigner. Naomi attracted her, but…

Ruth 2:3 And she went. And she came and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come upon a part of the field of Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

There was a law Deu 24: 19 When you cut down your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to bring it. It shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow; so that Jehovah your God may bless you in all the work of your hand. So Ruth went after the harvesters, according this law.

Rth 2:8 And Boaz said to Ruth, Do you not hear, my daughter? Do not go to glean in another field, neither go away from here, but stay here close by my maidens.
Ruth 2:9 Let your eyes are on the field that they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men that they shall not touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
Ruth 2:10 Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found grace in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?
Ruth 2:14 And Boaz said to her, At mealtime come here and eat of the bread and dip your bit in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers. And he handed her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied, and left.
2:11 And Boaz answered and said to her, It has been fully shown to me all that you have done to your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, And you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before now.
Ruth 2:12 May Jehovah repay your work, and may a full reward be given you from Jehovah, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to trust.

With what a tremor and expectation Ruth has tread after Naomi in their trip to Betlehem. Maybe she has thought: How will they accept me…Boaz did not look at her with coldness, just the opposite, he called her “my daughter”

Ruth 2:14 And Boaz said to her, At mealtime come here and eat of the bread and dip your bit in. the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers. And he handed her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied, and left.

Dear reader, Boaz gave her to eat, he was so hospitable, so kind. Did she eat all? No, she took something for Naomi.
How did the people of Bethlehem meet Ruth? With warmth, respect, love, concern. She felt comfortable, she felt like being part of them.
How do we meet people who come to church? What is our attitude? Do we show real interest in them?
What will the people find in our churches?
Ruth saw in Bethlehem true people of God. They were very nice to her. What will the people from the world see in us? Faith, hope, love must be part of our lives.
Will they see in us real trust in God?
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psa 46:2 Therefore we will not fear when the earth changes, and when mountains are slipping into the heart of the seas.
Will they see that in good and in bad times we follow our God?
Will they see righteous people, who have peace in their hearts and in their homes?

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 5:5 And hope does not make us ashamed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.

When you are tempted to look at the brother or at the sister ask yourself the question “Am I a new creature?” AM I in harmony with, God?
2 Cor. 5:17 So that if anyone is in Christ, that one is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Did the faith make us good people? Barnabas was a good man. This was one of his basic qualities.

Act 11:24 For he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And many people were added to the Lord.

The purpose of our coming to church is to become good people.

2 Ti 3: 16 All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
2 Ti 3:17 that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work. Only good people will enter in the kingdom of God.
Mat 25:21 His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.

If goodness and faithfulness are not part of our lives everything else is vain. May God prune from us thistles, that we can be good people.

Joh 13:34 I give you anew commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this all shall know that you. are My disciples, if you have love toward one another. Love is expressed in showing attention, care, being kind.

Will they see in us people who wait for their Master return?
” We are living in the last days of this earth’s history, and it is time we understood what we must do to be saved. The Lord will work intelligently for all who will work intelligently for Him. My brethren and sisters, there is something more for you to do than to sit in your churches Sabbath after Sabbath and to listen to the preaching of the Word. You have a work to do for [your] friends and neighbors. God requires. . . that you visit these families and seek to create an interest in the truth for this time. You are not laboring together with God if you neglect the work of helping others to take hold upon eternal realities”. {UL 264.2}

“We have a truth that is saving and precious. The Word of God must be planted in many hearts; the bread of life must be dealt out to many hungering souls. . .. It is a blessed work to lift up Christ before the world.” (UL 264.3)

“We have a truth that is saving and precious. The Word of God must be planted in many hearts; the bread of life must be dealt out to many hungering souls. . .. It is a blessed work to lift up Christ before the world”. {UL 264.3}

“Let the light shine where you are. Lay hold of the power that there is in Christ, and learn to overcome through the merits of His blood and the word of your testimony. –Manuscript 93, Sept. 7, 1909, ‘”Address to the Church at Salt Lake City.'” (UL 264.6)

This world needs the message of salvation. May God give us His Spirit, that the work could be finished. Let us cooperate with those who labor to bring souls to the church. Remember the character of Boaz and the people of Bethlehem. Amen.

Ivo lonov, Montreal, Canada