Seeking Safety?
A guest post by Stephane Maillet.
You've fallen asleep comfy in your bed, and a fire started in your house. You wake to panic as you become aware of your surroundings, trapped by a wall of lavalike heat. You find yourself in danger, where smoke and flames threaten your life. Your neighbors could see the threat and had since called for help. The firefighters arrive on the scene and immediately find you in your bedroom--time for a rescue.
Are you yet in a location of safety? No, not yet. There still needs to be a transfer from the site of darkness, smoke, and fire to an area of light, fresh air, and safety. And so the firefighters guide you out of certain death into a secure location.
You have now been saved. Not without damage, trauma, or loss. But you've gained your life and get to learn forward another day.
You've become idle in your sinful behavior and practices. You wake to panic as you become aware of your eternal punishment. A neighbor cares for you enough to share Jesus with you. Will you obey the gospel?
The reception of forgiveness was the desired result of all who willfully gave their lives to Christ, submissive to His spiritual operation (Col. 2:11-12). Paul, the apostle, speaking to his brethren in Colossae, was accurate in reminding them of their reconciliation. And how the Word of God they had chosen to hear produced fruit for the Kingdom. The Kingdom was God's preplanned location where all found within would have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
A domain needs a King, Christ Jesus. A Kingdom has boundaries, borders, law and order, and justice. This Kingdom is of a peculiar kind, and we should all "seek ye first," legal citizenry (Mt. 6:33). His Kingdom is the body, the church (Col. 1:1,18,24). The body for it has organic members all united for the purposed function--the church for its assembly, it's family.
The way in? Being a repentant believer confessing Christ, immersed into water calling on His name, to receive the forgiveness of your sins, being added to His Kingdom, local assembly (i.e. "rescued, transferred, redeemed").
This good news of Jesus Christ "was proclaimed in all creation" to give humankind a way out of the flames and sinful consequences. And we are wise to hear its call.
Is your house on fire?
Stephane Maillet works with the EastCoast Church of Christ in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. He is also very active in online evangelism through his website AddedSouls.
Stephane was one of the first Christians I noticed who was really focusing on using social media and other online platforms as a tool to reach people with the gospel. He certainly played a role in the articles I write now in Centered on Christ.