Minister's Message
October 2025
Dear Friends,
I wanted to share some thoughts on salvation and the nature of God, inspired by some discussions I've heard.
When Christians speak of being "saved," it sometimes reminds me of a salesperson's "fully guaranteed" promise. This brings to mind the saying, "In God we trust, all others pay cash." The truth is, in such a personal matter, only God truly knows who has been saved. We've seen enough human frailty to know that many, despite their words or actions, may fall by the wayside. While there's a view that those with genuine faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior are truly saved and cannot be lost, I believe this is ultimately between them and God. I once heard that if one were to gain entrance to heaven, they might be surprised by who is admitted–and who isn't!
There's also a notion among some that the God of the Old Testament is different from the God of the New Testament. However, this cannot be true. As the hymn "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" beautifully states: "We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, and wither and perish—but naught changeth thee."
To those who perceive the God of the Old Testament as solely judgmental, we can look to Jesus' parables. In "The Wheat and the Tares," the tares, representing the wicked, are thrown into the fire at the end of time. Similarly, in "The Sheep and the Goats" (Matthew 25), the wicked, represented by goats, are sent to eternal punishment at judgment. What is particularly telling in Matthew 25 is this verse: "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."
Simply put, from the beginning of time, God, being omniscient, knows who will be saved and who will not. Yet, the elect are not passive in their salvation; they are called to prevail in faith. As Ephesians 6:10-12 reminds us: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
My best wishes as always,
Bob.
