The World Health Organization (WHO) is an agency formed by the United Nations in 1948 focused on international public health; both in awareness and even more hands-on preventative measures. Their stated goal is the “attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health.” In other words, they want people to experience a better, healthier life. Although they have worked at developing programs that educate people on ways to avoid diseases or infections, at some point the people have to be willing to listen or practice it.
I can’t help but see this same concept being played out in the role of the apostles after the establishment of the church. Jesus had said of them, in John 14:16-21, “[God] will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you…”
Jesus had assured them in Matthew 10 that they too would be effective to those who want to hear their message. He said in Matthew 10:14, “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.” Ultimately, they were given the words of God to share with people that would tell them how to be saved, but they had to want to listen to those words in order for that information to do any good.
Nothing has really changed, at least in people’s response to the good news. We’ve been given a job to share those words with people—good and bad, nice or mean, sick or healthy. Because the words of God are powerful, or as Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Mankind makes evaluations about us based on our actions, but God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Jesus helped reveal the hearts of those who were “leading” a nation, but really they rejected the very words they claimed to be the master of; (John 7:48-49 & John 9:34). The danger is in the fact that any of us can have the ability to reject the very life-saving words of Christ, just as eagerly as the Pharisees and priests did.
The proper response for us should be what James says in James 1:21, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” And as Christ set the example, so those who trusted in him for salvation also followed his example and taught us to do the same. Paul said in Philippians 4:9, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
The truth is we will be saved by God’s word, we will be judged by God’s word, and therefore we must live by God’s word. Because as Isaiah prophesied about in Isaiah 55:11, “my word that goes out from my mouth, will not return
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