Act 15:14, “Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.” While there are several important words in the passage, the one that speaks to me the most is take. Taking great liberties with Strong’s, to me the verb take can be rather passive as in “to get hold of” or more proactive as in “to seize or remove.” During this the church dispensation I expect that God is using the more passive form of the verb take. This is reinforced for me by K. L. Brook’s commentary concerning Acts 15:14 in the “Summarized Bible.”
“This is one of the most important passages in the New Testament, stating the divine program for the church in this dispensation. It is not the conversion of the world through the different agencies of reform, but the taking out of the world of an elect people who shall make up the Body or Bride of Christ. The Gospel everywhere calls out some, but it never, in any place, has been known to convert all, and nothing of this order is to be expected in this age. The work of the church is soul winning.”
Even within the first century the words of Jesus were being perverted by those seeking to go back under the law. The Judaizers insisted that Gentiles be circumcised/ convert to Judaism before they could become believers. So already there were those trying to add works to their salvation.
In the fourth century there was a marriage between paganism and those professing a belief in Jesus. Out of the ill-conceived union came the Roman Catholic Church. The corruption and evil done by the RCC is well known. While Jesus was our propitiation, the ransom for our salvation, the RCC still hold the soul of a loved one for ransom. Fortunately, this is not biblical in the individuals’ salvation is between them and God.
Always sensitive to the misdeed of the RCC, I’m especially concerned after the recent, as I call it, Poparama. The videos of the adoration of Catholics wherever the Pope spoke was reminiscent of the black and white newsreel of Hitler and adoring Germans. There has been much speculation primarily on Facebook as to whether the Pope is the false prophet or the actual Antichrist. For now, I’m of the opinion that he is here to usher in a one world religion to help push us over the slippery edge to a one world government. And as the Pope, he is leading millions through the wide gate that leads to destruction.
Per CM and Paul, the Bible does not promise a conversion of the world in this age: only a remnant. Luke 18:8, “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
So as the Church age winds down, it is incumbent upon the true followers of Jesus to bring more to belief in the gift of grace.
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