Having met a number of celebrities in my work, and having talked to Norwegians, Germans, Jews, Somalis, Arabs, Haitians, South Americans, Central Americans, Africans, Canadians and of course friends and neighbors, I find that they and all the rest of the earth’s inhabitants were or still are, searching for salvation.
I mention celebrities because they, too, long for eternal life. After all, they’re only human. Some of them are nice and some of them are not so nice. But isn’t that the case for all humanity? Albeit, some in the Church are even worse, so let’s not be too critical of them, please. In any event, all of humanity longs for eternal salvation. To be sure, some deny the existence of God and eternity all together, and even make fun of those who believe. But almost everyone alive is searching.
There are those who cover-up their insecurities with frivolity or supposed indifference. Some are television personalities who do that for a living as comedians. If we were able to see how they sleep or don’t sleep at night we’d be surprised to see them tossing and turning or even weeping at the thought of their mortality diminishing day by day. It’s a scary thing to be eternally lost.
Muslims, too, are searching for salvation. So much so that they pray toward Mecca five times a day on hands and knees (Satan is a tyrannical task master). Some of them even dare strap bombs to their bodies to kill and maim others, even of their own kind, to achieve salvation. They believe that in doing so they will inherit eternal life and they are willing to die for their faith in Allah to earn it.
Little do they know that a god who requires them to do this can’t be very benevolent, loving or kind and perhaps is only using taqiyya (a tactic of lying in Islam), to get devotees to kill themselves or one another. I only know of one such wannabe god who seeks to destroy, lie and kill, and he is the very father of lies—Satan.
In this world there is hardly a person who doesn’t care about where they will spend eternity, except for those who willingly shove God out of their lives by rejecting His offer of redemption. Most people do this out of rebellion for God’s laws of morality. They want to do their own thing in their own way, ending up with Aids or Sid’s or an addiction.
Others follow this same course for power over others; people like Saul Alinsky and his followers. They seem to forget that they are mortal. For such people all that awaits them at the end of their lives is sorrow and extreme bitterness—while they draw their last breath not knowing what lies ahead.
It’s true that we have become and are becoming more and more secularized, but this is to be expected since the Holy Scriptures tell us that this will be the case in the last days. Still though, there are far too many people wallowing in doubt and fear. It seems that no one has taken the time to share the Good News of the gospel with them or cared even to show any concern for them at all. I run across this all the time.
In dealing with humanity, I find that some are lonely, others are grappling with issues we can’t even imagine exist. Life is full of complexities and although we can’t resolve everyone’s problems, we can let them know we care by quoting God’s promises to them and praying for them face to face.
How often have we heard people saying flippantly, “I’ll be praying for you” and you know they will forget you the moment they hit the sack. That is why I take care to not use that old cliché and pray for them there and then.
One of the benefits of reaching others for Christ is knowing that you are pleasing to God. However, our motives should be grounded in thankfulness toward God’s mercy and loving kindness.
That is why it is so easy for me to talk unabashedly to others about this great salvation. I know without a doubt that unless a person is completely blind to his or her mortality that he or she is searching for salvation. The overwhelming majority will respond in the affirmative and even at times try to quote Scripture—showing that they, too, are spiritually enlightened beings (but people like this are in the minority).
“Born-again” believers imbued with spiritual discernment can tell the spiritual age of the one who speaks just by listening to his or her first few words. And as for new believers, you can also tell how they are coming along in their relationship to Christ.
Most Christians will submit that Jesus is who He said He is, but have never explored the issue by reading the Bible. And so they fail to understand salvation or the full message of the gospel. Thus the Bible verse, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” In other words, they fail to live life to its fullest and fear facing eternity.
In the midst of all the confusion and uncertainty, Christians should be eternally grateful to have found the key to life—Christ Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of the Living God. And the “Pearl of Great Price” (the kingdom of heaven).
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price is one of the parables of Jesus. How blessed we are to have found Him or that He found us, whichever the case may be. We have the blessed assurance of salvation, and eternal life. What could be better?
In closing, the following is a verses are for those who are still searching for salvation.
“You will find God if you search for Him with all your heart.”
Also, and more to the point:
“Jesus said, “I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the father but by me.”
“For you are saved by grace through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God lest any man should boast.” It’s as simple as that.
YBIC
Jim Torres “Towers”
jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com