THE WORLD SEEKING AND FINDING WHAT WAS LOST
Many people today seem to feel that they are living in a lost world. Some time ago, a large number of the world’s most popular singers came together with a song titled, “We Are The World;” and they sang about how the people of the world could change the world for the better. But after almost two generations have passed, many people still living and watching mass media say the world has gotten worst, . Yet, the Bible claims to have the answer to what is apparently a lost world. We might compare what the Bible says to what “We Are The World” says about finding a better world.
RECOGNIZING WHAT WAS LOST
Some of the lyrics of “We Are The World” express what they believe are feelings of people of the world: “There are people dying”– we can’t go on pretending day-by-day that someone shouldn’t make a change for a brighter and better day. And they share their believe that as people of the world we can “make a better day” and “brighter day” by “saving our own lives.”
However, the written words of the Bible tells us people are dying because of a tendency to sins which was inherited from our initial parents, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden. They were create to live forever in paradisiacal relationship with God. But because of their sinful disobedience to God they were cursed to die separated from God (Genesis 3). “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Roman 5:12). “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). And, “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
Yet, because of God’s love for mankind, he planned to redeem them through the woman’s “offspring” (Genesis 3:15).
SEEKING WHAT WAS LOST
Other lyrics of “We Are The World” share their believe that as people of the world who may feel lost, we can “make a better day” and “brighter day” by “saving our own lives.”
On the other hand, the Bible says: “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive”.(1 Corinthians 15:21-22).
The Bible informs people: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need”(Matthew 6:33).
FINDING WHAT WAS LOST
Lyrics of “We Are The World” has shown that they do not lead people to be saved in our lost world.
In the Bible, Jesus told his followers: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.(Mark 16:15-16; John 3;16-18; Matthews 28:19). The essential saving message of Jesus Christ is told repeatedly so that many different people may hear and be saved (Romans 10:14). The Lord’s apostle Paul preached the gospel throughout much of the world with essentially the same message: “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Many eyewitness testify that on the Day of Pentecost when the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected was preached by people filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, about three thousands believers were saved at once (Acts 2:41). And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:47).
Jesus said the following concerning those who believe in and obey him:
“They are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer [to the Father} is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
20“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:14-24).
Therefore, “The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). NIV
Pic-We Are The World/Adam and Eve/crucifixion5/second coming
