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people can name the gospels or the Ten
Commandments.
Something is lacking. Adults "of all
ages are flirting with a wide variety of
movements and activities in the effort
to feel fulfilled." Among these are
transactional analysis, Zen, sensitivi–
ty sessions, pyramid power, astrology,
tarot cards, biorhythms, auras, psy–
chic surgery, astral projection, alco–
hol, self-assertiveness, marijuana, co–
caine and psychic energizers.
When a group of college-bound
teenagers were tested on the Bible,
their answers revealed a distinctive
lack of bíblica! knowledge. Sorne
thought that Sodom and Gomorrah
were lovers; that Eve was created
from an apple; that Jesus was bap–
tized by Mases; that the Gospels
were written by Matthew, Mark,
Luther and John.
••. but the Most Divided
Worshipers in most churches sing the
inspiring words of "Onward Chris–
tian Soldiers," "We Are Not Di–
vided ..." Nevertheless Christen–
dom is split into three major divi–
sions: the Roman Catholic Church
accounts for sorne 562 mi Ilion people,
the Eastern Orthodox Church in–
eludes 85 million and the Protestants
and others, sorne 320 million. Alto–
gether there are hundreds of denomi–
nations.
Outside of acknowledging God's
existence, there is not one doctrine
that all professing Christians agree
on. Not one!
From many quarters there is pres–
ently a push to unite Christendom.
But any such union would, under
present circumstances, be a superfi–
cial one without uniformity of doc–
trines.
Sorne Quest ions Needi ng Answers
Especially for professing Christians,
there are sorne important questions
that need to be answered: What
about the billions of nonbelievers?
What will happen to them when they
die without becoming Christians?
For that matter, what has happened
to all the billions of nonbelievers who
have already died, most of them
without ever hearing the name of
J esus?
Most professing Christians believe
36
they lost their opportunity for salva–
tion.
If
they have, there is something
eminently unfair with the way God is
doing things. On the other hand,
sorne think all those unconverted
billions are going to receive salvation
anyway. Then why try to convert any
of them now? Think of it! On this
most important issue Christianity is
itself divided!
Is there sorne sense to it all? Is God
prepared to just write off most of
humanity? Or does He have a definite
planofsalvation by which He will give
everyone who ever lived a fair chance
to be converted and inherit eterna!
life? lfso, what is that plan?
There l s a Master Plan
The truth is that none of man's
religions will ever convert the world.
There is no way
to estímate the amount
of blood that has been
shed in the name of
religion.
' '
But the great Creator God will-in
His time. He has a master plan.
It
is
revealed in the Bible; it is illustrated
in seven annual Holy Days which
God ordained to keep people mindful
of what He is doing. Unfortunately
many Jews have been negligent
about them. And Christians in gener–
al have said they are Jewish. Without
them it is impossible to fully under–
stand what life is all about. They
portray the plan God is working out
on the earth.
One of these Holy Days will fall
near the end of May this year.
It
is
called the Feast of Firstfruits, the
Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. Anyone
acquainted with the Bible is aware
that a grain harvest is used in the
Scriptures as a symbol of the conver–
sion and salvation of human beings.
Reaping the harvest pictures bring–
ing people into God's Kingdom. (See
Matthew 13: 18-30.) The first grain
harvest was celebrated by the Feast
of Firstfruits or Pentecost.
It
pic–
tured the
few
who are now called to
salvation.
The great grain harvest took place
in the autumn.
It
is appropriately
celebrated at that time by the
autumn Festival of lngathering or
Tabernacles. This great fall harvest
portrays the saving of the majority of
humanity- including all the billions
who ever lived and died without
understanding about salvation. They
will all have an opportunity to be
saved following Christ's return to
earth when God sets His hand to save
mankind.
But what does this have to do
with what most Christians believe
today? He reveals how far Chris–
tians have strayed from the truth of
the Bible. God is now calling, con–
verting and saving only a
sma/1
number of people. The .firstfruits!
The New Testament Church be–
gan on the Day of Firstfruits or
Pentecost (Acts 2). This festive sea–
son pictures the whole age of the
New Testament Church from its
beginning in
A.o.
31 to the time of·
Jesus' return to earth. During this
entire period only a small group–
the firstfruits (Romans 8:23) a re
called, converted and granted salva–
tion.
Jesus called His Church a "little
flock" (Luke 12:32). (One would
hardly say a mass of one billion is
little.) Jesus plainly taught that
"the gate is wide and the way is
easy, that leads to destruction [not
necessarily eterna! condemnation;
just destruction]. For the gate is
narrow and the way is hard, that
leads to life, and those who find it
are few" (Matthew 7: 13-14, Re–
vised Standard Version). That's
what J esus said: Few!
According to the Bible, the whole
world is deceived and in religious
confusion (Revelation 12:9).
It
has
been blinded ( 1 Corinthians 4:4).
Jesus taught in parables so people
would not understand. Sound incred–
ible? Read it for yourself in Mark
4:10-12.
Jesus was speaking to the multi–
tudes in a parable (Mark 4: 1-2).
"And when he was alone [and the
crowds of unconverted were gone],
The PLAIN TRUTH