Whose opinion is most important and influential in this present, evil world of today?

Is it the opinion of the liberals or the conservatives of today’s politics? What about the talking-heads of social media and internet video websites? Is it the clearly prejudiced opinion of one of these self-proclaimed experts on all things – biased in their assessment of religion, the weather, medical concerns, world politics or anything else, for that matter?

Should it be any of these?

As a part of the historic, prophesied true Church of God today in the 21^st Century… we genuinely need to see things as God, the Father and Jesus Christ see them!

During His ministry on earth some 2,000-plus years ago Jesus Christ personally instructed His twelve disciples to always strive to see things as God sees them (Acts 4:18-20, Matthew 6:33).

This is one of the great keys of spiritual understanding. Thus, the disciples became apostles and the brethren in that era were more spiritually focused on God’s truth and way of life and work. They felt an urgency in their calling and desired to see a world ruled by God’s vision, but the fulfillment of that vision would take longer than they understood at that time (1 Peter 4:7).

Modern brethren

As modern, historic brethren to the faithful ministers of Jesus Christ – we also need urgently to be watching for and anticipating the prophesied world events that will occur (and have occurred) in our time, in preparation for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

We have witnessed a political pendulum swing in the recent U.S. election, and it can be tempting to assume that this will precipitate widespread repentance and moral reform, but America’s moral sins have become too deep set. God will still call America to account for those sins.

Instead, remember, we – as members of God’s true Church today – are being called to repentance now. This is our day of salvation! Keep your eyes on preparing for God’s Kingdom!

Watch, hear and heed

Jesus repeatedly admonished His disciples – to personally repent and preach the true gospel as a witness to the world (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, 2:38-39). At times the preaching of the true gospel was powerful, but we have always had an adversary: the Devil. Therefore, some historic eras of God’s true Church were more faithfully effective than others in preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Whatever the case, proclamation through the efforts of God’s historically small flock was delivered to the world as a witness. Many who are alive today observed, first-hand, the powerful message that was delivered by Mr. Herbert Armstrong in the 20^th century, augmented by doors that were clearly opened through God’s divine intervention.

The True gospel and false gospels

However, even the apostles had to carefully watch world events (in the light of Bible prophecy) as Jesus had taught them. They had to listen carefully to any who claimed to teach God’s truth — and then compare it to Jesus’ in-person instruction (Matthew 7:21, 24:23-25). Even then, they had to evaluate the conduct, honesty and personal faithfulness of any who claimed to teach the truth (see 1-3 John, Jude). We need to be just as watchful in our modern era!

The historical record of God’s work being done by His true Church is easily trackable at times and somewhat less so at other times—often due to persecution by pagan and other false-Christian denominations who sought to eradicate even the historical records of the true brethren.

Yet God has always continued to do His work, to proclaim the coming Kingdom of God, through the agency of God’s Church. He promises that there will always be a remnant of that true Church (Romans 11:5, Matthew 16:18, Luke 12:32)

Don’t be thrown by the swinging pendulum of politics in America or abroad. Our focus is on God’s Kingdom, not, ultimately, on the kingdoms of men. A false sense of security is a spiritual danger zone. Times may get a little better, but they will most assuredly, finally, get worse.

Our personal responsibility is clear: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).      

–Randy Stiver