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Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) members constantly strive to help their fellowmen realize that one's services to God and attainment of salvation should not be based on personal opinion but on the truths that the Bible prescribes.
IN SOLID UNITY with the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, in upholding the biblical mandate to make all people disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:19–20), members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) have been conducting evangelical missions. They encourage their loved ones, friends, and acquaintances to attend daily studies on Bible doctrines; to watch and listen to the Church Of Christ programs on TV and radio; to read the Pasugo: God’s Message magazine; and to visit INC official websites to learn more about the Church. Moved by love and concern, the members strive to share their faith so that their fellowmen may fully understand that they need to join the Church Of Christ to gain the right to be saved on Judgment Day.
With God’s help and mercy, such efforts are not rendered worthless. Many of the invited guests to evangelical missions eventually expressed their heartfelt intent to join the Church, enlisting to undergo instruction in biblical doctrines after carefully examining what they heard.
One biblical truth the Church Of Christ upholds is that the Almighty God has appointed an end to this world, for which people need to prepare by making sure that they are worthy of receiving the promised salvation on Judgment Day. For this to happen, they should follow God’s words written in the Holy Scriptures, which alone teach the right path to salvation. There are those who may claim they already render services, but the decisive question is: Do God and Christ deem such services worthy as to merit salvation?
When Christ was still here on earth, there were those whom He asked, thus:
“Why do you keep on saying that I am your Lord, when you refuse to do what I say?” (Luke 6:46 Contemporary English Version)
In our time, the same question should also be asked to those who claim to be of Christ or Christians. In insisting that Christ is their Lord, the decisive question is: Do they follow what He says? They should keep in mind that the word “Lord” also means one to be followed. Christ then highly expects those who call Him Lord to do or follow what He says. To do only what one wishes and not what Christ says renders one’s calling of Him “Lord” as worthless.
In fact, Christ described a person who fails to put His words into practice as a foolish man. Having built his house on a weak foundation—sand—the house collapsed, with devastating results when rain came down in torrents, the flood waters rose, the winds blew fiercely, and pounded the house (Matt. 7:26–27 Last Days Bible). Terrible indeed is the consequence of not doing what Christ says. For refusing to follow God’s will that Christ taught, people are bound to suffer eternal punishment—the second death in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14).
On the other hand, as Christ assured, eternal life awaits those who listen to His message:
“I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” (John 5:24 New Living Translation)
Christ counts them as His “own sheep”—He knows them:
“My own sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.” (John 10:27 Revised English Bible)
Just knowing a person is strikingly different from being known by that person. Based on the Bible, the latter is better than merely knowing yet not being recognized, as Christ attested, thus: “My own sheep listen to my voice; I know them.”
Therefore, being a true Christian does not depend on one’s calling Christ as Lord or claiming to be His follower, but on one’s obedience to what Christ said. One of these is to come “into the fold” through Him to be saved:
“So Jesus spoke again: ‘In very truth I tell you, I am the door of the sheepfold. … I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe. …” (John 10:7, 9 reb)
Those who obeyed this very truth that Christ taught are in the fold or flock—the Church Of Christ:
“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation)
Blessed indeed are Church Of Christ members, for they have not only the right to salvation, but also to enjoy life everlasting.
That is why, Church Of Christ members, motivated by their firm belief in the biblical truth that true Christians are in the Church Of Christ or Iglesia Ni Cristo, continue to convince their loved ones, friends, and acquaintances to join the true Church. They constantly strive to help their fellowmen realize that one’s services to God and attainment of salvation should not be based on personal opinion but on the truths that the Bible prescribes, one of which is that one must join and remain in the Church Of Christ.
However, as people try to find lasting solutions to the surge of life’s problems coming one after the other, they have neglected the true worship of the Lord, the Creator, which is man’s inherent duty (Ps. 95:6). People have become too materialistic, which is why Christ sounded a clarion call:
“… you shouldn’t be so concerned about perishable things …” (John 6:27 Living Bible)
People should prioritize, instead, spending their energy to seeking eternal life that only Christ can give through the way He taught—enter the fold or flock or Church Of Christ. Only those who obeyed Christ’s command will truly benefit from His promise—He will not lose them, but instead, raise them to receive eternal life at the last day (John 6:39).
True Church Of Christ members do not keep this biblical truth to themselves. Fully aware of the fast-approaching salvation, they redouble their efforts to encourage more people to join the Church—a sacred endeavor that truly pleases God. They always do their best to remind their fellowmen, who have been preoccupied with material things, of the very reason they should prioritize that which will lead them to the attainment of eternal life. Or else, as Christ said:
“What profit is there if you gain the whole world—and lose eternal life? What can be compared with the value of eternal life?” (Matt. 16:26 lb)
Nothing compares to the value of eternal life. No individual has ever gained the whole world. Yet even if someone does, but loses eternal life or fails to seek it, he actually gains nothing. Hence, people should prioritize seeking first the everlasting life by joining the Church Of Christ.
Should the time come when Church Of Christ members reach the new heavens and new earth—the new Jerusalem or the Holy City, they will cherish that life beyond compare. There in God’s heavenly kingdom, all of their earlier troubles, chaos, and pain will be things of the past, to be forgotten—no more sounds of weeping and cries of anguish. It will be sheer joy in the Holy City—a condition Church Of Christ members look ahead or anticipate since there is no place on earth where they can find it (Isa. 65:17–19 The Message).
In view of this, Iglesia Ni Cristo members, with all diligence, continue to live by their faith. They dedicate themselves to attending the worship service, to giving their voluntary offerings, and to sharing their faith, among others, knowing fully well that all their efforts in serving God will not be rendered worthless, as Apostle Paul testified of those who remain steady and determined in their faith despite the hard times and troubles:
“… God has decided to make you fit for the kingdom …” (II Thess. 1:4–5 msg)
Faithful members of the Church Of Christ do not stand to lose, for they have the hope in God’s promised salvation, eternal life, and heavenly kingdom, which is why they work hard even more to surely gain the great thing they hope for (Heb. 6:11-12 Easy-to-Read Version). With faith and patience, they will remain zealous in striving to share their faith and in upholding their membership in the Church Of Christ.
