God Loves Everyone

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                  Acts 2:5 – 13

God Loves Everyone

by Robert T. Cooper

Some people find themselves deeply moved by patriotic songs such as “God Bless America” and “God Bless the U.S.A.” Some people realize that God loves the little children of the world, and so don’t want to single out the United States when asking for God’s blessings. There are even bumper stickers that say, “God Bless Everyone, No Exceptions.” Yet many in the first group are uncomfortable asking God to bless nations that publicly declare their desire to eradicate the United States and all Americans. What do we learn from the Bible?

1.      God doesn’t take sides.

When Joshua was getting ready to conquer the Promised Land, he experienced a theophany, a human manifestation of the pre-incarnate Christ. Joshua asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” The Lord answered, “Neither.”

God has His own agenda and is working out His own purposes. It is normal for Him to use believers to carry out His plans, but He is not limited to believers. He sometimes uses unbelievers.

2.      Jesus died for everyone.

God so loved the world. The Gospel was to be taken to the uttermost part of the earth. We might argue about predestination and free will, but we need to take the message of the Savior to every individual on the planet. All need the opportunity to hear and accept the Plan of Salvation. Jonah prophesied to Israelites and to Ninevites (the sworn enemies of the Israelites) alike. We need to tell everyone about Jesus.

3.      Heaven will include some from every people group.

Eternity will consist of those from every tribe and tongue (language) and people and nation. There will be saved people of every ethnicity and dialect. No exceptions. We will join in a chorus of praise before the throne of our God.

Acts 2 talks about Jews being at Pentecost from every nation. There were 15 foreign language groups of Jews who heard the 120 sharing Christ, each person in his own heart language. Yet we know from elsewhere in Scripture that this was simply a foreshadowing of how God was going to win at least some folks from everywhere you can imagine.

So we don’t just take the Gospel to friendly countries or to those who love us in return. God loves everybody. We take the Good News to friend and foe alike.

Some pray for a different continent each day, praying for the people in every country, people of every language group, and people of every ethnicity. They pray for people to place their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. They include closed countries and hostile regimes. What do you think of praying like that?

Closer to home, to whom do you think God would have you to witness next?

Spiritual? God-fearing?

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 2:5

Spiritual? God-fearing?

by Robert T. Cooper

When I was in seminary, many years ago, I did a mission trip to Salt Lake City. There I learned about a group of people known as “Jack Mormons.” To my understanding, these were people who when asked claimed to be Latter-day Saints, but never attended services and didn’t keep any of the Mormon rules such as the Word of Wisdom.

Such a phenomenon is not all that unusual. Amongst Christians, there are huge percentages of people who claim to be believers, even born again, but who never attend services and never do anything that smacks of Christianity, such as pray or read the Bible. We might call them backslidden and suspect they have never been converted.

There are Muslims who are cultural Muslims only and are not seriously submitted to Allah. Amongst Jews, we have what is termed secular Jews; that is, they claim Jewish ethnicity, but not Jewish religiosity. Even amongst religious Jews, strict Jews might question the commitment of many who identify with Reformed Judaism.

Then we have the modern phenomenon of people who say they are not religious, but consider themselves to be very spiritual. But for the life of me I cannot figure anything that marks many of them as being spiritual at all. I don’t have the foggiest notion what they mean. Perhaps they simply don’t want to be self-identified as being non-religious.

In biblical Judaism, there was a group of Gentiles identified as God-fearers. These were people who fully worshipped Jehovah, but had not converted to Judaism. For example, Cornelius was a God-fearer. But there was also a group of Jews identified as God-fearers. They were devout and godly in character; they observed the commandments. Of course, all such Jews would be in Jerusalem for Pentecost.

But what about us? Would we self-identify as being God-fearers? Would others identify us as being devout and godly in character?

How do you self-identify, and what do you mean by those descriptors?

Known Languages

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 2:4

Known Languages

by Robert T. Cooper

When The Gathering in the Mountains was a mission church, we agreed we would base it on the Scriptures. Wherever the Scriptures took us, we would go.

So I was a little nervous when it came to the study of I Corinthians. I was certain that at some point in the study I would come to a verse that would require the acceptance of what in Pentecostal and charismatic circles is today called “tongues.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I have friends who engage in that practice. I even had a friend long ago who told me God wanted me to have that “gift.” The Lord takes them down their paths; He has taken me down my path.

But we were talking about what the official doctrine of a Southern Baptist Mission Church would be. And so I began preaching through the book. But each time I came to a mention of tongues, the interpretation of known languages was possible. There was no time in which the only possible interpretation was modern-style “tongues.”

So after awhile, I went back and studied again through Acts to see whether known languages was a valid interpretation of every mention of tongues in that book. Sure enough, it was.

In Acts 2:4, the translation “tongues” is footnoted to include the alternative “languages.” My advice is that we just use that alternative all the time. That way we can be clear about what is meant.

And even if I am wrong, on the Day of Pentecost we are certain those were all known languages, for those languages are specifically listed. Also the Scripture says that native speakers of those languages understood what was being said.

Point the last: the Holy Spirit brought this about. He was accomplishing His ministry by doing so.

There are modern stories of people who were enabled to witness in languages they had never studied. If you are familiar with any of those stories, or if it has happened to you, please share with us.