OLEM EDGE GLOBAL CONCEPT: Writing people off makes you miss the mark

It is an undisputed fact that God, in the New Testament, now allows people of all backgrounds, social status, occupation, race, gender and (even) deformity to approach Him.

If you could remember, in the Old Testament there were certain people who could or must (not) go near the tabernacle of worship. According to the book of Exodus only Moses and his sons were (initially) allowed to lead the Jewish People in consecration or worship services.

“In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel”. Exodus 27:21, KJV.

On the other hand, Leviticus 21:17–18, 20-21, and 23 said:

“Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer bread of his God. For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous.

“Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eyes, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.

“Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them”.

That was a long reading. Is it not?

Now everyone now has freedom to approach God

When Ann Shields was revealing her experience of how she was drawn to God, in the book, YIELDING TO THE POWER OF GOD, she said:

I received a great sign that God really knew and loved me when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit. At that time God gave me something I desperately needed… I had experienced a series of circumstances that involved substantial rejection. I was also disillusioned about my own sinful response to the circumstances… But God continued to draw me to himself even when I wasn’t sure whether I believed him or trusted him. He drew me to himself simply by giving me a desire to surrender my life to him in a way I never had before.[1]

It should be noted that the price of freedom that everyone now enjoys was paid by the Son of God, Jesus Christ, because when John the Baptist saw Jesus – coming to him, he declared, “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”, John 1:29, KJV.

If it was not the price of ‘death on the cross’ by Him, nobody (as of now) would have easy access to call God ‘Father’. Just take a little time to appreciate God.

There is no disparity of persons (before God) as many have made it today

If everyone was considered for salvation based on qualifications, dedications (which can only be measured when one is saved), righteousness (which is only imputed on one by God), or good works (which the Bible described as filthy rags before God) – no man or woman would be saved by now.

This is because, to be saved means to have accepted Jesus Christ as one’s Lord and Saviour.

This is the attitude (God’s way of allowing people to come into His Kingdom without judgment) that is expected of everybody.

No one has the authority to judge, molest, castigate, or separate another person based on the present lifestyle of that individual. Whoever is not saved now, can still be saved later.

As a result, us (that are saved) are to keep up godly characters before the people that are not saved so that – by our good works they can be won to Christ.

What mark is missed when you write people off?

Apostle Paul said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 3:14, KJV.

The mark is simply the totality of lifestyle that a Christian should embrace. These lifestyles are but not limited to:

Are you wondering how you could miss these marks by just writing people off? We will like to let you know that you are actually chasing those people you think you (merely) write off – from gaining access to the Kingdom of God. A simple act of kindness is enough to turn a life around but when you write people off, you are blinded from seeing the reason why you should embrace their imperfection, which will result to their withdrawal from you.

They then become hardened to change, when they might have decided ‘not to allow anyone else preach Christ to them if your attitudes are nothing to write home about’. You will only cause them to view Christianity from the perspective of how you write them off – resulting into hard works for another Christian that might want to draw them into God’s Kingdom.

As Christians, our attitudes matter a lot: how we react to people, situations and how we treat others have a lot to do with whether we are directing the unsaved into God’s Kingdom or chasing them away from entering the Kingdom.

This change must begin with every living person. You need to ‘examine yourself, whether you are still in the faith; prove yourself, how that Jesus Christ lives in you, except you are a reprobate’.

Here is the clarion call

For those that have been expecting Christ to visit them; save them from their sins (because they cannot save themselves); change their present lifestyle to that which glorifies God; and make them a new man that will live for God – eternally, we present this prayer. Please, say it if you were one of these people.

Lord Jesus, I appreciate you because your grace has found me, and by the reason of your visitation – today, I become a new man to work with you all the days of my life.

In Jesus name I prayed. Amen.

Other things that you need to observe, to facilitate your spiritual growth are:

5. Endeavour to speak to others about your salvation experience, and also, preach the gospel at each opportunity you have.

[1] Ann, Shields, Yielding to the Power of God, Pg5.