Or was his mission to establish a church and only save a few thousand people in the middle east alive at that time?
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Or was his mission to establish a church and only save a few thousand people in the middle east alive at that time?
JESUS CHRIST, often imitated, never duplicated.
I live here!
Scripture, I believe, is fairly clear that God's plan was for Jesus to be the final sacrifice, once and for all. For whatever reason, God then decided to turn the dispersion of the Gospel over to His followers.
God must think there is something to this organic, body thing that is important to our development.
guest
His earthly mission was to the Jews. His outreach to the gentiles did not start until the last supper where He began a New Covenant.
Is that what you are asking?
V
Regular Contributor
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I'm familiar with the details of Jesus' ministry. Since the majority of christians on this board believe "today is the only day of salvation" for everyone who has ever lived I'm asking why he didn't at least try to save everyone alive on earth at that time? Scripture says God wants everyone to come to repentance and that noone should perish. Wouldn't it stand to reason that if salvation is only possible while you are alive in the current dispensation [Adam to second advent] that Jesus would have travelled the entire world to try and save everyone? Or at the very least the Bible would have mentioned that the apostles travelled to every part of the earth including those living in North and South America at that time? The NT only mentions the Gospel being preached in regions in the middle east and parts of Europe and Asia. What about all those people living in the rest of the world at that time? When did they or will they if ever get their chance at salvation?
JESUS CHRIST, often imitated, never duplicated.
It has to do with the foreknowledge of God as to who would accept salvation, predestination, and God's elect.Originally Posted by Marc B
Romans 8:33
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? [Isa 50:8, 9; Rev 12:10, 11] It is God who justifies.
Ephesians 1:5
[Ephesians 1:11; Rom 8:29, 30 ] he predestined us [Or before him in love, having predestined us] for [ Rom 8:15 ] adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, [Ephesians 1:9; Luke 2:14; Heb 2:4; Luke 12:32] according to the purpose of his will,
1 Peter 1:2
according to [Acts 2:23; Rom 8:29; 11:2 ] the foreknowledge of God the Father, [ 1 Thess 4:3 ] in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and [Heb 10:22; 12:24 ] for sprinkling with his blood:May [2 Pet 1:2 ] grace and [Dan 4:1; Jude 2] peace be multiplied to you.
Grand Master
I think he wanted to build up a good, strong base for the church because he knew that one day he would have to sacrifice himself and it would be up to his apostles and others that heard his teaching to spread his word and bring others to him. Also, he traveled around a lot in that area and I don't know that in the time he had he could've traveled around much farther and still gotten his point across really well to everywhere he went. He only spread his message for a few years before he died on the cross.
Super Sonic boom!
If he went round the whole world to preach himself then he possibly would not have been crucified, which is the way we are saved. If Jesus came to earth and didn't die on the cross then salvation wouldn't have been possible.
Those who lived before Christ looked ahead to his death and crucifiction and were justified.
Isaiah chaper 53 talks about the messiah and how he was wounded for our transgressions or sins.
and....
Psalm 22:15-17
15My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
This points to Christ and his death. In fact what was written by King David was what actually happened to Christ.
That ultimately what it comes down to. This was God's plan.
Jesus Christ....who do you say He is?
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1
"Christ is all" Col 3:11
They all had their chance.
Just because you don't know when or how God moved in their lives to make Himself known to them; for them to have the opportunity to believe; doesn't mean God didn't provide their opportunity.
Just think about Abraham. No written Bible. No churches. Living in the middle of ancient Sumeria surrounded by pagans. No Jews. No Israel. No nothing.
Yet Abraham was a many named greatly as a follower of the Lord. Why? Because whenever Abraham's time of visitation was; he accepted and faithfully followed the Lord. The Lord blessed him for his faithfulness.
It's no different for anyone else living on the planet either during the days of Adam, or Noah, or Abraham....or during Jesus' earthly sojourn, or even today.
The message is delivered to all, in God's way, and in God's divine providence. There is no excuse.
The answer to the quetion in the OP is multi-facetted.
Perhaps starting the thread in the mode of getting input from others on the various aspects of why God chose to bring salvation in the manner that he did would have been a better approach.
The church, His followers are to be a continuation of his presence, His body, until he returns to destroy the heavens and earth and take them forever to be with him.
The nature of mankind to hate truth and try to kill the messenger is one aspect that should be considered as to why God did it the way he did.
He shares that honour with his believers, which honour of standing and suffering for truth accomplishes a fulness of life and purpose for the believer who is honoured in being a fellow worker with Christ.
Aufgepaßt - ich komme!
"Christ is all" Col 3:11
Why frame the question in a way that seems to present Jesus in a poor light (based on His timing, or His effect)?
The Scriptures are clear that Jesus came at the right time, to provide salvation for all people of the world...whosoever -- everyone-- would come and believe.
John 6:38 "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life"
John 12:47 "I came not to judge the world, but to save the world."
Matt 7:8 "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light"
John 4:42 "And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world."
John 6:33 "For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. "
John 17:22 "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
John 18:37 "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. "
Acts 17:24 "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us"
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