by Art Madlaing
As a former Roman Catholic during my elementary grades, a former Methodist during my high school years, a former agnostic during my college years at the University of the Philippines, and now a plain Christian and active Evangelist with the GOLDEN CHURCH OF CHRIST in San Francisco; I would like to personally invite and encourage our agnostic and atheist friends, our Roman Catholic friends, our Methodist friends; our Baptist friends, our Adventist friends, our Lutheran friends, our Mormon friends our INC friends, our Jehovah’s Witnesses friends, our born again friends and friends from all other denominations to seriously search the Scriptures daily like the noble Christians in Berea (read Acts 17:11)
I earnestly plead with our friends from the various denominations to seriously obey and follow the invitation of Peter when he first preached the gospel on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem and those who heard the gospel asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?:, Peter answered, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins; and you’ll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (read Acts 2:37-38)
I also earnestly plead with our friends from the various denominations to seriously obey and follow the invitation of Ananias through Paul when he said “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins calling on the name of the Lord,” (read Acts 22:16)
Finally, I earnestly plead with our friends to seriously obey and follow what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said: “He who believed and is baptized will be saved.” (read Mark 16:16)
Remember what I said earlier: “The real tragedy is not that we die with COVID-19; the real tragedy is if we die WITHOUT JESUS because we didn’t know, understand and obey the gospel.”
Jesus Christ said: Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28).
The wisest King Solomon concluded, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”( Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Today my friends, you have the opportunity to obey the gospel in baptism before it’s too late. You can do it now, come trust and obey as we sing the invitation song “TRUST AND OBEY.”
*Message delivered by ART GABOT MADLAING during the Virtual Worship Services at the GOLDEN GATE CHURCH OF CHRIST in San Francisco, California last Sunday, August 16, 2020, to celebrate his 73rd Birthday. The same message was published in his column “HEALTH & WEALTH” (two-part series) in the weekly Philippine News Today as evangelism and outreach to the Filipino and Asian communities.