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One soul is worth as much as another in the sight of God. Neither God nor Christ has made any
difference in the evaluation of souls. Neither should man.
God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34) and is not willing that any should perish; He wants all to be saved (2 Pet. 3:9). Christ is a universal Saviour. He died for the sins of the world (1 Tim. 2:6). He came to earth "to give his life a ransom for many" (Mk. 10:45). "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life" (Jn. 3:16 ASV). The gospel was to be preached to "all the world" and "to the whole creation" (Mk. 16:15 ASV). All were to have equal opportunity to hear the gospel and be saved. By "nonconversions" we mean the ones who have heard the gospel, understood it, but refused to accept it — those who have had access to the blessings of the gospel but refused to accept them. The "nonconversions" had the same opportunities to be saved as the redeemed. They heard the gospel, but declined or postponed accepting it. God did as much for them in bringing the gospel to them as He did for those who accepted it. They cannot complain that God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit were partial to the converted. The same gospel which is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16-17) was preached to them. Often they were in the same audience and heard the same sermon by the same Spirit-guided preacher. The unconverted, so far as we know and can determine, had the same degree of intelligence. Some of them may have had a higher degree of intelligence than did some who were converted. No distinction was made in the presentation of the truth. Why, then, were some converted and others not? No divine agency is responsible for one being in the unconverted class. There is an element of dishonesty with all who belong to the class of the unconverted. When one is brought face to face with the truth and recognizes the truth, but will not accept it, that one is dishonest with the truth. The dishonesty may be attributed to prejudice or to some other ground, but it is still a case of dishonesty. Every intelligent, responsible person owes it to himself to become and be what is possible for him to be. Christianity will make of everyone just what God wants him to be. The highest type of manhood and womanhood is a Christian character. When one can acquire this and will not, that one is dishonest with himself. Again, one owes it to his family, neighbors and fellow citizens to become and be the highest type of a citizen. A Christian citizen is the highest type of citizenship. When one has an opportunity to become and be a Christian citizen, but will not, that one is robbing the community in which he lives of the kind of citizen that he should be. Moreover, everyone who bears the image of God owes it to God to become and be such a servant of God as it is possible for him to be. He has received the blessing of God and owes God his life of service. The highest and most important obligations in life bind us to God. He has taught us how we may meet these obligations. When we can become like His Son and honor His image that we bear, but will not, we are dishonest with God. It is not enough for one to be honest with himself or with his neighbors. He must also be honest with God. In nearly every audience we find two classes of people — the converted and the unconverted. During the days of the apostles, every opportunity was given to instruct the people by preaching the gospel to them. In many instances the hearers divided themselves into two classes — the converted and the unconverted. When the gospel was preached to them, "some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved" (Acts 28:24 ASV). The responsibility of the unconverted was as great as that of the converted. The opportunities were as wide open to the disbeliever as to the believer. The hearer became his own judge as to whether he would be put in the class of the converted and saved, or in the class of the unconverted and unsaved. Preachers of the gospel at that time made it clear that the unsaved were responsible for their condition. "And Paul and Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46 ASV). The first gospel sermon in its fullness was first preached on the day of Pentecost. About 3,000 were converted. Others heard the same gospel, saw the same miraculous manifestations, but were not converted. The promise was to all of them, but not all would accept the invitation. Many heard Peter and John preach the gospel on the porches of the temple. Some became disciples of Jesus, while others became enemies of Jesus and persecuted Peter and John. Stephen preached the same gospel that Peter preached. He was a man full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5). Stephen spoke the truth of God with boldness and preached the gospel as God's power to save. His hearers understood what he preached, but instead of accepting it, "they gnashed on him with their teeth" (Acts 7:54). About 3,000 were converted on Pentecost and blessed Peter for bringing to them the gospel, but those who heard Stephen stoned him to death. The difference in the two classes is seen in the attitudes they took toward what was preached. There are some outstanding cases of nonconversion. Paul preached the gospel with power to Bar-Jesus and Sergius Paulus. One believed and the other disbelieved. Elymas the sorcerer withstood Paul and sought to turn aside Sergius Paulus "from the faith" (Acts 13:6-8). These men had equal opportunities, equal ability, and equal responsibilities. Therefore, each was accountable to God for his acts. The sorcerer could have been in the class of the saved, but he chose to remain in the class of the unconverted. Felix and Drusilla heard Paul preach the gospel. Paul reasoned to them "of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come," and Felix understood. He was even terrified and "Felix trembled and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee" (Acts 24:24-25). They never accepted the gospel, but died in their sins. The convenient season never came. Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, heard Paul preach Jesus and Agrippa was so impressed with it that he said to Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian" (Acts 26:28). But Agrippa was never fully persuaded. He was very near the kingdom of God — almost persuaded — but chose to remain in the class of the unconverted. Agrippa, with all others of the unconverted class, had no one to blame but himself. It is sad for one to judge himself unworthy of eternal life; however, his judgment was correct, for anyone who hears the truth, understands the truth, but refuses to obey it, by that very act judges himself unworthy of the blessings of salvation. The unconverted are thus, by their own judgement, worthy of the condemnation they deserve. |