Salvation for All

By Paul Chappell

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

II Peter 3:9

After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2011, the former mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani, was asked to share a few thoughts. Although he referred to the physical salvation of rescuing people from the burning World Trade Center, his comments are insightful when applied to rescuing people from an eternity apart from God:

"When everybody was fleeing that building, and the cops and the firefighters and the EMS people were heading up into it, do you think any of them said, 'I wonder how many blacks are up there for us to save? I wonder what percentage are whites up here? How many Jews are there? Let's see-are these people making $400,000 a year, or $24,000' No, when you're saving lives, they're all precious...I'm convinced that God wants us to...value every human life the way He does."

We are God's only representatives on the planet, and we simply cannot take time to pick and choose who needs help. Every person has an eternal soul, and they all need the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. They all need to be rescued from the horror of an eternity apart from God.

As Christians, we can take part in fulfilling God's will by sharing the Gospel with everyone. Instead of seeing a dirty kid off the streets, see a soul who can be washed in the blood of Christ. When you meet a wealthy businessman who seems to have it all, realize that he desperately needs Jesus.

God is not a respecter of persons; so how can we be any different? Let's catch a fresh glimpse of God's vision for souls and share the Gospel with every person we meet.

Today's Rooted Principle:

Refresh your passion for souls by focusing on God's desire for all to be saved.