[Show open]
[On-screen text graphics]
That’s in the Bible
[Video starts]
Jessica Ronquillo: Hi. I’m Jessica Ronquillo. I’m from Union City, California, and I just had a question. What does the Bible have to say about the instability in this world?
[Video ends]
Brother Bob Pellien: Thank you for your question, and welcome, everyone, to That’s in the Bible, a program of the Iglesia Ni Cristo/Church Of Christ.
Bad things happening in the world
You are really correct. Many, along with you, have noticed that, well, the world has really become a very, very dangerous place. And just how dangerous has the world become? We could know that here by looking at a couple of statistics that are worth noting. For example:
[On-screen text graphics – source: UNdata (data.un.org)]
3.1 million children each year die
Brother Bob: 3.1 million children, every year, die of poor nutrition and hunger. Imagine, in 2015 alone
[On-screen text graphics – source: UNdata (data.un.org)]
65 million people displaced by war
Brother Bob: 65 million people were displaced by war. That’s 24 people a minute running away, running for their lives, from war. Earthquakes killed over a thousand people, so far, this year, with more catastrophic seismic events happening every day. Let’s start responding to your questions, and turning here to the Holy Scriptures.
First of all, as you have noticed, the instabilities and insecurities of the world around us, should we be shocked that this is what we see? Let’s begin turning to the Holy Scriptures for a response to your question. We turn, first, to 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 1, the Bible says this
But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear].
[2 Timothy 3:1 Amplified]
The result of sins
Brother Bob: You’re correct. The instabilities of this world, the insecurities of this world, and all that we witness taking place in this world, it is something that was predicted here in the Holy Scriptures. Is there anything that can really be done about it? What does the Bible have to say about all these things? Consider, first of all, after the Garden of Eden and man’s sin, which we all know has caused man to be exiled from paradise that God had set up for him, did man stop sinning? Did man learn their lesson? Let’s turn again to the Holy Scriptures in Isaiah, chapter 24, verse 5 and 6, the Bible says this
The people have defiled the earth by breaking God’s laws and by violating the covenant He made to last forever. So, God has pronounced a curse on the earth. Its people are paying for what they have done. Fewer and fewer remain alive.
[Isaiah 24:5-6 Good News Translation]
Brother Bob: Not only does the Bible tell us, or predict, that these things that we’re seeing would all be taking place, it also tells us why. Man continued to commit sin. The sin in the Garden of Eden was not the last sin of mankind, obviously. Man continues to violate God’s laws, and what was the result? As we just read, God put a curse upon the earth. Well, what kind of curse? What kind of punishment would be felt by humanity because of sins consistently committed by people? Ezekiel chapter 7, let’s listen together to what’s recorded here in verse 15, wherein it says this
There is fighting in the streets, and sickness and hunger in the houses. Anyone who is
out in the country will die in the fighting, and anyone in the city will be a victim of sickness and hunger.
[Ezekiel 7:15 Good News Translation]
Brother Bob: So, what people are experiencing is something that was predicted as a result of man’s sins. The kind of curse that God has meted out upon humanity, because of their stubborness and sin, is just what we’re seeing. When we see all of the sickness, when we see disease, when we see fighting in the street, when we see these wars – all of these things – disasters and calamities and conflicts and the like, they come one after another.
We, again, turn to the Holy Scriptures, and this time Deuteronomy 31:17 records the Lord’s response:
And in that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask, “Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?”
[Deuteronomy 31:17 New International Version]
Brother Bob: That’s why we’re not shocked to see all the disasters and tragedies happening in the world, because as you call them, in fact, the instabilities. Well, it’s because the Lord God, as we just read, He’s not with the people of this world anymore. Their sins have separated people from God. What does God want us to do, then, that we may be back – that we may be back – in His grace and be spared of all these disasters that are happening around us? Again, we turn to the Holy Scriptures, Malachi 3, 7
Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. “But you ask,”How are we to return?”
[Malachi 3:7 New International Version]
How to return to God after sin
Brother Bob: All of these instabilities that are happening in the world, there is hope. People need to return to God. Here in this verse, it’s as if God is asking humanity, Come on! Return to me, says God. But how? How can people return to God? What’s the way? Who’s the way back to God? Again, we turn to the Holy Scriptures, here in John 14, let’s read together verse 1 and verse 6:
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
[John 14:1,6 New King James Version]
Brother Bob: It’s Jesus who responds to our question. It’s only through Him, that people can really return to God. Except if one comes through him, he cannot be brought back into God’s graces. But of course the question is, how can one return to the Lord God through our Lord Jesus Christ? Is it enough to just believe in Him as many people in this world, especially in so many Christian professing religions are claiming? Can one just accept Him as one’s personal Lord and Savior, and then you’ll be spared from all these disasters, all these calamities, especially from the greatest calamity of all which will come on the day of judgment?
Well, these are very important questions, dear friends. Find out how we can truly benefit from Christ being the only way back to God. Find out how to be spared from all these disasters, including the punishment, on account of sins, that will be meted out on the day of judgment. Continue following this, and other programs and discussions on these topics, here in That’s in the Bible and in all of the programming found on incmedia.org.
Learn more about this topic and all other questions that you may have. Write them here, record them, send them into this program, That’s in the Bible.
[On-screen text graphics]
That’s in the Bible
Brother Bob: Thanks for joining us.
[On-screen text graphics]
INCMEDIA Services
