Extending the work of salvation to the Gentiles

From PASUGO August 1997


DECADES AFTER ITS reemergence in the Far East, the Iglesia ni Cristo has traveled thousands of miles to Europe and set foot in the southernmost country of the Balkan Peninsula, in Greece – the land whose rich ancient civilization has been colorfully painted in the canvas of history, the nation whose invaluable heritage is treasured to this day.

On the 10th day of May 1997, the Iglesia ni Cristo was officially established in Athens – an event considered historic in the continuing epoch of the Church of Christ.

More than just a symbol and a springboard of the Church’s propagation and expansion efforts worldwide, the founding of the locale in Greece followed by the continuous preaching of the gospel in that part of the world is of great significance. It carries a profound meaning in the Almighty’s grand design of continuing His work of salvation for the benefit of mankind.

According to the divine plan, the gospel of salvation was not intended for the Jews alone but also for the Greeks. Apostle Paul said this in his epistle:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Rom. 1:16, King James Version)

However, when Apostle Paul mentioned the term “Greek” in the passage just quoted, he was referring not only to the native citizens of Greece. He had a vision of the Church with members coming from various races. Other Bible translations render the same verse in this manner:

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (Rom. 1:16, New International Version)

“Gentile” refers to people belonging to the nations at large as distinguished from the Jews. That means, all people, outside the Jewish race, are collectively called Gentiles.

It is, thus, of great significance that the gospel of salvation be brought not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles or to all nations – and God has willed that this work of salvation reach out to the end of the earth:

“And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.” (Is. 49:6, KJV, bold ours)

In another version of the Bible, the same verse is rendered this way:

“He says, It is too light a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors [of the judgments]of Israel; I will also give you for a light to the nations, that My salvation may extend to the end of the earth.” (Is. 49:6, Amplified Bible, bold ours)

To fulfill this plan, God had appointed men who would preach to both the Jews and the Gentiles. Who then were the commissioned messengers tasked to execute His will?

Light for the Gentiles

The evangelizing of the Jews initially took place with the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and His 12 apostles. Christ was the servant of God who would set up the clans of Jacob or Israel and would be the light for the Gentiles. The gospel according to Luke records this, thus:

“And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

“Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

“A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” (Lk. 2:27-32, KJV)

The Savior of all mankind was the “light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” When Christ had ascended to heaven, His apostles continued His work of preaching the gospel to the Jews first, then later to the Gentiles. In Apostle Paul’s letter to the Christians in Galatia, this is recorded:

“On the contrary, they saw that I had been given the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been given the task of preaching the gospel to the Jews.

“For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles.

“James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.” (Gal. 2:7-9, NIV)

The apostles of Christ, among them Peter, John, and James were sent by the Lord to preach the gospel to the Jews whereas Apostle Paul and Barnabas were appointed the task of preaching to the Gentiles. In proving his authority to evangelize to the Gentiles, Apostle Paul cited Isaiah’s prophecy, thus:

“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

“For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.” (Acts 13:46-47, KJV)

Hence, the work of Apostle Paul and his companions in preaching the gospel to the Gentiles was part of the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah regarding the light for the Gentiles.

Members of the Church of Christ

In apostolic times, the Jews and the Gentiles who received the gospel belonged to the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ. Apostle Paul confirms, for instance, that the Jews whom he addressed in Thessalonica were members of the Church of Christ:
“Brothers and sisters, you followed the example of the churches of God in Judea, churches of Christ Jesus. For you suffered from your compatriots the same trials they suffered from the Jews.” (I Thess. 2:14, Christian Community Bible)

This shows that as early as the time of Apostle Paul’s ministry, the preaching of the gospel of salvation had already transcended the Jewish race. Counted among the early Christians then were the Gentile converts who received the very same teachings the Jewish Christians did.

However, the first-century Church of Christ was not able to continue the work of salvation. Zechariah, in a related prophecy, explains about the misfortune that would befall the early Church. He said of the Church of Christ:

“And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.” (Zech. 13:8-9, KJV)

The first two parts – the Church of the Jews and the Church of the Gentiles – were led away from the faith or were apostatized while the others were martyred. As the prophecy states, “…two parts therein shall be cut off and die…” Even before Apostle Paul died, he had forewarned the Christians brethren about the coming apostasy:

“Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day cannot come without the coming of the apostasy first, and the appearing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who sets himself against, and exalts himself above, every so-called ‘god’ or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God.

“Do you not remember that while I was still with you I used to tell you all this? And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time. For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed.” (II Thess. 2:3-7, Weymouth Version)

Though the existence of the Church in Thessalonica to whom Apostle Paul ministered proves that the work of salvation had already reached Greece at that time, history attests that the church locales established then perished, as what happened to the Church in Philippi:

“The subsequent history of the church at Philippi is rather disappointing, like that of the other apostolic churches in the East. …The name of its bishop is mentioned here and there in the records of councils, but that is all. During the middle ages the city was turned into a wretched village, and the bishopric into a mere shadow. …’Born into the world with the brightest promise, the church of Philippi has lived without a history and perished without a memorial’.” (History of the Christian Church, vol. I:Apostolic Christianity, p. 792)

History records the fact that the Church of Christ in the first century did not continue. Hence, the prophecy that it would survive until the end of the earth wasn’t fulfilled through the preaching of the early messengers of God. Yet, the prophecy will have to be fulfilled for it is God’s will.

Notice that a third group is mentioned in the prophecy of Zechariah (cf. Zech 13:8-9). This third group, those in distant times and places (cf. Acts 2:39, Rieu Version), is the one to continue the work of salvation until the end of the earth. That’s why God said there would be left a third part – a remnant seed of the first Church of Christ – that would reach unto the farthest places and to the end of the world.

The extension of the work of salvation

The prophecies in the Bible affirm that there is indeed a work of salvation – the daughter of the first Church – the same Church of Christ which would reach out to the day of Judgment:

“Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

“And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.” (Is. 62:11-12, KJV)

Zion symbolizes the Church of Christ. Even Bible scholars attest to the fact that Zion refers to the Church of Christ:

“ZI’ON

“A name for Jerusalem (Matt. 21:5; John 12:15); or symbolically, for the church of Christ (Rom. 9:33).” (Master Study Bible: Authorized King James Version, p. 1840)

Undoubtedly, the Church of Christ would continue God’s work of salvation to reach out to all nations throughout the world. Thus, we could be certain that aside from the work of Apostle Paul and his companions during their time, God would send another messenger who would preach the Church of Christ or the Iglesia ni Cristo in these last days.

As planned, His last work of salvation would arise from the Far East. The Holy Scriptures testify, thus:

“From the far east will I bring your offspring, and from the far west I will gather you.” (Is. 43:5, Moffatt Version)

God designed that the establishment of His last work of salvation should begin from the Far East. This was fulfilled when Brother Felix Y. Manalo preached the Iglesia ni Cristo on July 27, 1914 in the Philippines, a country in the Far East.

Therefore, the Iglesia ni Cristo is the one tasked with the mission of carrying out the work of salvation in these last days. It is this Church which would bring further fulfillment to Isaiah’s prophecy – that God’s salvation “may extend to the end of the earth.”

It is for this reason that the official establishment of the Church of Christ in Athens on May 10, 1997, through the worship service officiated by Brother Eraño G. Manalo, is of great significance – for that historic event not only symbolizes the extension of God’s work of salvation but marks the continuation of a more vigorous campaign of spreading the Word to all nations until the end of the world.