Dear Brethren and Co-workers with Christ,
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Some of you have sent us mail that has been returned as undeliverable by the United States Postal Service. You can be confident that we are still here, and our Postal address has not changed. The problem was apparently with our local post office, which was returning the mail sent specifically to our Post Office Box 3810. We believe that the problem has been fixed, and we are receiving mail once again at that PO Box. It did not affect our outgoing mail—only that which was sent to us. If you received a returned letter, we apologize for the inconvenience. Hopefully, we will not have this problem in the future.
I recently visited Southern California to conduct Tomorrow’s World presentations in Palm Desert and Rancho Cucamonga, as well as to visit a couple of our congregations. Members and attendees at these meetings came up to me to express appreciation for our staff here in Charlotte, North Carolina, for their dedication and hard work. That appreciation is well-deserved, as our staff, whether in Television, Editorial, Social Media, Mail Processing, Internet, and a host of other departments, including Custodial and Accounting, work hard and do excellent work. However, we could not do it without you, our beloved members and co-workers across the United States and around the world.
Do you realize that God is working with and through you to fuel His Work at the end of this evil age? Your prayers and generous tithes and offerings allow us to proclaim the true Gospel and to give a warning to this dying world. I can never say “Thank you!” often enough. So, on behalf of all of us, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart. What a team we have!
The Apostle Paul likened the Church to a human body and pointed out an obvious but important lesson. A body is made up of many different organs, and every part—every member—of the body is vital and necessary.
For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased (1 Corinthians 12:14-18).
Notice that we are placed in the Body (the Church) as it pleases Christ, who is the Head of the Body (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18, 24). Yes, He chooses us to be part of the Body through which He carries out His Work at this time, and it is not up to us to choose where we fit within the Body. But there is a vital point that Paul brings out for us all to remember.
And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:23-25).
Consider! A well-shaped nose or a beautiful head of hair may attract attention, but neither is as valuable as a lowly, but well-functioning, liver or kidney! So dear brethren and co-workers, never view your place in the body as unimportant or trivial. As Paul continues, “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually” (vv. 26-27).
One of the greatest men in the Bible was a contemporary of Jesus. He was in fact a relative of Christ and the Bible only speaks of him positively. But do you realize that if you are in the Kingdom of God, you will be greater than he was as a human being? Note Jesus’ own words regarding this great man and your potential reward: “For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28).
This life is a testing ground to see who will put God first and learn His way of outgoing concern. This is vital for anyone who desires to be in the Kingdom of God. We know that we are saved by grace, but we must also yield to Christ that His character and mind may be formed in us (Galatians 2:20; 4:19). Only those who prove they are willing to live in harmony with the Father and Jesus Christ, and with one another, will be given eternal life. God is not going to have any rebels in His Kingdom! Nor will He bring any into His Kingdom who are lazy and wicked, who do nothing with His calling (Matthew 25:25-30). We must conform to His way of outgoing concern (vv. 31-46). What we accomplish in this physical existence means nothing compared to what God offers us in His glorious eternal Kingdom.
The Bible gives us many clues as to what that reward will be. Jesus gave us the parable of the ten minas and the nobleman who went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom. We know the nobleman is Christ and that when He returns, He will give out rewards to His faithful servants. The parable explicitly states that the rewards include rulership over cities. Yes, we will be privileged to help bring peace to this earth. Because we are physical and live in the here and now, I doubt that any of us can fully appreciate God’s purpose for us.
Do we appreciate that we are called to be kings and priests—rulers and teachers (Revelation 5:9-10)? Do we understand that we are to be the very children of God, brothers and sisters of Christ, and heirs together with Him?
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (Romans 8:14-17).
Are we able to believe the Bible for what it plainly says? I hope so. If you have not read our informative resource, What Is the Meaning of Life?, be sure to do so, as it reveals the most amazing truth ever given to man. If you do not have this booklet, contact us and we will be happy to send you a free copy.
I also hope every one of you appreciates the fact that God has placed you in His Body if you have come to accept Christ as your Savior, repented of your sins, been baptized, and had hands laid on you. What an incredible privilege we have been given!
Sincerely, in Christ’s service,
Gerald E. Weston
P.S. If mail you sent us has been returned to you, let us know and try to send it again. The problem was with the postal system and should be cleared up by the time you receive this letter. Again, we are sorry for the inconvenience.