The difference will be clear in the end

“Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.” — So reads the Bible text from Malachi 3: 18, which formed the basis for Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider’s sermon on 29 August 2015. Over 430 members and guests attended the divine service in Vanadzor, Armenia.

The promise still applies today

God gave this promise through the Prophet Malachi in order to comfort the Jewish people. This was because the faithful were in despair: “The wicked seem to prosper, and here we make the effort to live in accordance with the law, and there are even many things we have to do without, but things are not any better for us than for the others. What is the point of all of this?”

It is very similar for the believers of today, “We fear God and make the effort to live as good Christians. But are things really any better for us than for others who do not fear God?” —”Not always!” said the Chief Apostle. “And then the thought might well arise, ‘Is it even worth it to be a Christian? Is it actually even worthwhile to be New Apostolic?'”

“At the end of the story we will see the difference,” he stressed. This promise of God to His people still applies today — and in a twofold manner to boot.

Two goals in the end

“At the Last Judgement there will be a big difference: some will be righteous and the others will not, ” he said. “Being righteous means that they will be redeemed from evil and from sin, they will be liberated from evil and can then have eternal fellowship with God.” The righteous “will serve God eternally,” by praising and glorifying Him—”because they will be so happy, because they will be so thankful for that which God has given them.”

“As children of God we do not need to wait for the Last Judgement. We await the return of the Lord,” expressed Chief Apostle Schneider. “Then a very great difference will become evident: He will then certainly justify those who are accepted by the Lord. They will already be permitted to dwell with Christ at that point. And then they will serve the Lord by helping along to ensure that all human beings are able to find Jesus.”

“That is our endeavour!”

“But in order for us to attain this, we must already see to it today that God can make us righteous. And that is our endeavour.”

• “Human beings can only be justified through faith: God is the Almighty. Jesus Christ is love.”
• “Faith is more than merely not doubting. Faith means putting our trust in God. That is why we act in accordance with His word.”
• “Those who believe also have confidence. They know: God is with me and He will help me.”

In addition to faith, the grace of God is another prerequisite for becoming righteous:

• “The dear God can only forgive us when we have the firm resolve to avoid sin.”
• Those who truly seek and need the grace of God will be humble. They will not condemn their neighbour.
• “In order to receive forgiveness, one must likewise forgive.”

Professing through our example

“We have been elected as children of God, but not merely in order to be redeemed! We have been elected for service,” said the Chief Apostle before listing the various special tasks incumbent on us, for example, “We profess our faith.” And another thing: “Each one of us is to be an example.”

“We can serve by paving the way for our neighbour to find his way to Jesus Christ,” he said before concluding, “That is how God can make us righteous through faith and through grace, and can then make us His servants in the thousand-year kingdom of peace as well as in the new creation.”