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“But the centurion…commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: and the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship… And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land” (Acts 27:43-44).
This is an interesting story of how a ship was wrecked, but no one drowned. But God does not tell us this story for nothing. It is really a picture of what has happened to the profession of Christianity down through the ages. The ship represents the outward testimony of the church, while the people on it represent the true Christians. The ship broke up, just as the outward testimony of the church is all broken up today. Believers are split up into hundreds of different denominations.
Yet every true believer will make it safely home to be with Christ. Those who could swim would perhaps represent stronger Christians, who are able to manage themselves in the difficulties of the way. Others, who could not swim, needed the help of a board or a broken piece of the ship. But all of them made it safe to land.
Sometimes it can be discouraging to see how broken up the church has become, but we can take courage in the assurance that no true believer will ever be lost. All will make it safely home to be with Christ!
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