Do not kid yourself

We all like the ending to a good story. This is no more true than the story of the prodigal son, spoken by our Lord (Luke. 15:11-32). Jesus tells a parable about a son who went off and wasted his life with prodigal living, only to eventually home and tell his father he was sorry. A celebration was then held to rejoice over the return of the lost son.

It is dangerous to expect the same happy ending even if we change some of the facts around.  When you start modifying the story, you begin to miss the many lessons our Lord was trying to teach. For example, the story would be very different if Jesus did not describe how the son hit rock bottom. In Jesus’ parable, the son becomes so poor he hopes was willing to eat the pods fed to swine. How would the story change if the son’s father offered aid as soon as the son began to struggle? Would the father still have run to him, fallen on his neck, kissed him, put a robe on him and prepared the fatted calf? Do not kid yourself…

Like we pointed out in the first article,  you cannot do something different and expect the same result. Christ was clearly teaching that people need to repent and should not expect special favors (verses 18-19). What if his father did treat his returned son like one of his hired servants? The son said he wanted this. If he was treated this way and got angry, he would be guilty of lying. Would he apologize only for selfish reasons?  Without genuine remorse and change, the son would not want to be treated any differently than before he left. In short, the son’s remorse demonstrated that he had learned.

The party that the father threw was conditional on the repentance of his returned son. Having a feast without repentance would just reinforce the younger son’s behavior and encourage a repeat episode. Just as these lessons are true in our earthly lives, so they are also true in our spiritual ones. Let us remember the words of Paul: “God is not mocked,” (Gal. 6:7).  This is true because “What a man sows, that he will also reap.”   If you expect forgiveness without a change of heart, it is foolish to expect to be welcomed with open arms.

                                                                                                                                                                                                             Chuck

Let’s think this through

I do not know how many times over the past month I have heard people say, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” I like this statement, and it is thought provoking. From a Christian standpoint though, the opposite is also true. We could say “It is insane to do things differently and expect the same result.” Allow me to explain.

God’s people have been given a teaching that is unchanging (Rom. 6:17). This means we cannot add to it or take away from it (Gal. 1:6-9). Those who abide in the gospel are walking by faith (Rom. 10:17).  Now here is the clincher – without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Therefore, it is insane to do things differently than what God has authorized and still expect the same results as those who follow His word.

Everyone needs to understand that a person “doing things for God” is not automatically approved by God. If God does not approve of these things, then who are they truly being done for? If you insist that God approves of something (or if you think He should approve of it) and are unwilling to confirm this in His word, then you are really doing it for yourself. The Bible is filled with examples of this behavior Consider Cain (Gen. 4), Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10) and those Jesus called out (Matt. 15:7-9).

Read on to understand why some vainly do things differently than God’s word describe and yet expect the same outcomes as those who faithfully follow His word.
 

Is it the thought that counts?

If God does not care how we serve Him, then why give the gospel? Why warn of punishment for those who do not obey His word or abide in it (II Thess. 1:8; II John 9)? If all that counted was the thought, John 4:24 would have been written to say, “God is Spirit, they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit.” But we all know it continues on to say, “and in truth.”

Do the differences matter?

Our Lord commands that we sing (Eph. 5:19). Someone says, “We sing and play instruments in worship – it’s the same!” This is not the same – God’s word did not mention instruments. Our Lord commands that we belong to the church Christ built (Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:47; 20:28; Rom. 16:16). Someone says, “We belong to a denomination – it’s the same!” This is not the same – Jesus founded His church, not the denomination. Our Lord commands we have authority for everything we do (Col. 3:17; II Tim. 3:16-17). Someone says, “We don’t have Biblical support for everything we do, but it is still the same!” No it’s not – without God’s word, you are establishing your own religion.

Should we focus on God’s love and not His wrath?

Most people are annoyed when someone tells us what should or should not bother us. Imagine how God feels when people insist that certain behaviors should not upset Him even though His word teaches on these subjects! God’s love and wrath co-exist. We know this because God loves everyone and does want anyone to perish (John 3:16; II Pet. 3:9). Does that mean love overlooks sin? Of course not, which is why many will be lost (Matt. 7:13-14).  For some reason, those who are in religious error always think the lost are somehow different from them. In reality, they themselves are lost.

Let us be rational thinks and not insane – if we do things differently than are described in God’s word, we should not expect the same outcomes as those who abide in His word.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Chuck