Ship Wrecked
In this series, I try to present thought provoking articles. A thought occurred to me that I must share.
In the past week, I have come in contact with many who attend various churches, for various reasons (“My son wanted to go, so I went”; “I like the youth programs”; “it's exciting!”). In each case I responded with the importance to know what God really has to say about it. Universally, the response was, “we believe in the Bible!” I don't doubt that they really believe this, as most think that if the Bible is read from, that alone constitutes Bible believing.
The true problem with this idea; friends, is that the Bible states that each one of us is going to give an answer for the deeds done in our bodies, and that salvation through righteousness is something each of us are responsible for working out!
Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment”
Acts 17:30-31 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Philippians 2:12 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”
This very concept promotes the idea that each of us is responsible for piloting our ship by the course that God has laid before us. With relying on others to tell you they are Bible believing, yet exist in a thousand different forms from this one source, is pure lunacy! This only exists because someone else is at the helm and they are aiming you for shipwreck!
Please read with great care, as the author of Hebrews explains to Christians the need to truly hear God as He speaks to each of us through the word. Consider that He is speaking to you as if He were right before you (He is!), and how you would respond!
Hebrews 12:25-29
Hear the Heavenly Voice
25
See that you do not refuse Him who
speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much
more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks
from heaven,
26
whose voice then shook the earth;
but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the
earth, but also heaven.”
27
Now this, “Yet once more,”
indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of
things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28
Therefore, since we are receiving
a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may
serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
29
For our God is a
consuming fire.”
By the very nature of our ability to serve God acceptably by listening to His word; there is insinuated that there is also a way by which we can serve God unacceptably, by refusing to hear! How much of what God speaks are you being told? How do you know my friend, unless you were to learn yourself?
Don't you think it is past time that we take back the control of our own ship?