Day 22 – Who Do I Listen To?
I don’t know how to communicate my thoughts to you effectively this morning. This story came to mind and I thought maybe it would “speak” what I can’t.
My Upbringing
My Father and Mother are the best parents a child could ever ask for. I have never lacked shelter, food or clothing in all my years living at home. Even when I strayed from what they taught me, they were always there with opened arms ready to welcome me back. It didn’t matter how much I had hurt them, they always forgave me and their love was unwaivering.
This love would be “tried” when I was confronted with a confusing situation. Before my Father went into the military, we hung out together. We were like two peas in a pod. When you saw him, you saw me. I learned a lot from my Father and he always taught me to “remember these things your Mother and I have told you, sweetheart, because one day you will need them.” My parents always agreed on everything. My Father could count on my Mother’s support in everything he did. I never heard a negative comment by either one of them against the other. What a stable foundation it was and it gave me a sense of security as their child.
While my Father was overseas in the military, he wrote to me every day. I looked forward to each of his letters with eager child-like anticipation! He told me how beautiful the landscape was in the country he was visiting and how friendly the people were. He wrote so wonderfully and his descriptions of the land made it clear to me that it was a place I definitely would visit one day. Each page was filled with comforting and loving words – assuring me that he would one day be back and we could all be together again. His letters also reaffirmed those things he had taught me while he was with me. He reminded me that family was the most important thing and that I should be loyal. He taught me to honor my mother and take care of her and my siblings while he was away. He also reminded me of every word he had spoken to me while he was yet with me – each house rule, each chore I had been assigned, each area of teaching that caused me to grow. It was as if he wanted to remind me of all the times he directed me in “where I should go, what I should do” and “how I should get there.”
One particular event sticks most in my mind where it caused much confusion. My Father had always taught me that I should never, ever lie – even those “little” white lies I use to tell were considered a breach of his rules. He included this in one of his letters, “Remember, honey, it’s never right to tell a lie. O.K.? I want you to remember that!” I understood him completely and lived by that rule. One day, the phone rang. It was Aunt Betty and she asked for my Mother. She was at home but did not want to take the call. She told me to tell Aunt Betty that she was not at home. I reminded her that Dad said it was never right to tell a lie but she told me to tell Aunt Betty she was not at home. Afterward, I felt awful because I knew that I had disobeyed my Father and that he would be terribly disappointed in me. I told Mom how I felt. I even showed her Dad’s letters but she still said it was O.K. to lie at certain times like this situation. She even said that Dad would allow lying under these circumstances and that it was O.K.
Later, when my Father came home from overseas, we discussed the lie. He reminded me of his words to me when I was young and how he had even left me his words in his letters reaffirming that rule. Although he was very angry with my Mother for having led me astray in this area of lying, he was equally angry with me for neglecting his directions so clearly outlined in his letters. My heart was broken. I knew that it was wrong to lie, yet I let someone tell me otherwise – someone I trusted – my own mother.
As a result, my Father taught me that under no circumstances should I ever go against his words, no matter who directed me to do so. When I had doubts, I was to return to those letters and read them over and over so that they would be imprinted in my memory.
Although this is a simple story, I hope it has the spiritual impact on the reader that I intended. Everyone must have guidelines to live by, otherwise the world would be chaos. Guidelines have existed since the beginning of mankind and set in writing in the Ten Commandments. God did not leave us empty-handed. He did not leave us without a road map for our journey on this earth. Not at all! In fact, He left us His Word so that we would be able to find our way in a dark and sinful world. He left us His Word to guide us to His perfect plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. (Psa 119:105) NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. When there were contradictions in life, God made it clear. (Act 5:29) Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Mankind needed a Mediator who would reconcile man with God. God provided that Mediator through His Son. (1 Tim 2:5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; He showed us in His Word that there was only one way to Him and that was through Christ. (Act 4:12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Unfortunately, man has adjusted his “religion” to accommodate his flesh. From the beginning with Adam and Eve, man has tried to come to the Father by means of his own works. Adam and Eve tried to make themselves aprons to cover their sin (Gen. 3:7). However, God shed blood and made them coats to cover them (Gen. 3:21). Also, Cain’s sacrifice was the work of his hands (Gen. 4:3), while Abel’s sacrifice was as God had commanded the sacrifice should be (Gen. 4:4). Throughout the Old Testament we see man trying to come to God by way of his own works. As well, throughout the Bible God has shown that it is only through the work of Christ’s shed blood on the cross of Calvary that we can come to Him. (Eph 2:13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Eph 2:16) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
So what does one do when his “religion” says one thing and God’s Word says another? What if they don’t agree? Who does one listen to? (Act 5:29) Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. This is not a complicated concept. All the earth’s governments are based on laws, rules and regulations. When one disobeys the law that is written in the books of the law of the land, one is punished. For instance, my husband is a police officer. Let’s say I get caught driving 60 m.p.h. in a 45 m.p.h. zone. I’m clearly guilty according to the law of the land. There are State Codes which are written and dictate the speed limits. However, I tell the police officer that my husband (also a police officer) told me it was O.K. to drive 60 because I’m a policeman’s wife. This sounds silly, doesn’t it? It is not any more silly than a “religion” saying that their leaders have changed the laws because they “represent” the Law Giver. My husband represents the law givers of our State but his words cannot supersede those laws. Ultimately, the penalty must be paid and the law must be obeyed.
You can’t justify your actions by stating that your interpretation of the law was different. The law is clearly outlined in the books and one is held accountable according to that law. It is no different with God and His Word. We will be held accountable for what we have done as it relates to the Bible. Have we accepted God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ? Or have we added to the free gift of salvation with a list of “do’s and don’ts”? (2 Cor 5:21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
There is nothing that man can do to add to the perfect gift of redemption through Christ. This verse says that we are made the righteousness of God in Christ! We ourselves have nothing that is righteous. (Isa 64:6) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Rom 7:18a) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: The gift of God is free. (1 Cor 2:12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. We cannot earn it – we cannot work for it – we cannot inherit it because our parents have it – we cannot assume that we have it. All must come to the Cross of Calvary and accept the fact that there is nothing we can do to earn heaven and that Christ paid the entire price and penalty for our sins. (Eph 2:8 ) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Eph 2:9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.
So in closing, the Father has left us with clear instructions on how to be saved. The world and its “religions” has added to or taken away from His clear instructions. However, the Word is clear that we cannot make our own aprons, we cannot grow our own vegetables and present them as a “substitute” for our sins. Only Christ can be that substitute. So, who will you answer to? Your “religion” or God’s Word?
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