Doing As You Please

 

By Dan Bailey     Brother G. K. Wallace asked the following question in his autobiography:  How could a man accept one part of God's revelation and reject the other unless he is determined to do as he pleases?"     Some argue that there are parts of the Bible that are not inspired. Of course, these disputers are the "all wise ones" who can tell you which part is from God, and which part is not from God! This is the mentality that brother Wallace was commenting on.     When it comes to the Word of God, we must be willing to accept it all! I have met many who claim to be religious, and who seem to be religious, but they reject the simple, clear Word of God. Simon Peter declared on the day of Pentecost, "... Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (~Acts 2:38~). Why would anyone reject the teaching of an inspired apostle? Jesus, the Son of God, and Captain of our salvation said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (~Mark 16:15-16~).     Let us never be guilty of picking and choosing what we want to believe in the Word of God; for in doing this, you are clearly "doing what you please".  "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (~Hebrews 11:5~). Just as Enoch pleased God, so we need to please God by believing His Word and by obeying His commands.     Let us love the Lord God with all our heart, mind, and soul. "And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment" (~Mark 12:28-30~). And let us never forget that Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (~John 14:15~). Let us always strive to please God. This is the only choice that leads to heaven.

- Dan C. Bailey serves as a minister with the State Street Church of Christ in Bristol, VA. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at https://www.thelordsway.com/statestreetchurchofchrist/framedindex.asp?Group=Home