CAN YOU AFFORD TO BE WRONG?

Ecclesiastes 8:11

Morning Meditation 7/3/2014

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

The world view of God is that if God doesn't execute judgment upon the wrong doer immediately, that he has gotten away with it. Our text says this is wrong. My question is, can one afford to be wrong. The Bible teaches that one cannot afford to be wrong.

ONE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE WRONG ABOUT HIS VIEW OF GOD

Our view of God controls a lot of other things. Is God a person? Is God the Creator?

If we believe what the Bible says we will believe in a personal God who created all things. Ecclesiastes 12:1 says, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. We are to be established with a personal faith in God from our youth. The mind of our youth is being attacked in the classroom with the false teaching of evolution.

Isaiah says in Isaiah 40:28, Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. Not only does Isaiah present God as creator but he says He fainteth not, but that there is no searching of his understanding.

The Pulpit Commentary says of creation: It is not infinite. Immeasurable by man, it has already been measured by God (Isaiah 40:12). Undiscoverable by science, its limits are known to its Creator (Acts 15:18). The stars which man is unable to compute, God calls by their names (Psalm 147:4; Isaiah 40:26). That the universe must have a boundary is involved in its creation. Two finites cannot make an infinite. Hence the measured earth (Habakkuk 3:6), and the bounded heavens (Job 22:14), cannot compose an illimitable universe. Still less can there be two infinites, one filling all space, and another outside of it. But Elohim is such an infinite (Isaiah 57:15; Jeremiah 23:24). The fact is that Creation reveals an infinite God. If man cannot explain creation, he is much less able to explain God. Hebrews 11:6, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Romans 1:25 says, speaking of man left alone to himself, Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. One will either worship God, or he will worship creation. The Pulpit commentary says that when one fails to acknowledge the Creator that, Inevitable degradation follows. The creature is worshiped, and the Creator is forgotten or despised. The mind and heart seek to rest in what can never satisfy them. The emblem is mistaken for the reality, the shadow for the substance.

Can one afford to be wrong about God? Romans 1:18 says, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. There is a day when all men will give an account. The judgment that a Christ rejecting world will receive is clearly stated in Scripture. Jesus says in Matthew 25:41, Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Man's view of God sets the stage for how he views life and what he does to be right with his creator.

CAN ONE AFFORD TO BE WRONG ABOUT THE WAY OF SALVATION?

Man by nature is in rejection of God. Psalms 58:3 says, The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

There is no salvation apart from a proper view of sin. Man is a sinner according to Scripture. When man accepts this, he will be ready to repent. Jesus brought this out clearly in Matthew 9:10-12, And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

The need for salvation is borne in the truth of his condition by nature. Man is not a sinner because he sins, he sins because he is a sinner. Man must repent of his state as well as his acts.

What man is by nature renders it impossible to meet God's standards. Until a man sees this, he will never see the need of salvation. He is therefore not open to the truth of salvation.

God has stated His will for the salvation of all men. 2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God has made the offer of salvation to all. John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Man cannot afford to be wrong about his relationship with God. God has made it possible for man to be saved through Jesus. John 14:6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. This verse teaches that salvation is exclusive. Jesus in the only way. There is no other. Since this is true, one cannot afford to be wrong about how a person is saved. The apostle Peter said in Acts 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.

There are three things about salvation:

1. Ignorance of the way. Acts 17:30-31, And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. A man can't be saved if he does not know the way. However, God holds man responsible to know the way. He also holds the church responsible to preach the gospel in all the world so that man can know the way (Matt. 28:18-20).

2. Careless neglect. Hebrews 2:3, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; This man knows he needs to be saved. He has seen God work so he is not ignorant of the fact of God. He just simply neglects doing anything about it. Our text says, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?

3. Then there is the out right rebel. Proverbs 29:1, He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. This is the man who resists the Word of God. He is the man who hears the Word, knows what he is doing, and rejects the Word without fear of the consequences.

Can one afford to be wrong about the way of salvation? God created us as eternal beings. One will either be in God's eternal kingdom or in the place described by our Lord as the lake of fire. I tremble to think man would live his life out and never make preparation to meet God. Especially when God has made a way for man. God is merciful and will bestow that mercy on any man who comes to Him through Christ.

CAN ONE AFFORD TO BE WRONG ABOUT THE WAY OF SERVICE?

The call to salvation is followed by a call to serve. Ephesians 2:8-10, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The plan of salvation is very clear.. Man is not saved by his works. He is not saved partially by God and partially by his own good works. Man is saved by grace alone. But the Scripture says, For we are his workmanship , created in Christ Jesus unto good works .. . . We are to display His workmanship. Good works are the proof that God has done the work of salvation in our lives. Good works are the plan of God for us after we are saved.

Good works will be rewarded. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

This text gives two kinds of building materials. Gold, silver, and precious stones, or wood, hay, and stubble. Every Christian is building out of one kind of material or the other. If one builds out of the imperishable material, he will receive a reward. If he builds out of perishable material, he will suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. In the light of this passage, can we afford to be wrong about our service to Him?

2 Corinthians 5:10 says, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Our service should be a life of commitment to the Lord. Matthew 6:33, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. The Lord must always come first. The words, But seek ye first, speaks of an aggressive act. If we do not aggressively seek God's kingdom, Satan will see to it that we fail.

Our service will have to be a life lived out of harmony with this world. Romans 12:2 says, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Can one afford to be wrong? I say no. We have too much to lose. The Lord has set the standards, and while one might be tempted to go the way of least resistance, it is not the least costly. Dr. Bob Jones said, Don't sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White