Do according to all that the Lord commands

Thought for the Week

“And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they”—Numbers 1:54

At first glance these words spoken regarding the children of Israel while at Sinai are words that we may have a tendency to skip over and pay little or no attention to them. If we do so, then we make a terrible mistake because these words speak volumes about one of the great attributes needed by God’s people today. That attribute is an attitude that causes us “to do according to all that the Lord commands”. There is in the realm of religion today a view that says God is not strict in his demands and thus man does not have to fully comply with his commands  in order to secure his good will or even to be saved eternally. I wonder what Adam and Eve would have to say about this view or Nadab and Abihu or those children of Israel who believed the 10 spies or Moses or King Saul (Gen. 3, Lev. 10, Num. 14, Num. 20, 1 Sam 15).  There has never been an age of man in which anyone could secure God’s good will without an obedience of an exacting nature.

John declares that it is sin to go beyond the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9). This would include additions, subtractions or substitutions (Deut. 4:2, Prov. 30:6, Rev. 22:18). God has given us a pattern to go by and we must follow that pattern with no ifs, ands, buts, or maybes (2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Pet. 1:3). My friends, we have no margin to play with. There are no short cuts, no sale days, no bargain basements. It is his way or else suffer the consequences (Matt. 7:21-23). In the second chapter of John, Jesus is at a marriage feast where the host runs out of wine. On that occasion Mary turns to the servants and makes one of the most powerful statements we can at this time entertain: “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it”. That is the attitude needed in the realm of religion. Do what he says, accept his way even if we don’t understand it or don’t even like it (Col. 3:17, Prov. 14:12, John 14:6). Hear Paul as he says, “I believe God, that it shall be even as he told me” (Acts 27:25).

One final thought before closing this Thought. Friends, our focus should be, yea must be on God, not people. In an effort to attract people, to draw people so many innovations have been introduced into our religious lives. Worship services are conducted with pianos, organs, bands, orchestras, dancing, shouting and hand clapping. In the denominational world worship has been turned into an entertainment venue or made to resemble an athletic contest. But wait a minute, do we not do the same thing? We call it contemporary services, giving people choices as to what they want to do or how they want to worship. To me, it does not matter whether it be a denominational church or a Church of Christ, when you take the focus off God and put it on people it shows disrespect for God and his word. I have the eerie feeling that with this last thought I have lost some of my readers. In fact in my minds eye I can see the words being typed, “Please remove”.  If that be true, so be it.

Charles Hicks