COMPELLED TO CHANGE

     There is not a single one who shall read this that has not made
a change from one thing to another in their past life. If you are a
child of God you became such because you were willing to change your
way of living. You did so because you realized the errors of your
ways and the need of New Testament obedience. Only this action will
prepare a person to please God.
     It makes no difference how long a person may have been in error,
we would not be justified to continue therein. Jesus says, "This
people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me.
But in vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrine the
precepts of men" (Matthew 15:8-9). Christ is simply saying, "It makes
no difference how much tradition, or how long you have been doing
any particular thing, unless our actions, work and worship are found
in God's word, we worship or serve in vain." If we seek to justify
our actions by saying, "We have always done it this way," we are
seeking the wrong authority. We must justify what we do by the Word
of God as our authority. When we cannot find it in God's Word, we are
compelled to make a change, correct what may have been in error,
doing what God has commanded of us in the manner or way He has
commanded.
     Is it possible for man to please God without making a change
when he finds that he is in error? If one sees himself in error and
continues there, he is guilty of wilful sin, which is condemned by
Jehovah. Yes, man is compelled to change the things in his (or her)
life that are contrary to the scriptures. We must measure our life
by God's Word and then bring it into harmony therewith, if we expect
Jehovah to bless us in this life or in the world to come.
     Jack Thompson, preacher for the White Park church of Christ.

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