Article: ARE YOU LISTENING?

Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 08:02 PM

ARE YOU LISTENING?
By Patrick D. Andrews

For many years, the late V.E. Howard, would ask, during his radio broadcast sermons, "Are you listening?" He didn't discover that as some new and unused expression, but borrowed it from the scriptures.

And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. 1 Samuel 3:1 Eli had given the young boy some sage advice. He instructed young Samuel to listen to the words of the Lord--sound advice then and equally important today.

God, speaks to us through His Word--our Bibles. Accordingly, the Church of the first century serves as a worthy example and challenge to the Church of this century. Consequently, warnings for situations then, should serve as warnings for similar situations now. We should learn from their mistakes and profit from their experiences as we continually keep our eyes on the anticipated result--Heaven.

Even as the Apostle Paul entreated them, it has application to us. 1Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Our constant challenge is to continue to grow. Consider the current tendency to accept all religious entities as seeking to do what we as Christians do and go where we as Christians are trying to go. However, sectarian conversion is not conversion to Christ. There's only one God, Who gave us only one Savior, Who died for only one Church!

There are those within our brotherhood who are embracing strange doctrines--false doctrines. Gnosticism and Stoicism is not new or unique. There are those who want to take the "trendiness" of transactional analysis and unequivocally apply it to Christianity. The problem with such thinking is that I'm OK and you're OK, only if we both have yielded ourselves to the blood bought will of Jesus Christ. However, if either of us refuse to repent, we are still in sin and not OK. To either condone or ignore sin, or to choose to not teach against sin, or to acknowledge someone, who has not completely obeyed Christ, as a Christian, is not listening to the Words of our God. No person has ever been taught wrong and then obeyed right. John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is a sad situation when some of my brethren are more motivated by a desire to be successful than they are about saving souls. Whereas success is not a bad motive, in and of itself, but our success needs to be in Christ. We must examine our individual past and find our only path (Christ) into the future.

Are we planting the pure seed of God's word and watering with the pure water of Life. How sad it would be if we were growing a large congregation and those that were converted to this congregation were not converted to Christ and therefore not redeemed from their sins. When we are converted to Christ, we become Christ like--Christians.

Our denominational friends and neighbors can read from the same translations of the scriptures as we. If it's possible for them to stray from the pure God-given Word, it's also possible for any of the rest of us to also stray! I find it fearfully evident that too many of us have strayed--in many places--in many generations! It is an ever constant struggle to keep our preaching and teaching as simple as God gave it--keeping the simple truths of our Father simple and not trying to find some "loop-hole" in His Word.

This modern philosophy of "Nobody's responsible for anything" encroaches the Lord's church. Its menacing floodwaters of a "have it your own way" religion and doctrine is filling the minds of our preachers, elders, church wise men, and bible class teachers at an alarming rate. Some advocate salvation without obedience--publicly and privately. However, obedience includes personal positive decisive action.

The "special conversions" applications do not upset us like they used too! More and more of our brethren are having these so called denominational styled "religious experiences."

The need for the simple and plain Word of God to be preached is as great as it has ever been. The life, teaching, and happiness of Jesus is absent from the mainstream of the world and it is rapidly departing the Lord's church.

The problem is unbelief, indifference, and neglect! The solution is still the same--on Golgotha's Hill is the cross of Jesus! It's impact and effect is still valid today! We must look to the cross and observe the Savior's blood. We must experience His anguish as He bears the sins of the entire world. 1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: We must willingly follow Him to the Cross. <b.Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Christianity is looking to and obeying Christ. It's seeking the lost! Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. They've seen the nativity scenes, but they don't know our Lord. They've heard the name, but they don't know His death, burial, and resurrection. Christianity was never intended to be a comfort assessment of where one is, but a release from the damnable sins for which one is guilty. They/We need to listen to the message of God--are you listening?