Man’s Effort To Change God
by H. E. Phillips
“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and
Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations,
and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they
became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made
like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own
hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth
of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator,
who is blessed for ever. Amen” (Rom. 1:20-25).
In man’s departure from God, one of the first things he will try to do
to ease conscience and find sanction for a life contrary to the word of God
is attempt to recreate God into an image that he wants Him to be. And that
is the
god he then seeks to serve.
- Preacher of the Word, August 4, 1996
Doctrine Without Practice
by H. E. Phillips
“Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou
that preachest a man should not steal, doest thou steal? Thou that sayest a man
should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols,
dost thou commit sacrilege?” (Rom. 2:21,22).
Doctrine is worth absolutely nothing unless it is practiced. Whatever one
has learned of doctrine, however true and good it may be, is worth absolutely
nothing
unless it is obeyed. The teaching of the New Testament is the only doctrine
that will benefit one in relation to God and his eternal destiny.
Paul said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we
said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you
than that which we have received, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8,9).
Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is
in heaven” (Matt. 7:2 1).
While we preach that one must practice what the Bible teaches, the average
church member makes at best only a token effort to learn God’s will.
Everyone today has the ability to read and understand the word of God, but
they do not
have enough interest in it to read or try to learn anything from it. It is
not the lack of ability; it is to lack of will.
We preach that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, but we put
forth very little effort in preaching it to the lost. Paul wrote, “For I am not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom.
1:16). Again, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one
another with a pure heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1
Pet. 1:22,23).
We preach that scriptural baptism makes one a new creature in Christ (Rom.
6:3-6; 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 2:14; 3:1,2). But many who have been baptized
into Christ continue
to live the same old sinful life that characterized them before they obeyed
the gospel. If we preach that one is a new creature after scriptural baptism,
we
ought not to continue to live in sin and claim we are walking in “newness” of
life. A new creature in Christ cannot continue to live the sinful life he
did before being baptized for the remission of sins.
- Preacher of the Word, August 4, 1996
God Is Not Deceived
by H. E. Phillips
A great president of this country once said in effect: “You can fool
some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time, but not
all the people all the time. Just how true this is now must be determined by
present conditions, but there is one thing we can be certain of:
God is not deceived ANY of the time by ANY of the people. One thing we seem
never to be able to grasp: God knows every move we make and the motive behind
it, and that He never forgets our life and conduct.
- Preacher of the Word, August 4, 1996