Articles
KNOWING GOD’S WORD
Ninety-one percent of adults now say, “What is right for me may not be right for you and
what is right for you may not be right for me” (David Kinnamon, Barna Group).
But what many think is “right for me” is not right with God. People do not have the last say
in morality; God does. After much research, I learned this figure (according to Barna’s David
Kinnamon) is closer to 65 percent thinking morality is internal and relative to circumstances. I
still say people do not have the last say in morality; God does.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive
what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
“The one who rejects Me and does not receive My words has a judge; the word that I have
spoken will judge him on the last day” (John 12:48).
If indeed the Lord Jesus will decide what is right and wrong, and we will be judged by His
words, does it not show wisdom to listen to Him? ~Phil Sander, Facebook, Oct. 19, 2018
We live in a troubled world (an understatement!). It seems that daily we are intent on
accusing others of being insensitive to our feelings, or not allowing us to do or be what we want
in our personal life. And before we become too hasty at pointing fingers at an immoral world, we
need to take a little time to reflect on our own personal struggles and recognize that many of
those struggles may very well center around not getting on our own way (1 Cor. 3:1-3).
I know that I am constantly reminding of the need we have to be good students of God’s
Word. We need to spend time daily to understand God’s holiness and our need for total
commitment and self-denial in following Jesus. Yet, surveys, as the one mentioned above,
illustrate clearly that we aren’t spending time in studying God’s directions in living holy lives
based on His standards and not our own. I am thankful for men like Josh Pettigrew, willing to
stand up and faithfully share God’s Word to us.
I am thankful for his willingness to admit that just about the time we think we have the
Christian life figured out, we find we don’t know near what we think we do. I echo his
sentiments with a hardy “Amen”! I find in my studies each day something new from God’s Word
which challenges me in the life I am to live for the Lord. May we all commit ourselves to
knowing God better each day, as we study His Word, not just for facts, but for living a holy life.
~PM
