The Easy Button
I am sure we have all seen the commercials where somebody is doing something really
stupid, and another person presses an easy button, and then everything is magically
fixed and working fine. How we wish life were that simple.
One of the reasons we want an easy button is because it does not require a lot
of effort on our part to get what we want done. There have been many inventions
and innovations and programs that have made life easier for so many people. They
have become accustomed to drive-thrus, frozen TV dinners, microwave food, and
paper plates. By these things, you can figure out what they did not want to do
in the first place. Prepare a meal themselves, and wash the dishes. Laziness has
harmed all of us to one degree or another.
Most of the time, these inventions are supposed to make it easier for us, and
they do. The problem is that it gives us more time to get into trouble and do
things we should not be doing.
I would like to suggest that the laziness is a recent innovation that only applies
to our culture, but that would be wrong. We can read in the Bible about people
who did the same things thousands of years ago.
God gave man the truth of His word, and His commandments. Man decided that it
was too much effort or too costly for him to keep those laws and commandments
from God. Cain knew that God wanted a blood sacrifice from an animal without spot
or blemish.
Yet it was easier to just pull up some plants and offer that on the fire.
We remember how easy it was for the serpent to deceive Eve. And in the days of
Noah, every man practiced wickedness continually. That is every man except Noah.
You see where we are going with this? Every occasion of laziness in service to
God had consequences. It is no different today in how people treat God and His
commandments.
We read a lot in the prophets how people turned their back on God and His truth
to do things He did not require. God gave them the truth, but they sought other
ways, and still expected God's blessings. Things have not changed thousands of
years down the road.
God gave us His laws through Jesus Christ when God gave Jesus all authority. Jesus
using the Holy Spirit delegated His authority through the apostles and the Holy
Spirit. Thus God's will was made known to mankind. Yet God's laws require a bit
of effort on our part before God will offer His blessings to us.
2 Thessalonians 2 tells us that the people did not love the truth, so they believed
the lies, and God allowed them to believe lies; because obviously, the people
did not want to endure the truth.
2 Timothy 4 tells us that the people would have the itching ears and want their
own version of the truth, so they would gather to themselves teachers who would
speak what they wanted to hear.
Thus we have many doctrines that are not in accordance with God's word, and the
people love it so.
God requires an active faith before blessings will come upon a person, but the
new teaching is that even a passive faith is good enough to get one into heaven.
Never mind that Jesus taught that only those who do the will of the Father will
go to heaven. These people teach one really does not have to do anything at all
to get there.
Hebrews 11 tells us that God will reward those who diligently seek Him. Yet how
many times have we seen a phamplet with the so-called "sinners prayer"?
The "sinners prayer" is not even found in the bible, but leads people
to think that saying a simple prayer will save their souls. These prayers do not
even suggest that the person who quotes this prayer should turn their life around
and start serving God the rest of their lives. Sadly, there are many people that
have been taught they are saved, where the Bible teaches that they are lost and
separate from God. These people are without hope and without God in this world.
Even those who try to do things for God, and are very sincere in their faith can
be lost if they do not follow God's word totally. Scripture teaches us not to
add or subtract from God's word. And many religious persons do that all the time,
even without realizing their error and what God calls iniquity. So let us put
forth an effort so that our souls can be saved.
By Carey Scott
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