By Riley Nelson Minister Richmond Hill Church of Christ
God has a plan for man’s salvation. He gave His Son to die for the sins of mankind (John 3:16), He has given us the Bible – His word to know how He desires us to serve Him (2 Tim. 3:16, 17). In this word we find examples in the book of Acts that show us how individuals obeyed God to become His children. They believed in Jesus as God’s Son, they repented of their sins, confessed Christ before men and were baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38; 8:29-39).
We all have ways of doing things. Being human beings created in the image of God and given the ability to make choices, sometimes we disagree on some things. God gives us this license when it comes to earthly things. However when it comes to things of a spiritual nature God has made it clear how He desires things to be done. Yet even in spiritual things God lets us choose whether or not we are going to follow His word or human reasoning.
The thing we must remember is that God’s way is perfect. The Psalmist wrote, “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him” (Psalm 18:30). A buckler was a small rounded shield carried in the hand or worn on the arm. So God is a shield to all who will place their trust wholly in Him. The promises God has made always come true. One of the greatest promises God ever made was to His servant Abraham, when He promised that in him all “nations of the world would be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). This promise was fulfilled in Christ.
Men down through time have tried to come up with other ways of pleasing God. Some turned to making idols, while others worshipped the creation of God rather than God Himself and still others changed what God commanded to suit their own way of thinking (Rom. 1:22-25; Matt. 15:9). God spoke concerning man’s ways and thoughts compared to His, through the prophet Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isa. 55:8, 9).
God’s way will lead to heaven, while man’s way will lead to destruction, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Matt. 7: 13, 15). We all need to see the need to follow the perfect way- God’s way.