GOD DOESN’T ACCEPT SUBSTITUTES
In a recent Bible class study of I Samuel 15 our Bible class learned that it repented God that he had made Saul king of Israel because he disobeyed in the matter of the destruction of the wicked Amalekites who had attacked the children of Israel in the wilderness. Moses in Deuteronomy 25:17-19 said, "Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou was faint and weary; and he feared not God. Therefore it shall be when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt no forget it." About 400 years later when Israel was enjoying its first king, God told him, "Now go smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (I Samuel 15:3) Saul "smote the Amalekites" but he and the people spared their best of the animals and said they would sacrifice them to the Lord in Gilgal. Also, Saul kept alive Agag, the king of the Amalekites. God told Samuel that Saul had disobeyed him. When told of their intentions Samuel asked, "Hath the LORD as great delight in burning offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (I Samuel 15:22) That substitute attitude of Saul was called both rebellion and stubbornness. (I Samuel 15:23) He was told, "Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king." (I Samuel 15:23) That’s when Saul finally broke down and admitted his sin. Up to that statement he had tried to defend his practices as obeying the voice of the Lord when he had not.
2. We learn by the examples and statements of truth that we from the patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4) We learn from the Old Testament though we are under the New Testament. We need to learn this lesson on substitution because people are now practicing many things in Christianity that are not authorized by the gospel of the New Testament.
3. A lesson direct from the mouth of Jesus Christ teaches that prayer is not a substitute for doing the will of the Heavenly Father. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, "Not every one that saith to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) Saying, "Lord save me" will not substitute for believing and being baptized to be saved. (Mark 16:16) Prayer has its place but it is not the plan of salvation set forth by Jesus Christ. Man must hear the word and accept its truths in order to believe because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) Also, believing AND being baptized results in being saved. A person who truly believes will repent of his sins (Acts 2:38) and also confess his faith to the Lord. (Acts 8:37) Christians are told to teach the word. (Matthew 28:18-20) People are to hear it, believe, repent, confess faith, and be baptized. Then the Lord says they are saved. (Mark 16:16) Not one word is said about praying to be saved. Dear friend, don’t be guilty of substitution like king Saul was because God’s prophet said that was rebellion and stubbornness. (I Samuel 15:23)
4. Doing great works in the name of Jesus will not substitute for obedience to the direct commands of the Lord. In that same sermon on the mount Jesus said, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22, 23) Many people make substitute plans of salvation, engage in substitute activities in worship, and substitute humanly organized and named churches in the place of the Lord’s plan, substitute the Lord’s teaching no worship, and substitute teaching on the Lord’s church. Then they claim to be prophets and miracle workers for the Lord. Jesus will say on the judgment day, which will come to all of us, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" to those who substitute his will. This shows to us that God will not accept substitute religion, substitute worship, or a substitute plan of salvation.
5. Stop and consider this if you are one that thinks just anything is acceptable in religion:
A) What will the Lord say in the day of judgment if we leave off the Lord’s Supper in Sunday worship when the Lord said, "This do in remembrance of me." (I Corinthians 11:23, 24) Then in Acts 20:7 stated that the Christians came together on the first day of the week to break bread.
B) What will the Lord say in the day of judgment if we add and substitute instrumental music in the worship when he said we should be "singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord?" (Ephesians 5:19)
C) What will the Lord say in the day of judgment if we put a man up as head of the church when Christ is the head of the church? (Ephesians 5:23) God out of a cloud told the apostles Peter, James, and John, "this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him." (Matthew 17:5) Some seem to think that the Lord is head up in heaven but that man can be head on earth. The Lord after his resurrection said, "All power (revised version uses the word authority) is given me in heaven and in earth." (Matthew 28:18)
Christ wants us to listen to his commands and obey them. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believed; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16) Be sure to accept it and it only. Jesus said, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me he gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. (John 12:48,49)
C.D.
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