I want to tell you about a somewhat recent experience of mine. I was out of town for a while. I wasn't too far from home, but I was far enough to make it pretty inconvenient to come home and attend Church at my home congregation. So, I looked for a more convenient congregation, and I found one. When I got there Sunday morning I was surprised, as the building was huge. I mean monstrously huge, especially for the smallish town it was in. Being my first time there, I was of course a few minutes late, and everyone was already inside and seated. The service had already started. The building was packed. And I found out later that there were actually two morning services. Of which this was the second, and both were packed.
They had a screen up front that displayed the songs we were singing, large enough for me to see it way back in the back. I thought that was pretty cool. But I still preferred the song book.
The singing was good, and the service went well. Then the preacher got up and started throwing "soft tipped darts." No I don't mean that he literally started hurling projectiles at us. What I mean is, as I listened to him, I was reminded of the game of Darts. Well, rather the darts themselves. Originally darts were, in fact weapons. And today we still have the sharp metal tipped darts. But, we also have electronic dart boards that come with plastic tipped darts. They work well with the boards they come with, but they would make a rather ridiculous weapon.
This is what this preaching reminded me of. He was preaching to us, and he was telling the truth. But, he was only telling the truth up to the point that it might hurt someone. Then he put the "soft tip" on it. While many will point out that it is not for us to judge other people, and it wasn't the preacher's job to try and condemn us, it was and is his job to teach us the whole truth, so that we may know the truth and act upon it.
The Truth is black and white, there is no gray. Many God fearing, Bible believing people tend to overlook one thing when they start saying "God wouldn't send me to Hell for that" And that one thing they overlook, is that there is something God CANNOT DO. God Cannot Lie. Titus 1:2 (among others)
There are many examples, all throughout the Bible, of God punishing those that went against his will. The first example is of course Adam and Eve. Another example is Leviticus chapter 10 with Nadab and Abihu. Nadab and Abihu were actually priests, and doing what they were supposed to do. BUT, not the way they were supposed to do it. They were consumed by fire. And then Annanias and Saphira are another example in Acts Chapter 5. They lied and paid with their lives.
This is the same God that will judge me and you on Judgement Day. I do NOT want to find myself standing on the wrong side on that day. Do you? The object of the lesson that preacher was preaching was a simple question. What is our Primary objective as Christians? He kind of tiptoed around it, and came up with a "soft tipped" answer. But, the Answer is simple. Seek out Gods will, and then DO IT.
May God be with you
