LightGrams
September 14, 2023
Volume 27, Number 25
A fundamental lesson to learn when you begin driving is to pay attention to road signs and markings. One such marking is the solid yellow line painted onto the asphalt; that means “do not cross” or change lanes in that area. Most drivers understand that.
Drivers along a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 91 near Jacksonville, Florida were confused earlier this week when a yellow line appeared where it had not been before. The line crossed lanes in unexpected places, and finally veered off the road into a parking lot. Authorities have been alerted, but drivers interviewed by a local TV news station all stated they were confused by the line.
Obeying traffic laws is important, as most of us know. When we ignore the signs, we put ourselves and others at risk.
God gave us signals for living life safely and successfully. Those “signals” we normally refer to as laws and statutes that are found in the Bible, His revelation to His people. The purpose for following God’s laws is summed up nicely in Deuteronomy 6:24: “And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always …” Keeping God’s laws may be seen as burdensome to some, but in reality they are in place for our good.
Satan, however, works overtime to distort and twist God’s signals. Isaiah 5:20 notes how some were altering God’s yellow lines: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” What God had declared to be sinful was regarded as good by those in authority. No wonder the people of Israel wandered away from God! They were confused by the changed signals.
Deuteronomy was written during the days of the Law of Moses, a law to which we are no longer subject (see Hebrews 8:6-7,13). Does such a problem exist today? Galatians 1:6,8 shows that the lines continue to be repainted in the Christian age: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel … But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” To be accursed is a serious judgment, but changing Christ’s gospel is a serious offense.
How can we know if the message we just heard is what Christ intended it to be, or the product of Satan’s sinister deception? Acts 17:11 shows a practice that we should all adopt. As Jews in the city of Berea heard Paul preaching a message they had never heard before, here’s what they did: “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
It’s imperative that we pay attention to God’s yellow lines as we travel life’s highway. But beware: Satan is busy laying down lines that Christ never intended. John 8:31,32 assures us that we can know the truth, but we must “abide” in Christ’s word to know it. May we all spend more time reading and meditating on God’s directions for a blessed and rewarding life!
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2023, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “[email protected]” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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