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Right
But Wrong
A.C.
Dixon once told of an incident that took place in
Brooklyn, NY. A
detective who had been looking for a local citizen
finally tracked him down in a drugstore. As the man
began to make his purchase, the officer laid his hand
on the citizen's shoulder and said, "You're under
arrest; come with me!"
Stunned,
the man demanded, "What did I do?"
The
detective calmly replied, "You know what you did.
You escaped from the Albany penitentiary several years
ago. You went west, got married, and then came back
here to live. We've been watching for you since you
returned."
Quietly
the man admitted, "That's true, but I was sure
you'd never find me. Before you take me in, could we
stop by my house so I can talk to my family?"
The
officer agreed. When they got to his home, the man
looked at his wife and asked, "Haven't I
been a kind husband and a good father? Haven't I
worked hard to make a living?"
His
wife answered, "Of course you have, but why are
you asking me these questions?" Her husband then
proceeded to explain what had happened and that he was
now under arrest. He apparently had hoped that his
record as an exemplary husband and father would
impress the officer. Even so, he was still an escaped
criminal. Though he was "right"
with his family, he was all “wrong” with
the state of New York.
Because
of our sins, YOU and I are “in the wrong” with
God. “For
ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
(Romans 3:23). All
of the good deeds in the world will not “make up”
for our mistakes.
It’s not that God doesn’t acknowledge or
appreciate good works; He wants us to do good
(Ephesians 2:10).
But the truth is... there is only One
remedy for sin: the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s
Son. Jesus,
and only Jesus, was the perfect sacrifice – sinless
and perfectly suited – for the sins of the world
(see Hebrews 9:11-14).
Only through Him can we find forgiveness for
our sins (Ephesians 1:7).
God
will forgive those who... believe
in Him and His Son (Acts
16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess
Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins
(Acts 2:38). When
we submit to Him on His terms, we are “created in
Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10).
And, as long as we strive to “walk in the
light as He is in the light,” He will continue to
cleanse us from sin (1 John 1:7).
We
can be doing a lot of things “right” –
doing good to all men – and still be “wrong”
in the sight of God.
Why
not make things “right” with God by
submitting YOUR life to
Christ, and then continue to DO what’s right and
good in His sight?
--
David
A. Sargent,
Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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