Book, Chapter, and Verse!

Suppose Ananias and Sapphira had been members of your Small Group. What would your reaction have been to their death? Would it be as stated in Heb 2:1 “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it”?When Jesus established the new covenant, He did not give myriads of rules and regulations, but He did call us to be set apart or holy, a living sacrifice, and to be motivated and dedicated to God’s rule in our hearts. This is not a call to casual discipline in our lives, but as Paul says, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14).

  Even in our worship services or maybe especially in our services, we should look closely at the commands given. Even in the Lord’s supper, Paul says, “28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.” (1 Cor 11:28-29). So, the next time someone suggests a new innovation in worship, remember that it is a good idea to find the book, chapter, and verse for any such command, lest we find ourselves in the same predicament as Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1-3). — Finis Cavender