When Availability Stops

When availability stops everything else stops. Man loves God to the degree he listens and obeys God. One of the greatest arts in the world is the fine art of listening. “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few” (Eccle. 5:1-2). When Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven “he re¬vealed the value of availability and living as Christians should in the presence of others. Perhaps there is nothing that has .proved so disgust¬ing of to people who are only” lookers on” to see a very, pious appearing person on Sunday, do evil on Monday. The expression of excuse-makers that ‘there are too many. hypocrites in the church “is not worth a lot of dis¬cussion, because of the spirit of the person who made the statement, but that does not destroy the fact that people may be turned away from the right path because of unholy conduct on the part of Christians. The person who is faithful in attendance must also be faithful in living. God de¬mands both worship and service and none can please God without both wor¬ship and service. The Christianity with which I want to make the world should make me sound! When availability stops! There are examples of believers who did become children of God, as well as those examples of believers who did not become children of God. In Acts 2, the first gospel sermon, offering remission of sins in the name of Christ preached. “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. According to verse 37, of Acts 2, when the- people heard the gospel preached setting forth Jesus as Lord & Christ, they were made believers: “Now, . when they heard this they were pricked in their heart,” that is to say’ they were made believers in Christ, having heard the divine testimony of Jesus. This is in harmony with the teaching of Paul in .Rom.lO:l7, where he declared: “Faith cometh by hearing, & hearing by the word of God “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness” ( Rom. 10:10). They were believers’. They heard the gospel & being pricked in their heart, they believed: As believers, they had the right to become Christians. What did they do to become children of God? Having heard the gospel & become believers in Christ, they inquired, “What shall we do?” Do not be misled by religious teachers who would have you believe that all one needs to do to be saved is just believe. They were told what to do, as believers ,to become Christians. “Repent & be bap¬tized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”(Acts 2:38).