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Vol. 11 No. 3 March 2009 |
Page 14 |
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Vol. 11 No. 3 March 2009 |
Page 14 |
Ernest S. Underwood
Those who love animals, of whom I am one, will agree with what Solomon said in Proverbs 12:10. Here he said: “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”
We applaud and appreciate people who give humane treatment to animals. Those of us who have pets in our homes know the love that we can give to them, and the love that they return. There is, however, the need to keep in mind that the animal has no soul. When it dies, that is all there is.
We wonder sometimes, though, why it is that some can be so kind to an animal, and so unloving to themselves and to other human beings, those who have an eternal soul. Oh, the ones we have in mind do not do physical harm to the person, but by their teaching, they lead souls on the path to hell (Matthew 15:9). Jesus said such teachers and teaching constituted the blind leading the blind, with both falling into the ditch (Matthew 15:14).
If one severely mistreats an animal, he can and should be arrested and punished. On the other hand, if one is a teacher of false doctrine he or she is many times lauded as such a fine “pastor” or “reverend.” This one is not punished by the law, even though he or she is robbing men of their most precious possession – the soul. The law may not punish him or her, but God will (James 3:1)!
Ernest S. Underwood
“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns; broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13). God makes the fountain while man makes the cistern. The fountain is the only sensible choice for man to make. The cistern can leak and can have impure water, while the fountain provided by God is always fresh and plentiful. Yet, God said His people had forsaken His way for their inferior ways.
Today, many are still guilty of this. They substitute manmade creeds for the saving Gospel. Many times, the Gospel angers those who are in love with their creeds. These creeds create denominations that they substitute for the church. Sadly, there are those who would rather have their denomination than the Lord’s church, and these are not one and the same.
They make a profession of godliness, but in their true character, they prefer their way to the way set forth in God’s Word. Their actions, their worship and their morals are those that are designed to please themselves, not God. Are you drinking from the “cisterns” of men or from the fountain of God? Are you sure?