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Bulletin articles
Your Call
The following is the transcript of an actual two-way radio conversation that took place between a U.S. Navy ship and Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October, 1995 —
Americans: “Please divert your course 15 degrees to the north to avoid a collision.”
Canadians: “Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the south to avoid collision.”
Americans: “This is the Captain of a U.S. Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.”
Canadians: “No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.”
Americans: “This the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, the second largest ship in the United States’ Atlantic Fleet! We are accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers, and numerous support vessels. I demand that you change your course 15 degrees north — that’s one-five degrees north — or counter-measures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship!”
Canadians: “We are a lighthouse. Your call.”
Too often, we act just like that U.S. Navy Captain. We look at the Word of God and expect it to “change course” to meet our desires. We say, “Well that was written 2000 years ago, so certainly God doesn’t intend for us to live by those same standards today.” We treat the Scriptures like silly putty, twisting and squeezing and stretching them to suit our tastes for the moment. And when we change our mind again, we just change the Scriptures again.
But what is our excuse? Unlike the Captain who didn’t know he was demanding movement of an immovable structure, we know from the Scriptures themselves that we have no right to demand that they “change course.”
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3.16-17). “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4.11). “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22.18-19)
God’s word is perfect. It is “the power of God to salvation” (Romans 1.16), the word “which is able to save your souls” (James 1.21). Will you simply accept the truth of His word, or will you try to change it to suit your own desires and thereby meet God’s wrath? “Your call.”
- 20230319_Your_Call.pdf (191.89 kB)
