Something Wrong Somewhere!

By Oscar M. Baker

That is the idea the average person gets today just as soon as he begins to do a little thinking for himself. Many are beginning to wonder what it is all about. There is much activity and ado in religious circles, but so little instruction in the Word of God. Tradition tells us that when men die they go either to heaven or to hell. But when we open the Bible we find that when resurrection day comes, they are in their graves (John 5:28). There is something wrong somewhere!

While we are wondering about how they all get back into their graves again, we see that the tradition has also put heaven and hell as the places for future life. But again we open the Word and find that some are to spend an age, a glorious one, here on the earth in the millennial kingdom. Not all go to heaven for future blessing. There is something wrong somewhere!

Then we are told what to do to be saved. One group has this to do, and another group has something else to do. They are all agreed in one thing, and that is, that one has to do something. But when we open the Book, we find that salvation has been done and all we have to do is to accept that fact by faith. There is something wrong somewhere!

Again men tell us that if we are to serve the Lord, we must do a lot of work for the church. In fact, the church is made to take the place of Christ and is the means of salvation. But when we look into the Book of Truth, we find that the only Mediator between God and man is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Something is wrong somewhere!

Then we look into a place of worship and find that in most instances the Person worshipped is not present, so in His absence a picture or likeness is set up to look at and adore (worship). But the Good Book says that where 2 or 3 are gathered together in His name that He will be there in the midst of them; and they are to worship in spirit and in truth. There is something wrong somewhere!

Now this is not a fault-finding spree, but seeing that each of us must give an account to God some day, we must stop and think clearly and consider what God has said. Man speaks so often about a person having an immortal soul. But God is the only one who has immortality according to my Bible. Something is wrong somewhere!

Tradition has changed everlasting punishment into everlasting punishing, but they would never think of changing everlasting salvation into everlasting saving. Something is wrong somewhere!

What will you have? Truth or tradition? Which is safer? What is going to happen to those who deliberately turn from truth to fables (traditions)? Oh, if they mean all right, they will get by. That is the general opinion. But when we face the Judge, we are judged by the Scriptures. That is what God has said. All traditions to the contrary plainly show that there is something wrong somewhere!

(Reprinted from Truth For Today, Vol. 14, Nov. 1961)