Be Willing to Change

by Paul Southern

"God grant that I may always be right," said a Scottish Theologian, "for I never change." One of his Calvinistic brethren declared, "I am always open for conviction, but I'd like to see the color of a man's eyes who could convict me."

Each used different words, but both came out at the same destination. Neither one entertained the idea of change. Both were stub-born, prejudiced, self-satisfied. They had closed their eyes, ears, and heart to the truth, "lest haply they should perceive with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart, and should turn again and I should heal them" (Mt. 13:15).

The person who is always right and never changes is usually wrong on many things and always wrong in spirit. The Christian's life begins with a fundamental transformation, the new birth, continues with constant change. The born again creature (Jn. 3:5) feeds on spiritual milk that he may grow thereby unto salvation (1 Peter 2:1-2). God's children are to press on unto perfection, that is, full growth, maturity (Heb. 6:1-2). The person who thinks he has reached the top of Pisgah, beyond which no progress can be made, is "dead while he liveth."

It is necessary to have definite ideals and strong convictions. God hates a wishy-washy, namby-pamby, un-steadfast person (1 Cor. 15:58, Eph. 4:14, 2 Tim. 4:1-8). Truly, "a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways" (Jas. 1:8). But we must make sure that our ideals and convictions coincide with those of heaven. Strong convictions may degenerate into stubborn opinions. Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (Jn. 8:32). Our desire should be to know his will and then do it.

 

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