INTERNET BIBLE STUDIES

Doing Good Things the Wrong Way

Distributed by Internet Bible Studies

By David Parham

I want us to think a few minutes this morning on the results of doing good things in the name of the Lord, but not doing them according to His command. God has laid out many rules on how he expects the church to do His work, and we are to look to the guide book when we decide how to conduct our services.

Let's turn over to II Samuel, and lets read about one of the first things that David did as King of Israel. The Philistines had stolen the ark of the Lord, and David decided to go and get the ark back.

2 Sam 6:2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

2 Sam 6:3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.

2 Sam 6:4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

2 Sam 6:5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

Uzzah smitten for touching the ark, Obed-edom blessed

2 Sam 6:6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

2 Sam 6:7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

2 Sam 6:8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.

2 Sam 6:9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?

2 Sam 6:10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

2 Sam 6:11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.

We see that David had a good intention, an honorable intention, in going down to get the ark and returning it back to the nation of Israel. But because not enough time was spent in researching how it was to be carried, a man lost his life. It says that they got a new cart. They were going to move it like the Philistines, which typifies doing it the world's way, not God's way.

David did not seek out to find that only the sons of Kohath were to carry the ark. One on each corner, with a stave through the loops to carry it.

1 Chr 15:2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.

1 Chr 15:3 And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.

Num 4:15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

 

We see when they finally brought it up, they did it the right way. If they had done it the right way to begin with, no one would have died.

Did you ever see a horse pushing a cart.

Horses just can't get behind a cart and move it. But we tend to get our cart in front of the horse many times in the work of God. Someone decides to get a new cart and do things differently. I'm not against trying new things, don't get me wrong. And things that are done for tradition's sake can easily be done away with. Our Lord came against the religious leaders of his day because they had made the teachings of non-effect due to adding so many man-made rules to the old testament laws.

We can do things differently and still be scriptural. We need to check it out against what God's Word has to say. I'm afraid that many things going on in the name of God today in churches that are not honoring to the Heavenly Father.

Many will come to God's house to find answers for their weary souls, and go home still looking for the answer. Not that the preacher did not have good intentions, it is that they just forgot that the number one thing God has commanded is to preach the Gospel, not to read a book report, not to discuss politics, world affairs, or possibly the newest trend in church services.

It may not seem all that important to do things right, but what if our forefathers had not stood their ground. Would you and I be saved today? Not likely.

So if we do put he cart before the horse, if we don't do things the way God commands, will anyone be hurt? They sure will. Not only will they lose their life, they will lose their soul. Church is serious, and we need to be serious about reaching the lost.

Mat 10:26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

Mat 10:27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

To fear God is the beginning of wisdom. Reaching souls is a serious matter, and we need to keep on doing the right things, the right way, and that is God's way. The main focus of the church needs to be preaching the Gospel, and then discipling the converts to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We can do lots of good works, and these are all good, but we need to remember what is #1.

I praise God that our church has not lost its focus, but we must continually fight to stay doing the right things for the honor of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

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