Embracing the New Way

Numbers 15:15

One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.

God dealt with a critical issue that Israel would have to adhere to if they didn't want to stray from God’s blessings. God knew Israel would have strangers who would want to join them because of His blessings on Israel. God also knew these strangers had different gods and different ways of living. God made it clear that when strangers chose to sojourn with Israel so they could have the same blessings, these strangers must leave their gods and way of living to serve God the way Israel served Him, and to live according to the ways that God wanted Israel to serve Him. In making this a law for Israel, if followed, would keep Israel from straying from God.

This principle is critical to a nation staying close to God. America is a nation founded on Jehovah God. The mistake America is making is we welcome all who want to come, but we don't make them forsake their gods and way of living. Instead, we allow them to continue their way of living and worship their false god, but we don't realize this has influenced a young generation that does not know the God of America. America used to be one nation under God, and now we are one nation under many gods. If America wants to keep God’s blessings, we must require immigrants to serve our God and live according to our way of living.

Now, let me apply this principle to the local church. A church that is doing something great for God will find many people who will want to come and join their church. When someone chooses to join your church, they need to leave the ways of the old church to accept the ways of the church they are joining. This is how you keep your church from ways that do not please God. If the church a person left is so great, why did they leave it? The problem with most people is they want to live the old way but have the blessings of the new way. My friend, you cannot have both. When you join a new church, stop comparing the new church to the old one. When you join a church, stop trying to get the new church to do what the old church is doing. You joined the new church for a reason, and you ought to accept the ways of the new church instead of getting upset when they preach, teach, and require leadership to live a certain way that they believe God would want them to preach, teach, and live. The pastor of a church must be careful about changing their church to keep a member that transferred from another church; instead, keep doing what brought God’s blessings on you.

Moreover, this principle applies to the believer. When you got saved, you ought to accept the new life and its way of living. The problem with many believers is they want to live the old life but have the blessings of the new life. The old life was the way that led to death. Why would you want to live a life that led to death? The new life in Christ and the way He expects you to live ought not to be a hard choice. You saw the results of the old life and its heartache; why go back to the old life?

Let me caution you in each of these areas to accept the principle of changing to the new way. You chose the church and the Christian life because you wanted the blessings that come with it, so don't try to bring in your old ways, for that will pervert the new way and take God’s blessings away.