There are two ways of looking at it.

“At what?”

At anything—or, if you prefer, at everything.

“How’s that?”

Pretty simple as a matter of fact.

“Really?”

Really.

“Please explain.”

Thought you’d never ask. There’s God’s way and there’s man’s way. Every issue in life can be viewed from either perspective. Indeed, we always do view things in one way or the other. The problem is, too often—even Christians—view matters from man’s, rather than God’s perspective.

“Don’t the two ever coalesce?”

Only when man accepts and adopts God’s view of life and how to live it. In Isaiah 55:8, God says “My ways are not your ways and My thoughts are not your thoughts.” That pretty well sums up the problem. We can’t expect God to adopt our ways and our thinking; the only way we can come to agreement is if we make the changes necessary to conform to His thoughts and ways.

“’Tis pretty simple, isn’t it?”

Yep. Except man can’t make the changes on his own. The idea that he can, in fact, is an example of one of those human thoughts that is incompatible with God’s.

“How, then, can he change so as to conform to God’s thoughts and ways?”

Only one way. Junk his own and accept God’s. And that begins by realizing he’s a sinner, condemned by his sin to eternal judgment, and apart from salvation will never change. The change comes when a person believes that Jesus shed His blood on the cross for guilty sinners, and that he is one of those sinners for whom He died and rose from the dead to save him from hell.

“That’s it?”

It’s the beginning. The first thing essential is to recognize that God is right and he is wrong. That happens when God enlightens someone to the truth of his sin and need of a Savior. Then, having been justified by faith (counted righteous in God’s sight because of what Christ did), he is able to continue to refine his thinking and living by studying and following what God says in His Word. As he does, more and more he comes to think the way God does and begins to live according to His will. You see, God gives His Spirit to those who are saved to enable them to understand the Bible and thereby think and live as they ought.

“Sounds like the answer to my question all right.”

Yep. And the answer to the questions of many others who don’t know how to live a life that will lead them to eternal joy and happiness after death.

“But why should men think otherwise?”

Because they’re thinking man’s way rather than God’s.

“Makes sense.’

It does—if your thoughts are like God’s thoughts!

 

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