Wisdom of the World versus Faith.
Says the Young People's Weekly:— “Blind obedience to Bible commands is apt to get people into trouble. Thoughtful, intelligent obedience is surely far more pleasing to God.” That is, it is more pleasing to God that we should interpret his command than to take it as it is. Our “thoughtful, intelligent obedience” means the setting aside of the explicit command of God; for this is what is meant. The above words were written with direct reference to the Sabbath commandment. It is “blind obedience” to keep the fourth precept of the Decalogue as God has given it; it is “thoughtful, intelligent obedience” to ignore God’s command and keep a day he has not commanded! Is it, Christian? Is human wisdom to be preferred to implicit faith in God? Nadab and Abihu thought in their wisdom that blind obedience was foolishness, and the result is recorded in Lev. 10:1–10. Naaman thought in his wisdom that it was blind obedience to dip in Jordan, while worldly wisdom dictated a better way. (See 2 Kings 5.) But the “blind obedience” was necessary. When Abraham was called of God, “he went out not knowing whither he went.” When the word came to Israel by the Red Sea, “Go forward,” blind obedience led to certainty. Only be sure of one thing, reader, Does God command it? Knowing that, we can trust him and obey. “Nothing before, nothing behind,
The steps of faith
Fall on the seeming void, and find
The rock beneath.”