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Almost Right James R. Dunigan, Preacher Park Hill church of Christ, Fort Smith AR (used with permission) Imagine, if you will, a couple of things as you read this article. A young boy
takes a math test and answers the question 5 + 5 = 9. The teacher as she grades the test sees that the young man has all the
other answers correct and he has only missed the one. And he is almost right at that! He is only ONE number away from being
100% correct. So she marks him 100% on the test anyway. A perfect grade for being almost right! Or a runner doing his best,
coming in second place in a race, he is only a fraction of a second behind the first place runner, but the judges award him
the gold just like the man who completed the race in first place, I mean, he was almost in first place anyway. Appalling? Who here would accept this? I mean if we allowed the boy to get by with almost being right - would you
want him counting your change out at the local retail store if he grew up thinking 5+5 = 9? Or would you condsider it fair
play if you were the one who trained so hard to be the best in your race to see someone who did not quite as well be awarded
first place right along side of you? So why is it when it comes to "religion" we think being almost right is ok?
Especially when the outcome of being right is where we will spend eternity. If
you think about it, man’s choices in religion are limited to two! Not the hundreds of choices people want to believe
exist. The choices are simple - you can choose right or wrong! Jesus said in Matthew 12:30 "He who is not with Me is
against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad." So Christ Himself eliminated any gray areas of worship
and service. Is there anyway we can be almost right and still go to heaven? Can we be
almost right in worship to God and be acceptable, for instance? Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-2; offered to God a "strange
fire." They were pretty close to being right. One can make the argument they were offering God the service He commanded
at the right time and the right place. They just used a different fire to burn the incense. But this act of worship was almost
what God commanded and was rejected by Him and these two priests lost their lives! The lesson learned is that being almost
right is actually being totally wrong! Worship to God must be what He commands and be exactly according to His Word. (John
4:24, 17;17; Hebrews 8:5.) How about when it comes to our salvation? Saul is a
good example, he was an honest and sincere man. He practiced his religious convictions zealously (Acts 23:1.) He kept the
Law of Moses to the best of his ability, but for all of his being almost right, Paul was lost! Christ told him on that road
to Damascus to go and learn what he must do. And at the conclusion of his instruction he was told to arise and be baptized
and wash away his sins! (Acts 22:16.) Can we be almost right in doctrine? In 2
Timothy 2:17-18 Paul confronted Hymenaeus and Philetus about teaching a doctrine about the resurrection of the dead. They
were teaching this resurrections was "already past" and this was erring from the truth and overthrowing the faith.
Paul said this doctrine was spreading like a cancer. It was growth but not a good one in any way! These men were almost right
but ended up being totally wrong! Can we be almost right about the church? Can
one join the church of his choice? Can we all be right or almost right enough to be acceptable to God, no matter how much
we differ? Jesus promised to build HIS church in Matthew 16:18. He died for this church. Acts 2:47 says the saved were added
to the church when they gladly received the Word and were baptized! Who’s church? Baptists? Methodist? Or God’s? To begin a "church" and do some things almost right that the Bible commands
is to be totally wrong. Whether it be in worship, salvation or anything else God commands! Study your Bible and be right with
God in all things!
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