Spiritual Tragedy by Bill Hall

Melvin Gordon is dead. He loved his family, and was especially concerned for his sister who suffered from a serious kidney ailment. "I would do almost anything to restore my sister's health," he told his wife. So he drove to a local hospital, put a rifle muzzle to his head, and fired one shot. Pinned to his shirt was a note, "Get my kidney within one hour." A kidney, however, to be used for a transplant, must be taken at the moment of death and kept filled with flowing blood to avoid tissue deterioration. They found him too late. His kidneys could not be used. Melvin Gordon died in vain.What a tragic story! And the story becomes doubly tragic in the realization that had Melvin Gordon taken the time to learn the facts, he could have helped his sister while continuing to live a normal life himself! But, he acted according to his feelings, on impulse, and as a result he is dead and his sister continues to suffer from her kidney ailment. He died in vain because he didn't take the time to learn the truth.The tragic story of Melvin Gordon is being spiritually re-enacted in the lives of millions of people throughout the world--people who are religious; who are zealous in their religion; who are giving liberally of their time, money, and talents; who would gladly die for the cause they have espoused; who both expect and desire to go to heaven; but people who have really given little consideration to what God has said concerning that which pleases Him. In fact, while many of them read the Bible every day, they frankly admit that they have little knowledge as to what the Bible teaches. They have plunged headlong into some cause without demanding book, chapter, and verse to show God's authority behind that cause.These people vary widely in what they are doing. One person may have done one thing "to be saved," while another may have done something entirely different. One person may be caring for the day nursery for the church while another is playing on the church softball team. But the one thing they have in common is that they are all "doing" without having taken the time to investigate what they ought to be doing.Such action leads to spiritual tragedy. "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:21-23).In the judgment, the question will not be, "Were you religious?" but, "Did you do the will of the Father in heaven?" Only those who are diligently studying God's will and are doing it can face that judgment with confidence. Don't give your life in vain.