God's Non-Negotiable Principles
Part I

A few years ago there was a very popular Christian chorus that said, "I am a friend of God."  People loved to sing it an think about how wonderful it was to be in such a close friendship with God almighty!  I believe it was a healthy revelation for most believers to understand, removing the image of God ruling over lives as a stern taskmaster.  Yet, as is always the case, there is a balance here.  If our shovel breaks and we need to use one and we see our neighbor's shovel, we may just get it and use it.  If they are good friends we will justify our actions by saying, "we are such good friends that they won't mind."  That is where the old adage, "familiarity breeds contempt" is derived. When King Saul was sent by God to destroy the Amalekites and every living thing there he kept back the sheep.  It cost him his throne.  I believe his relationship with God caused him to reason that God wouldn't mind.  Obedience is a non-negotiable with God.  Present Church culture seems to be changing church doctrine.  There is such a desire to see the Gospel easily embraced that there are times when it would seem that the thinking is, "Jesus is such a cool guy that he won't mind!"  There are a number of non-negotiables with God and there is a reckoning for all who try to lead others on a short cut to the Promised Land.

Our first non-negotiable principle is:

I.  Nothing may contradict God’s Words
God and His Word are one, inseparable and never changing.  About 40 years ago I heard Billy Graham say, "The standard of God's righteousness today is the same as it was 2,000 years ago." His concern was obviously a perspective that people in his day were moving away from the Biblical standard.  Today there is a not so subtle attitude seeping into the church that believes the Bible is a good book but it is not absolute.  As a matter of fact it is alarming how many people today see a person who takes the Bible literally as an uneducated narrow bigot.  Some of the greatest minds in our history believed the Bible to be the infallible and the complete Word of God.  You can sense in conversations this placating attitude that tolerates those holding steadfast faith in the Bible as The Truth and the only Way.  You know that if something doesn't change once the stalwarts are removed from the scene, the standard will be lowered.  We must remember that while God is merciful and loving He is also never changing in his Word.  He cannot change nor can He deviate from His Truth. Friendship with God does not give us freedom to tamper with His Word.  The cost of such activity is a dangerous exercise in futility.