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[Note:\u00a0 <\/strong>This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 3<\/strong>\u00a0 page.]<\/span><\/p>\n In the 1980s a brokerage firm aired a series of TV commercials, using the theme, \u201cWhen E.F. Hutton talks, people listen.\u201d These ads effectively implied the authority of their sponsor and its trustworthiness concerning investments.<\/span><\/p>\n How much more should human beings understand that when God and His Son, who created all things, speak or act, people should listen. Far beyond the puny words and deeds of mere men, God, through Jesus, possesses ultimate authority (Mat. 28:18; Eph. 1:20\u201323). One can fully trust Divine statements and actions as revealed in Holy Writ.<\/span><\/p>\n God apparently sought to teach men this truth from the beginning. Had Adam and Eve listened when God spoke<\/strong> in Eden, they would not have brought death upon the human race. Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Eve stated, \u201cGod hath said<\/strong>, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die\u201d (Gen. 3:3). Yet they ate of it, and just as God had said, through their sin (i.e., transgression of God\u2019s law, 1 John 3:4), \u201cdeath passed unto all men\u201d (Rom. 5:12). No one inherits the guilt<\/strong> of the sins of others, but all men suffer the consequence<\/strong> (physical and spiritual death) of their bringing sin into the world. All mankind should listen because God has spoken<\/strong> about sin and its awful consequences (Rom. 6:23).<\/span><\/p>\n To the drunken, immoral Belshazzar, monarch of fifth-century BC Babylon, the prophet Daniel declared: \u201cGod hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end\u201d (Dan. 5:26). In his pride, this pagan king had glorified himself, arrayed himself against the God of Heaven, and exalted dumb idols. That very night he lost his life and his kingdom. As Belshazzar should have listened when God spoke<\/strong>, so should all the nations\u2014including our own\u2014that forget Him.<\/span><\/p>\n To inquiring religious leaders, Jesus said concerning the God-authorized marriage of a man and a woman, \u201cWhat therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder\u201d (Mat. 19:6). These words do not merely warn against doing so; they indicate the impossibility<\/strong> of doing so, \u201cexcept for fornication\u201d (v. 9). Nor do they make any allowance for marriages except between a man and a woman. An amoral world that has redefined marriage<\/em> has refused to listen when God speaks<\/strong> on this subject and it has paid\u2014and will pay\u2014a terrible price for doing so.<\/span><\/p>\n The majority of men refuse to hear when Jesus speaks <\/strong>concerning salvation: \u201cHe that believeth [the Gospel] and is baptized shall be saved\u2026\u201d (Mark 16:16). Most professed believers follow their damnable faith-only, grace-only, sinner\u2019s prayer<\/em> plans. There is salvation only in Jesus\u2019 words (John 8:24; 14:6; Acts 4:12).<\/span><\/p>\n When God speaks, are you listening<\/strong>?<\/span><\/p>\n [Note:<\/strong> I wrote this article for and it was published in the Denton Record-Chronicle, <\/em>Denton, TX, July 10, 2015.]<\/span><\/p>\n Attribution:<\/strong> From www.thescripturecache.com<\/em>; Dub McClish, proprietor, curator, and administrator.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Views: 0[Note:\u00a0 This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 3\u00a0 page.] In the 1980s a brokerage firm aired a series of TV commercials, using the theme, \u201cWhen E.F. Hutton talks, people listen.\u201d These ads effectively implied the authority of their sponsor…<\/p>\n