For Convenience’s Sake

If something saves us time or makes life easier, we generally love doing it. “Convenience” means “something which makes for one’s comfort or for saving work.” There is certainly nothing wrong with modern conveniences. It is natural for us to want to make tasks easier. However, sometimes people who are zealous to accommodate anything and everything go too far.

God’s law does not accommodate human convenience. His word is forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). This law cannot be trimmed to suit the whims of society; we have to conform our lives to God’s law. First Timothy 6:3 says, “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness.” History will attest to the fact that men will bend God’s law for the sake of convenience.

When baptism by immersion in water became inconvenient for sick people, sprinkling and pouring were substituted (it was first called ‘clinical baptism’). In Acts 8:38 and Colossians 2:12, the Bible explicitly implies a burial in water. This is a prime example of society conforming to God’s word in order to make it more appealing or easier to follow.

When obedience to God’s plan of salvation became inconvenient, salvation by faith only was invented. When conformance to God’s law in the lives of those claiming to be Christians became burdensome, the doctrine of “once saved always saved” was invented.

When society decided to disrespect God’s marriage law, the doctrine of “divorce and remarriage for any cause” was invented.

Convenience can wreck what God wants to us to do. Our appeal is to uphold the Bible, no matter how much it adversely affects our lives. Jesus always made it plain that the gospel calls us to something that may not be convenient (Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26). Even though our lives are inconvenienced, the word of God must abide forever (1 Peter 1:25).

Kyle Campbell

Bible Lectureship

(March 17-20, 2024)

prayer study book

We would love to have you as our guest! 

Register below for the event, and we’ll also send you a prayer e-devotional. Our gift to you.