Gayle Oler
Many sincere people suppose that if an individual has espoused some certain religious faith he should never change from it regardless of the circumstances. If that religious faith is right and accurately taught in the word of God, that one should never leave it is correct.
But suppose one finds that the religious name he is wearing is not the name God applied to His children in the New Testament. Suppose he cannot read about the church to which he belongs, and the organization it has is not revealed in the word of God. Suppose he finds out that he has believed in and practiced a baptism not taught in the Bible, and learns the Bible plan of religion is being practiced on the earth in some other church, or by some other people. Is it not right and proper to change then?
The way of the Lord is perfectly revealed in the Bible, but so many in the world have only a smattering of knowledge of it. When we learn the right way, it is sin not to follow it, however devoted to some other way we may have been (Jas. 4:17).
We find a preacher in the New Testament who changed when he found out he was wrong.
Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spake and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John: and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquilla heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:24-26 ASV).
Apollos was sincere, and honestly believed he was right in his teaching until he was taught “the way of God more accurately.”
Many of the conversions recorded in the book of Acts were of people who were already religious. Those baptized on the day of Pentecost were referred to as, “devout men out of every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Because they were “devout men,” they changed when they found out the right way.
The eunuch, whom Philip baptized had come hundreds of miles to Jerusalem to worship, but changed his religion when he learned he was wrong (Acts 8).
Paul the apostle had always been very religious, a Pharisee, and zealous. Always sincere and worshipful, Paul changed from the religion of his fathers to the religion of the apostles when he found out that he was wrong.
Cornelius was a devout man before Peter ever came and preached salvation to him. But when he found out that he was in error and was still lost, he was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 10:48).
And so it is, my friend. If one is honest and wants to go to heaven, he will readily and gladly change from wrong to right as soon as he learns it. Will you?
