To the man who says ‘I find God in nature.’

The man who says that he does not need church in order to worship God is disingenuous. He claims that he finds God in nature–in the sunset, in the bloom of a violet, but his quest is only half the store. A violet in not nature.

You see nature has both violets and vipers; both the fragrance of a rose and the fangs of a reptile. You cannot have one without the other. To find worship in nature one must worship both and not just one. There is too much violence in nature to claim there is enough God to worship there.

Nature says to us–“There is a God–and you are without excuse!” But man needs more than that. He needs a personal Redeemer, and nature cannot satisfy that need. Nature knows nothing of forgiveness. You need a church which raises high the message of that Redeemer who gives forgiveness of sin.

Some people say they like to worship God in nature instead of a church. To them I say:

Nature knows nothing of forgiveness.
Its rules are relentless and ruthless
It brings swift retribution upon those who break its laws.
It teaches no moral codes
Savage tribes have lived with nature for centuries only to produce cannibals.
Nature has a voice but it has no heart.
It offers no solution to man’s greatest need–sin
It makes no mention of a Savior.
Really there is no comparison between God’s witness to Himself in creation and His witness to himself in Redemption. Creation tells us something about the work of his hands–but Calvary tells us about His Heart!

Michael A. Smith
(Thank you, Mr. Smith for allowing me the privilege of posting your weighty and true statements. May GOD receive the glory…!)