Good morning and welcome in. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Up here in northern Minnesota we tend to see a lot of wildlife on the side of the road. Andrew and I have seen black bears, bobcats, and even a moose. But one of the most highly visible creatures seems to be the white tailed deer. Although they are pretty animals, they are very unpredictable. If you see one of them in the middle of the highway you can never really be sure which way they will go, or what they will do. They may turn gently to the right but then go in the complete opposite direction. They will be walking gracefully across the highway, but then all of a sudden jump wildly into an oncoming vehicle.
If there’s any animal that I’ve known up here in Minnesota that can’t seem to make up their mind, it’s a white tailed deer. They cannot make a decision and stay on course because of which, many of them sadly wind up dead.
2 Timothy 4:7 – I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Making a decision to follow Christ is the most important decision that can ever be made in your life because it has to do with eternal salvation. The Apostle Paul finished his course and kept the faith, but there will be many people who begin the christian life but eventually turn away from it.
1 John 2:18-19 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
These are people who were a part of the church at one time, following the faith and teachings that were handed down by the Apostles, but then, turned away from it, going in the opposite direction. It’s similar to what Lot’s wife did. When they were called out of Sodom, she turned back which ultimately resulted in her own demise.
The word “anti” means opposed to or against, applied to those who stand in opposition to biblical truth. Instead of having a faithful heart with a desire to please God and to do His will, they abandon truth to believe and follow a lie. When they resist the truth they are resisting Christ because He is the truth. Resist means to withstand, strive against, or to oppose.
2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
In the church the Apostle teaches to have the mind of Christ. (1cor 2:16), yet those who are fighting against scripture have a corrupt mind. Instead of humble submission to the one who died for us, they reject His will. Corrupt means to change from the correct or original form. Instead of abiding and remaining in the truth, they turn away. A reprobate rebels against the purpose and calling of God, very similar to a child who rebels against their earthly dad. Those who treat God this way after becoming a believer will have it far worse for them than when they first chose to come out from the world, that’s a promise.
2 Peter 2:20-21 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
Have you ever got entangled in something so deep that you couldn’t get out?
Turning away from biblical truth is like stepping into a pile of quicksand. It can start with one little step of sin, but the lack of penitence and contrition will lead down a spiraling path of disobedience. The longer you continue on the path the deeper it takes you down, entangling you within its grasp.
In the Christian faith, we are washed of our sins through the blood of Christ so that we can serve and obey Him in love. But instead of remaining in the faith and continuing on the narrow path of Christ, these people abandon it and get back on the wide road of sin from which they originally left. Instead of using God’s grace to grow, they reject His will and jump back in the mud of sin, departing from the one true faith.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Jesus taught that there would be some who would only last for a while in the faith.
Matthew 13:20-21 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
The Apostle Paul described the Christian life as a race but in order to cross the finish line, you need to stay in the race. God gives us grace in time of need so that we can get back up and overcome the carnal nature. Some won’t last, and will drop out because they love their own sinful lusts, rather than loving the truth in Christ.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Instead of embracing scriptural teaching, they are contentious, and the only thing they have to look forward to in that state is God’s wrath.
Romans 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
The Apostle warned Timothy that there were some who were already turning away from the faith.
1 Timothy 5:15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.
2 Timothy 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
Each day we have to make decisions about where we want to go, and what directions we are going to take in order to get there.
1 Kings 18:21 Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.
Joshua 24:15 – And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Today I ask you, who are you going to follow, Jesus Christ or the world? Will you follow His narrow path or the wide road of sin? Make up your mind but I beg you, please don’t go the wrong way on the highway and commit the same error as ….
….the whitetail.
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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