Good morning and welcome in everybody. 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.
Many years ago I had a job that took me across the country. I really enjoyed traveling through the mountains, and occasionally when the road began to narrow, I would catch a glimpse of a warning sign that was posted on the side of the road. It’s said to beware of falling rocks. There was a great possibility that some of them could cut loose at any moment and you could get hurt. Sometimes I would stop at a campground in order to rest overnight, and when I went to pay my camping fee, I would see a sign that was posted on the bulletin board. It said to beware of bears. There was a great possibility that some would show up during the night and you could get hurt. On a warm fall afternoon, I might take the opportunity to go rafting down a mountain river, but in certain places you would see a warning sign. It said beware of white water. If you progressed any further without using caution, there was a great probability that you could get hurt.
This reminds me of the Christian Life
To beware means to be cautious and careful, or to watch out for approaching danger. The Apostle Paul warns the church to beware of the philosophies and teachings of this world, because if you are not careful, you’re gonna get hurt.
Colossians 2:8-10 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
When something is spoiled it becomes corrupted, like fruit that becomes rotten and inedible. The church is a place where people are supposed to be converted to Christ, but some churches are rotting where they sit because they have succumbed and allowed earthly teachings to permeate their groups. They open their arms to the philosophies and worldly ideologies of this world. They embrace heretical beliefs and condone activities that are completely contrary to the will of God. Because of this, their groups can become very large. Their growth is not because of obedience to the truth, it’s because they won’t stand up for the truth. Instead of preaching repentance and walking the narrow path of Christ, they preach the wide road of destruction that includes inclusiveness, tolerance and acceptance of things that are completely outside of our Christian faith and the doctrines of salvation.
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Do you honestly believe that if it has a cross on the building or some bibles in the pews that these people really are of God? If this is the case you had better wake up, and that right quick. Even the Apostle warned about false brethren. Many of these groups will profess the virtues of love, but they do not love Christ nor His Word. They have become salt that has lost its savor, and is good for nothing but to be tossed out onto the dunghill. To become spoiled in the faith is to become tolerant of the influx of unbiblical doctrines that grow like a weed, leading many astray from the true faith. We are never to allow the opinions and beliefs of the world to enter into the Church, and allow them to affect our faithfulness to one true God.
Jeremiah 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen,…..
Hebrews 13:9 – Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Ephesians 4:14 – That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Remember that the first commandment is to love God, and our love for Him must be greater than anyone else in this world. True love for Him is proven by turning away from things that displease Him, and rejecting things that are outside of our Christian faith. Solomon had numerous wives, but he loved them so much that he got involved in their false religion, which was highly offensive to God. Numerous places that proclaim to follow Christ are doing the exact same thing by combining the things of the Christian faith with the things of the outside world. We must not allow the flood of worldly religion to permeate the Christian church. As in the days of Noah, what we must do is seal the hatch, and close the door on the world and its philosophies. The world can choose to believe what it wants to believe, but as a Christian we are called to come out from the world and be separate. As Lot came out of Sodom and Gomorrah, as Moses left Egypt, and as Noah kept separate from the world, the faithful saints of Christ must do the same. To become a child of God, we must show our love for God by turning away from any involvement with false religions.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Revelation 18:4-5 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
Our relationship with God is very much like a marriage. Our wedding day is on the day that we become baptized into our faith. From that moment on we are to stay at Christ’s side being faithful and obedient to His will and purpose for our lives. There is only one true faith and one true God, and to get involved with false religions is committing spiritual adultery against Him.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
The more of a Christian you become, the less like the world you become. The more you follow the way of Christ, the less you follow the way of this world. The more that you accept the teachings of Christ, the less you will accept the teachings of this world. The more you conform to biblical truth, the less you will conform to the lies that surround us. In order for complete transformation to take place in our lives, our hearts and minds must be filled with scriptural truth, while at the same time, rejecting the rudiments of this world.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Be very careful that you are not led astray. We are to follow the teachings of Christ, not the teachings of this world. If you progress any further without exercising caution, your faith can become corrupted. Make sure that you pay attention to our faith, and beware of…….
……Falling Rocks
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, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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