Submitting one's heart to Christ Jesus, prayerful communion in the Holy Spirit, and Scriptural-led lives are the hallmarks of true Christians. Sadly, there is a deep divide between persons whose hearts are sincerely Christ-filled and Christless Christians who proclaim the rhetoric of man-made, religious traditions.
How does one safeguard against free falling into fallacy taught by others--intentional or otherwise?
By following and living out the words within God's Word, rather than by the words of corrupt, sinful men. Put your hope, your learning, your key to growth in the Author and Perfector of our faith--Christ Jesus, our Lord. The Spirit of the Living God testifies about Him within the pages of Scripture. Read, follow, trust, and believe the Bible over man's teaching(s).
Time devoted to Scriptures' applications prevents sin from remaining one's master; it will also aid one from being deluded by deceitful doctrines. It negates stagnant faith by securing and promoting the Christian's ongoing maturity in the Eternal, Risen Lord.
So, the blunt question remains. In whom does your faith reside? Scientific institutions infused with man's philosophies, religions ripe with false teachings, faith riddled with humanistic dogma, pastors pandering for profit, society-soaked Christianity, stewards of Jesus Christ instructing listeners to verify what they say to be doctrinally sound, or in Scripture proclaiming Jesus Christ?
One's faith cannot be in men, no matter how sincere and Biblically sound they are. Faith is placing absolute trust in Jesus. Trusting the words of Scripture. Living in accordance to the Bible.
Do I believe what I write? Yes!!!
Do I believe in a personal relationship with God the Father, one as an adopted child, as His heir? Yes, I Do. Do I believe the only Way to receive this gift of grace is to accept Jesus? Not only that, but that He is God the Son, God in the flesh, and that I am a co-heir alongside Him (Romans 8)? Yes, yes, I do.
I accept Jesus' acceptance to be the Suffering Servant. That he was willingly poured out into the likeness of a man, living a sinless life, taking on the sins of the world as a substitutionary offering, submitting to crucifixion and death on a cross, and bodily (not figuratively) rising from the grave on third day.
I accept these acts of love, I accept these truths of God the Son. Jesus is the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life leading to salvation.
Why do I believe? Because the Bible tells me so.
I choose it over the world's chaos, over sin's temporary power, over the grave's temporary sting, over society's persecution, over Satan's temporary reign as the ruler of the kingdom of air. The prince of this world already stands condemned, defeated by Jesus' victory on the cross.
God's grace is offered in these Scriptural absolutes and I humbly accept them in Christ's Name.
I pray Christians who have sincerely accepted Christ Jesus as their Savior, will kneel in their hearts before Him as the Lord God Almighty. He was, He is, He shall be--the Beginning and the End, the King of Kings for now and evermore.
May God the Father be glorified in His Son, through the lives of those Jesus laid His life down for, believers called to earnestly contend for the faith, who love Him, because He first loved us.
To those who follow Jesus, remember:
Prayerfully season ‘spiritual meals' with the salt of Scripture, rather than allowing others to pepper misguided error and/or deceit into your doctrinal beliefs. Failing to do so will harden the heart and deafen the soul's ear toward the Spirit of Truth.
The days are cold, abusive, angry, and dark. Guard the well spring of your heart by refusing the pollution of the world to taint it's waters. Allow only He who is Living Water to be the depth of your soul. Filter all others out with Scripture.
