Tag: plausible arguments

51.b. Wilderness – 15.h. “No longer be children, tossed to and fro”

 

Deu 13:6-11  “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known, some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other, you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him. But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. And all Israel shall hear and fear and never again do any such wickedness as this among you.

Micah 7:5-7    Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms;  for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.  But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

 Ephesians 4:14     so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

 Colossians 2:4    I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

 2 Peter 2:1   But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies

 1 John 2:26-27    I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.

 Revelation 12:9     And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

This  demonstrates that God never puts highest priority on family relationships; if a family member forsakes the LORD, we are never to follow them away from the LORD. Jesus always comes first, as He said in Matthew 10:37: He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. This is how seriously God regards leading someone else into idolatry. Even if a sympathetic person entices you, and even if they do it in private, enticement to idolatry is not to be tolerated.  Matthew 18:6: But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Anyone who leads one of God’s people astray is greatly offending the heart of God.

Many modern researchers and pundits say that capital punishment is no deterrent to crime. God says it is a deterrent (properly practiced, of course).  (Guzik)

It is the policy of Satan to try to lead us to evil by those whom we love, whom we least suspect of any ill design, and whom we are desirous to please, and apt to conform to. The enticement here is supposed to come from a brother or child, who are near by nature; from a wife or friend, who are near by choice, and are to us as our souls. But it is our duty to prefer God and religion, before the nearest and dearest friends we have in the world. We must not, to please our friends, break God’s law. Thou shalt not consent to him, nor go with him, not for company, or curiosity, not to gain his affections. (Henry)

It seems harsh to us that “put to death” penalty be commanded for a little idolatry of other gods. We live in a time and culture that exalts “tolerance” over commitment to God. We tolerate sin to the point that it is not even called out as sin, but rather a right, personal preference, or another way to the same God. God wanted the Israelites to know it was very serious and worthy of capital punishment. It was not to be tolerated or marginalized no matter who the person was. 

 Neglect, complacency, and lack of commitment and reverence to God’s Word and things of God cultivate a fertile ground in our hearts and minds for seeds of this world to bud and grow. The Israelites were to go into the promised land and dispose of all the idols and people. They were to be the hands of Go’d judgment on them. They were not to be enticed by what these people worshipped or what they proclaimed as a deity. What in this world has been adopted, tolerated, or followed after that is not right in the eyes of God or in any way honor and glorify Jesus Christ? If you are seeking and desiring God’s Word for the purpose of following, obeying, trusting, and relying on God so that in all things you are honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ, then the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart and mind giving you discernment to see the follies of this world. The problem is that much of what is being preached is baby food and feel good about your self dribble. The sinfulness of sin and the holiness of God are not preeminent. It is more about saving souls, baptisms, and butts in the pews. Saving souls and baptisms are critical and we are commissioned to do as such. We are also told to make disciples. That very act means we are to study, teach, encourage, and grow them in the whole every-expanding knowledge and understanding of the Word of God and things of God.  We are to move on from the elementary teachings.  How is this possible when the same baby food is being preached week after week.  Line by line, precept by precept, here a little and there a little the Word of God is being fed over and over again. The elementary teaching that is essential to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to lost souls is not the same teaching required to grow disciples. And yet, this is what is happening and the result is baby understanding, baby commitment, baby understanding, and baby application.  Over and over again Scripture tells us to study, work, meditate, so that we are firmly grounded and able to recognize the lies of Satan, enticements of this world, and things that are not right or good for the soul.  If the teaching and preaching is baby food then the commitment and growth will be stunted and little sanctification will follow in the lives of those who are to be disciples. 

Oh that God’s Word was hungered and thirsted for with a desire to grow in understanding and knowledge of Him so that in all things we think, say, and do Jesus Christ is both honored and glorified.

27.z. “Therefore do not become partners with them”

Ephesians 5:6  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 

 Matthew 24:4   And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.

 Mark 13:22   For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

 Colossians 2:4   I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

 Colossians 2:8    See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12   and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,  in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

 1 John 4:1   Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

We live in a time that is not so different than any other time.  In most of our lives, we have seemingly have experienced peace and unrest, joy and unhappiness, great hope and great despair,  prosperity, and poverty, love and hate, understanding and confusion, calmness and fear, gain and loss, security and vulnerability, confidence and doubt, healing and sickness, accomplishment and failure, humbleness and pride, truth and lies ….. We have experienced and lived through times of unity and times of unrest. Such is life. God and His grace, mercy, and love are present through it all. Likewise, Satan and his lies, deceptions, and temptations are present in the world.   Making sense of what we experience, see, and hear requires discernment.  Discernment will dictate how we respond, react, and behave. With whatever we use to gain discernment we will set our feet down paths that will either humbly serve, follow, obey, trust, and honor and glorify Jesus Christ or yield to the deceptions, lies, and temptations of Satan. 

Scripture is very clear that we are responsible for what we say, think, and do.  More importantly is what we use or feed on to set in motion what we say, think, and do.  We get the free choice.  We choose rightly or wrongly in all situations of life.  We choose what to believe. We choose what we allow to influence our lives and cause us to act, think, and speak. God is always present and will be the rock, refuge, fortress, helper, guider… Heavenly Father to those who choose to believe, rely on, trust in, and cling to Him.  He will wrap them in His power, strength, and might. He will clothe them with truth, purity, joy, assurance, and love. He will guide, lead, and set their feet upon solid ground.  Satan on the other hand will do just the opposite. He will defeat, tempt, lie, cheat, boast, cause worry, hate, fear, confusion, disunity, unhappiness, division, and set their feet on shaky ground, without foundation or stability.

We must be able to discern what is right and wrong, true and false, Godly and ungodly. This will only happen when we surrender all we are, all we have, all we do, and all of our plans to the will of God with the single purpose of honoring and glorifying Him alone. We will experience much in this life and it is a much more blessed life to experience in the ever-loving arms of God.  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked.  He will hold into account every single person for what they say, think, and do.  Make sure you know what is influencing your heart, mind, and soul.