Monday, June 23, 2014

The Ol' Switcheroo

A few years ago, a young lady we knew got saved and went off to college.  In her college town, there was a woman who led a church with whom she got involved.  Before you know it, the young girl had moved out of her dorm and into a house owned by this church, where she committed herself to doing whatsoever it was this church requested.

When asked what she was doing, she would say that she had given her life to the Lord.  In reality, she had given her life over to a witch who through enchantments and seducing spirits had perverted her away from the Lord.  Because of the amount of religious activity in which the young girl was engaged, she convinced herself that she was pleasing and in fellowship with the Lord.  However, she was drifting further away from Jesus every day because she was drifting further away from the Truths of Christ.  She fell for the ol' switcheroo, believing that outward works meant one was holy.

I warn you.  Do not ever think that a bunch of activity means you are close to the Lord.  Oftentimes, a bunch of fervor in religious circles is a cover for those who are actually running away from Christ. A lot of good - but dead - works at best will make you the equivalent of a Catholic nun. You become Mother Theresa, a woman who gave her life over to good works for the poor in India, yet died doubting there even was a God.  Why did she die in unbelief?  Because she never grabbed hold of the truth of God's word and let that word impart new life to and change her by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is looking to mold you from the inside out, and external works will never be an acceptable replacement for this required inward cleansing (Romans 8:29).  No amount of good works alone will ever keep you when the times get rough, but only the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.