For you died, and your life is hid together with Christ in God
Paul to the Colossians 3: 3, Concordant New Testament Translation
I have written on this topic more than a few times before, but recent events in my life have led me once again to remind others of the dangers of living the lie of the deceiver. First off, what exactly is the lie of the deceiver? Well, to live the lie is to believe in the false statement spoken by Satan to Adam and Eve in the garden. That if Eve were to eat of that which the Lord had commanded her not to, that she would "Not surely die" {Genesis 3:4}. Not only that, but "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" {Genesis 3:5}. Be like God? Is this even possible? Not at all. However, Satan was under the delusion that he could be more important than the God Who created him. It is he who once declared that "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the most high" {Isaiah 14:13-14}. Clearly, Satan had deceived himself into thinking that he is more important than God. This is the lie which he lives, and this is the lie which he continues to speak to the children of God. Unfortunately, there are those among us who have swallowed that lie hook, line and sinker. I have a gym friend who is among that crowd. I have thought for awhile that he showed the very signs of narcistic behavior. Living for himself, thinking that God wanted him only to be happy and treating others as if they were his personal property, females especially. The more I thought about it, I realized that this went deeper than the behaviors of a narcissist. He is, in fact, living the lie spoken by the deceiver. He has accepted the lie that he lives separate from God. But where is it that people are introduced to this falsehood? Definitely not through scripture. For God has spoken that we do not live separate from Him, but WITHIN Him. Jesus Himself speaks to this union in the book of John {Johns Account 14:20}. No, we're not introduced to the lie through the scriptures, but through those within the church who have misinterpreted the scriptures for thousands of years. It's no wonder, then, that I refer to this false teaching as the lie spoken by the church.
The author Norman Grubb, in his book No Independent Self, exposes the lie which has been spoken by the church for so long. Grubb writes that "There is no independent, self-operating self in the universe, except the One who calls Himself the I AM {Exodus 3:14}. Amen! How is it that we can be separate from God Who has created us in His very likeness {Genesis 1:27}? In his evangel, the apostle Paul speaks to the truth that we do not live separate from God, but that we are "Hid together with Christ in God" {Paul to the Colossians 3:3}. Does this sound like we've been separated from God? Not at all. However, I doubt that you will ever hear it preached from the pulpits of the church anytime soon. For those within the church have used this false teaching to keep people in the pews for generations. The message is simple but effective. You are sinners in need of Gods forgiveness, and you need the church and its archaic traditions to overcome that. But wait, you can never overcome your sin, because despite the truth that Christ Jesus has given Himself for the defeat of sin, the church continues to preach that sin is relevant in the lives of believers. Again, Paul disputes this lie in his evangel. Paul speaks to the truth that Jesus has died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}. Not only that, but that we have died upon that cross with Him {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}. How is it that those within the church can consider us sinners if we have died with Christ to sin {Paul to the Romans 6:2}? This is why I speak to the truth that it is not through the scriptures, but through the lie of the deceiver that Gods children have been misled. The truth spoken in scripture speaks not of our bondage to sin, but of our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 5:1}. Therefore, my prayer for my friend is not that he would change his behavior, but that the Father would reveal unto him the truth of his life in His love. Only then can the lie be broken.
For freedom Christ frees us! Stand firm, then, and be not again enthralled with the yoke of slavery
Paul to the Galatians 5: 1, Concordant New Testament Translation
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment