I come across a pattern from time to time in this ministry. Couples who get deceived by something evil, thinking it’s good. I got a message just yesterday showcasing this pattern yet again. So, I thought I’d write a quick post in the hopes that it will open someone’s eyes, in case it’s needed.
The crux of the problem is due to the Christian principle given in this verse:
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. – Romans 8:28
It’s the basic belief that God can turn any situation, no matter how bad into something that is ultimately good. He will find a way to further His Kingdom through any circumstance. Amazing, isn’t it? Here’s the problem. Sometimes when God does this, when He brings about His good will through imperfect means, people mistakenly believe that the means were God’s will.
I hear from couples who think porn is a good thing, because it reignited their sex life. Couples who think open marriages are good because it helped them learn communication skills. Couples who think God is blessing their “ministry” of writing erotica for others because God has somehow managed to help people through their writing. I’m seeing more and more “Christian” resources pop up which are preaching non-biblical methods and theologies, and what comes to mind is this:
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. – 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
If anything, we need to be more wary of those inside the church than outside. With non-Christians, we expect to have to test everything they say, we expect to hear the world’s wisdom, not God’s. But from Christians, we sometimes let our guards down, and so these misguided individuals, instead of being rebuked, manage to lead still more astray. Instead, we should be testing what they say as well (1 John 4:1).
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. – Matthew 7:15
Our churches are full of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Many of them are so deceived they still think they are sheep. So, I just wanted to write this to encourage you to read you Bible, to know it inside and out. Because that’s the only way you’re going to know. I’m going through these principles on my new blog and we’re just about to get into some really deep deceptions happening in our churches that God warned us about thousands of years ago.
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. – Revelation 1:3
Just be careful out there, read your Bible, pray unceasingly, arm yourself (Ephesians 6:10-18). There’s a war going on, and most don’t even see it.
Amen. It would be hard not to see the war going on around us right now. One would need to be unaware of God’s laws/scripture or just have their eyes closed.
It does amaze me how we (I have not been immune either) think we can call something from God, add a scripture and think it will wash away the sin of it.
Great post. Certainly relevant today.
It used to be that mainstream society embraced Christian values and living a Christ-like life was part of being accepted in the world. Now it’s turned upside down and a faithful Christian has to accept at least the possibility of being marginalized for their faith and becoming something of an outcast. The desire to be accepted remains however and for some people, and for some churches, it pushes them to re-frame the worldly ways and sins as Christian virtues. They want the praise of the world and of God so they delude themselves that God will accept the things that will make them fit in with the world. I see it happening among my own faith, although not in great numbers, and we’ve taken some heat in the media for having to excommunicate more radical elements of that nature.
I hate to be a downer, but I see this is part of what to expect with the end times and I expect it will get worse. Entire churches will do an about face to ‘stay relevant’ or have so many leave them that they become a shadow of their former selves. Religious influence, and even religious freedom, will evaporate and each Christian will have to get off the fence and go all in or all out. Sometime after the great sifting is done comes the harvest, the great and terrible day of the Lord.
The context of any passage must be observed if a person is to apply it accurately to their life – married or single.
It is curious how often I see folks who will take one passage and apply it to their life while avoiding one in the same passage to their own life.
It is also true for how folks apply sinful actions to their marriage in the permissive umbrella of “having a better marriage”.
Thanks for your emphasis.
Very good! The scripture says: “For those who love God and are called according to His purpose” well then it’s very easy to start seeing if things are “working together for your good” let’s first check if what’s being done is according to His purpose (porn, open marriages all contradicting God’s word therefore His purpose) and if you love God you’ll seek to please Him and not your flesh. Really quite simple but yes, it’s important not to be deceived and I speak personally and corporately.
We try to read the Bible together as a family. Each one (Me, Bride, 2 older kids) will take a part / read a paragraph. Then we discuss how we can apply to our daily lives.
Well, Song of Solomon, we haven’t done together with the kids yet. The older one has read it, though, that was some interesting talking. . .