Be Careful

Be sober, awake, and discerning. Believers are to be meek and loving but also wise and vigilant. In this world full of diverse knowledge and rapid spread of information aided by internet and social media, there is more need to be wise and cautious in the information we take in. We should be vigilant, always on the look out for something that appears to be thoroughly harmless but actually they do more harm because they don’t destroy the body but they destroy souls of people. Social media is full of it. They look nice and appealing. At first glance, the message seems to be good because it advocates goodness and humane intention. But when we try to analyze it, sometimes, we realize that they are not in line with what God says in His Word. Anything that is not in agreement with what God says is actually not good even if it seems to be good.

We need to choose what we read and view. We need to uphold what is right according to what the Bible says. It is our Christian duty. It is our social responsibility as a Christian. It is our protection against deception.

“Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

– 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (WEB)

Walk in Christ and do not be easily deceived. See how cunning the world is. It always disguises distorted belief and principle by mixing lies with a little bit of truth that when people perceive it, what is usually seen is seeming truth and what is not usually seen is the lie behind it all. So, the world happily accepts it. Remember how the serpent tricked Eve in the Garden of Eden? The serpent mixed the truth with a lie (Genesis 3). The serpent did not contradict that God prohibited Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden BUT the serpent distorted it by asking Eve, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden’?”(Genesis 2:1). The serpent stretched out what God had instructed Adam and Eve. And then the serpent made the fruit appear enticing by saying that it would make Adam and Eve wise when they eat of it. That was the lie. The serpent expertly wove the lie into a bit of truth which actually was no truth at all but plain lie. If we will not take the time to analyze and decipher what the serpent said, we are bound to think that there is no harm in desiring to be wise. Would it be a sin to be wise? Well, Eve obviously gave in to the appeal of the serpent’s words and fell into the temptation and sinned. Eve was deceived.

As in that Garden of Eden so it is now. We face the same deception in cunning ways as that of the serpent. We belong to God and we should always have an open eyes and discerning spirit what to follow and not what to follow.

Here is the warning and advice of Apostle Paul to the Christians at Colossae who were threatened with false teachings.

“As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving. Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Christ.”

– Colossians 2:6-8 (WEB)

Like in their time, there are also many false teachers around us and many deceiving principles that do not uphold Biblical truth. How can we stay awake, discerning, and firm in our faith in Jesus? Apostle Paul laid it out.

• Walk in Christ.
• Be rooted and built up in Christ.
• Be established in the faith.
• Be careful of empty and deceitful philosophy which are after the tradition of men and elemental spirits of the world.

If it is not of Christ, it is not godly. It is evil. If it upholds and values tradition of men above God’s truth and principle, it is ungodly. It is evil. Sometimes, all of these look good and sound good in all appearances. But judge the practice and principle according to God’s Word and it will be refined as fire and you will see the dross falling out and you could test its core if its genuine or not. So, be careful.

Christians are the lights of the world through the light of Jesus Christ in us. Let us walk in Him and be rooted in Him alone that we may be built up in Him too. If our roots are not in God, we can be easily swayed by appearances. We can be easily deceived. Only when we abide in God and remain in Him could we have the discernment of what comes from God and what does not.

If the devil works double time to deceive people around the world, why can’t we work double time to stay firm in the faith, live deeply rooted in Jesus, share His love to others, and point the truth in love to all who are in the dark?

“Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

– 1 Peter 5:8 (WEB)