All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
--2 Timothy 3:16-17
Even with the rise in atheism in recent years, we still live in a very religious world. In fact, people are finding more ways than ever to connect with “god” or some kind of “life force” that promises to give them the kind of inner peace they’re really seeking. But can their views be considered truth?
Well, many, if not most, “spiritualists” today would say that all paths are essentially valid when it comes to connecting with God. But if that’s true, that would mean the person who believes in his heart God told him to strap a bomb to himself and kill people is actually connecting with God.
Spiritual truth exists… and it’s not found in pick-and-choose spiritualism. In fact, it’s not even found in pick-and-choose Christianity. We can’t treat the Bible like a buffet line where we take this and leave that. It’s either all or none!
God has given us a deposit of solid, spiritual truth in His Word. And as we read it, our eyes are opened up to who God is, what He is like, and the fact that He loves us immensely. So when it comes to building your beliefs, base them on the rock-solid foundation of the Bible!
AVOID PICK-AND-CHOOSE SPIRITUALISM BY BUILDING YOUR BELIEFS ON THE SOLID FOUNDATION OF THE BIBLE.
Monday, November 04, 2019
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
John 3:19-21
When Nicodemus came to Jesus, he struggled to understand the necessity and nature of the new birth. He thought of it in natural terms, commenting on the impossibility of being physically born for a second time. Jesus pointed his attention to the fallen condition of man. We are not born basically good. We are not capable of obedience to all that God has commanded. We are born as sinners—born into darkness and in desperate need of being changed into light. This is somewhat ironic because Nicodemus came to Jesus under the cover of darkness seemingly for fear that his position as a leader of the Jewish people would be undermined if they knew he was talking to Jesus.
The transformation that takes place when we are saved is complete. It is a total shift, not just of our eternal destiny, but of the power we have to live a new life day by day in this world. The old nature of darkness was once our condition, but a new nature has come. Paul wrote, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). God does not just enlighten us so that we can avoid Hell, but so that we can walk in His way through a dark world, shining as lights to those around us. The light of salvation we receive freely from God is not just meant for ourselves. We are to make it visible to all those around us.
Today's Growth Principle:
God does all the work of salvation, but it is up to us to live in the light of our new nature by the power of His Spirit.
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