Three False Fruits

Read: 2 Corinthians 11

"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ...No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness." 2 Corinthians 11:3 & 14-15

Examine:

During the launching of the early Church everything people thought they knew about God was rewritten. Christ's work on the cross established a new covenant. As these churches established themselves in the new work of Christ; satan resorted to his same tried and true practices. Just as he tempted Eve in the garden, so he tempted the early church. He does not always use things that appear evil to entice us. Often he uses false teachers to offer us fruit that seems helpful.

Apply:

There are three primary fruits that false teachers will offer me. The first fruit is a compromised purpose. The simplicity of the gospel is that the full righteousness of God was imputed to me through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. God did this so that I can love the Lord my God with all my heart, love others as myself, spread the good news of the gospel, and care for those who can't care for themselves. This is the plain and simple truth about the purpose of my life. Anything added to or taken away from this is not pure truth.

The second is a mask. My flesh does not want to die. It is constantly seeking a way to justify its sinful nature. Masks lead me to compare myself to others I deem to be more sinful. Masks lead me to abuse grace so than I can keep sinning. Masks lead me to tolerate sin as just being a part of who I am. In the end masks lead to death. They are religious language designed to allow me to hold on to sinful behavior while keeping a false sense of security. Anything short of complete transformation is not pure truth.

The third is a relieved burden. There is a strong element of false teaching in the church that presents the gospel as a form of personal gain. The gospel is presented as a method of achieving my best life. This is only partly true. The way of the cross does lead to my best life, but it does not lead to a life free of burden. The gospel will cost me. My heart should be broken for the things that break the heart of God. The world should hate me just as it hated Christ. Satan should fear the work of God in my heart and do all that he can to hinder it. There is no easy life on earth of a follower of Christ. God's promise is that we can find a a joyful endurance of temporal, worldly pain and that it will ultimately lead us to an eternal celebration of a perfected eternity. Anything that twists the gospel as an avenue to easy street is not pure truth.

Pray:

If I am not passionately and intentionally running after the clear call you have on my life then I am not fulfilling my purpose. If I am not broken by my sin and at work tearing off the masks that hide my failures then I am walking in rebellion and making a mockery of Your grace. If I am not a total wreck regarding the things that break Your heart and at war with the things of the world then I am not carrying a burden worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Father I lay myself at Your feet today. Make the joy of Your will come to life to me today. Empower me with Your Holy Spirit in a manner that is real and tangible. Use signs and wonders to illuminate the pathway You desire me to walk down. From where I am and to the best of my ability I sit before You today with my heart and will abandoned. Break me away from the false teaching that enables me to live life on my own terms and bury me deep in a relationship with You that is grounded in truth and proven by Your power.