rachel
07-05-2011, 09:12 AM
Nothing is really novel. Many of the "spirit ual" practices or supposedly new doctrine being pushed in books and churches today are things the church fathers and apostles fought off. The doctrines of Christ -- the doctrines apostles and early Christians died to spread and for their belief -- were under attack right away.
Some of the popular teachers today are people they would have considered spawns of the devil, spirit ually-- and some were known to say it just like that.
Fill your heart with scripture/Truth and the Holy S pirit... this is something many "Christians" haven't done (dusty Bibles and living in sin/pushing the S pirit of Christ away). Fill up on the Bread of Life and you're much less likely to be deceived, to chase after the false and lofty "spirit ual" s pirit of the world, or be "tossed to and fro, and carried about (see verse below)."
Strong roots will also anchor you down for those inevitable struggles, whenever you are most vulnerable in the future, when people often seek after anything s piritual (or otherwise) to fill the void from their own neglect of the Savior. To prevent a major backslide too. Devo below from Days of Praise (http://www.icr.org//index.php?module=articles&action=search&f_typeID=6):
The Sleight of Men
June 30, 2011
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (Ephesians 4:14)
There are many winds of doctrine blowing in the religious atmosphere today, and most of these are ill winds, indeed. The number of strange philosophies and o ccult movements seems almost endless, not only in this country but perhaps even more in others. Sad to say, new Christians seem particularly vulnerable: These involve more than just differences of interpretation as between Baptists and Methodists, or even as between Catholics and Protestants.
The word "sleight" is from the Greek kubeia, from which we derive the English word "cube," and actually refers to cubical dice or other devices for gambling. It is used only once in the New Testament, warning against taking spiritual chances on novel philosophies and practices. These originate with men who are deceivers, having been deceived themselves by Satan or his demonic agents. The phrase "cunning craftiness" is one word in the Greek, a word also translated "subtlety" in 2 Corinthians 11:3, referring to how the devil "beguiled Eve through his subtlety."
Young Christians especially are exhorted therefore to "grow up into |Christ| in all things" (Ephesians 4:15). Likewise, the closing words in the writings of the apostle Peter were to "beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:17-18).
And that's the key when evaluating some new notion. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20). HMM
Note: I split some words to prevent "ads" that are of what this warning is about. A couple stinkers may show up anyway (I don't get to approve the ads and try to block the iffy ones as they show). Just shows these "many winds" are blowing in from everywhere... [sadashamed]
Some of the popular teachers today are people they would have considered spawns of the devil, spirit ually-- and some were known to say it just like that.
Fill your heart with scripture/Truth and the Holy S pirit... this is something many "Christians" haven't done (dusty Bibles and living in sin/pushing the S pirit of Christ away). Fill up on the Bread of Life and you're much less likely to be deceived, to chase after the false and lofty "spirit ual" s pirit of the world, or be "tossed to and fro, and carried about (see verse below)."
Strong roots will also anchor you down for those inevitable struggles, whenever you are most vulnerable in the future, when people often seek after anything s piritual (or otherwise) to fill the void from their own neglect of the Savior. To prevent a major backslide too. Devo below from Days of Praise (http://www.icr.org//index.php?module=articles&action=search&f_typeID=6):
The Sleight of Men
June 30, 2011
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (Ephesians 4:14)
There are many winds of doctrine blowing in the religious atmosphere today, and most of these are ill winds, indeed. The number of strange philosophies and o ccult movements seems almost endless, not only in this country but perhaps even more in others. Sad to say, new Christians seem particularly vulnerable: These involve more than just differences of interpretation as between Baptists and Methodists, or even as between Catholics and Protestants.
The word "sleight" is from the Greek kubeia, from which we derive the English word "cube," and actually refers to cubical dice or other devices for gambling. It is used only once in the New Testament, warning against taking spiritual chances on novel philosophies and practices. These originate with men who are deceivers, having been deceived themselves by Satan or his demonic agents. The phrase "cunning craftiness" is one word in the Greek, a word also translated "subtlety" in 2 Corinthians 11:3, referring to how the devil "beguiled Eve through his subtlety."
Young Christians especially are exhorted therefore to "grow up into |Christ| in all things" (Ephesians 4:15). Likewise, the closing words in the writings of the apostle Peter were to "beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:17-18).
And that's the key when evaluating some new notion. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20). HMM
Note: I split some words to prevent "ads" that are of what this warning is about. A couple stinkers may show up anyway (I don't get to approve the ads and try to block the iffy ones as they show). Just shows these "many winds" are blowing in from everywhere... [sadashamed]