Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.(1 Peter 4:12 – ESV)
The gospel is not something we grow out of, but something we grow into.
Christ is the mold, and we are to pour our gospel saturated lives into that mold. As we become more and more conformed to the message of Christ, and into His likeness by the Spirit of God through His Word, we are fulfilling our destiny, which is to be conformed to the image of Christ. We begin to think, speak, and do those things Jesus would do.
It isn’t that we receive the gospel and that then we receive material blessings, significance, and influence, and things the world is also chasing after. Too often what Christians view as success is according to the same standards as the world, only with supposedly godly motives, like, “I want more money so I can give more money”. However, the gospel isn’t the fast track to worldly goals somehow baptized into sanctity by our profession of Christ. No, Christianity isn’t supposed to make us look like winners in the world’s eyes.
Why do so many fall for this false teaching? Because it only reinforces what they already believe to be true without having to change their thinking, without ever having to be renewed in their minds. For them this type of “Bible teaching” tells them what they already think is morality and this false teaching solidifies it by giving it a measure of credibility to them.
It is telling them something they already know instead of renewing their mind. It is actually reinforcing their mind, their darkened mind, not letting the light in. It is as if they are getting used to the dark, they think they are seeing more light, but they are only learning to maneuver around in the darkness, avoiding certain things or using them as place markers, but all the while having to bump into things they could see easily if they just had the light turned on.
What the world calls the winners way God calls the sinner’s way.
3 comments:
Are you a "winner"?
Thank you for this message. It seems there are so many "prosperity Gospel" preachers that too many Christians are storing up treasures on earth instead of in heaven.
Yes, when we step back and look at it, and compare their message with the suffering servant, our Lord Jesus Christ, it does seem rather obvious what the problem with that message is...Thank you so very much for visiting, God bless
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