The
Cause of All Turmoil
I remember the cartoons of my youth
fifty-some years ago.
Frequently when a cartoon character was faced with a moral decision he
or she would be shown with a little angelic being on one of the
person's shoulders - speaking good moral advice, and a little demonic
being on the other shoulder, speaking nasty things to the person.
Now, all these years later, I believe
that this cartoon scenario is
pretty accurate! I base this not only on personal observations,
but on a little-quoted verse from one of the Apostle Paul's letters
known as Second Corinthians, chapter 11:
2Co 11:3 But
I am afraid lest
somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds may
be led astray from the sincerity and the purity of devotion to Christ.
Led astray. Deceived.
These are words which indicate that
someone is actively deceiving or leading a person astray from God and
the truth.
Could it be that there really is a
master deceiver who has and is
leading everyone astray from God and the truth? Before you answer
that question, please consider this momentous passage from another of
the Apostle Paul's letters:
2Th 2:7 For
the mystery of
lawlessness is at work already; only the one who now restrains will do
so until he is out of the way,
2Th 2:8 and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord
Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth, and wipe out by the
appearance of his coming,
2Th 2:9 whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan,
with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 and with every unrighteous deception against those who
are perishing, in place of which they did not accept the love of
the truth, so that they would be saved.
2Th 2:11 And because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion
so that they will believe the lie,
Th 2:12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe
the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness.
Did you know that there is a love of
the truth which a person can
receive, and without which a person will not receive any uncomfortable
truths?
Have you, dear reader, received the
love of the truth? May I
suggest that you take this little test to assess yourself:
1. Is it easy or difficult for
you to receive constructive
correction?
2. Are you able to discern when
other people are kidding
themselves?
3. Are you able to discern when
you are kidding yourself?
Finally, another passage from the Old
Testament, also known as the
Jewish Bible, may very well explain mankind's receptivity to delusions
and deceptions:
Oba 1:3 The
pride of your heart
has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of a rock, the heights of
its dwelling, you who say in your heart: 'Who can bring me down to the
ground?'
Oba 1:4 Even if you soar like the eagle, even if your nest is set
among the stars, from there I
will bring you down!" declares Yahweh.
So, if the Judgment Day
really comes, remember that nobody tried to tell you about delusions
and deceptions and the love of the truth!
Signed, Nobody