TUESDAY November 26, 2024

Feeling Cheated?

Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
Colossians 2:18-19

Have you ever bought something you thought was a great deal, only to find out that you were cheated? It is an awful feeling. Eve must have felt cheated when she was told the lie that she would become like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3). Truth mixed with part lies is a deadly mixture. Satan’s deceptive lies to Eve caused her and Adam to suffer eventual physical death and immediate spiritual death––sin had separated them from God.

Paul warned against the worship of angels. Neither should we worship saints, Mary, or any other person––this is idolatry. We are to worship Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Church––the Head of the body of Christ. Come out of the shadows of ritualism and idolatry, and embrace the truth.

Jesus told the sinful Samaritan woman who knew how to talk religiously: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Jesus knew her sin of having many different men in her life. As the Messiah, He told her that her sin could be forgiven, and she could receive eternal life. The truth set her free; she recognized her Messiah and went to tell everyone in the city about Him (John 4:28).

Many people are cheated from knowing Christ and receiving eternal life because they believe Satan’s lies and not the truth found in God’s Word. Some are religious people who go to church. They feel they are good enough to go to heaven on their own merit––not so. Others swallowed the lie that they can practice a life of sin and still go to heaven––also not true. The only way to heaven is through Christ––period. We need to abide in Him and walk in obedience to His Word (John 15).

As you abide in Christ, no one can cheat you of your eternal reward.

The only way to repel Satan’s subtlety is by acquiring true wisdom.
~C.H. Spurgeon~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!