From the ministry archive
Religious Decoys

The body of Christ today is overwhelmingly plagued by religious decoys, things that serve to distract from the only true calling of holiness. For instance there is all the intrigue with end time events, rapture projections and even predictions, and even over much zeal about spiritual gifts. Then you have dress codes, and man-made structure that hinders freedom of praise, worship, and open prayer in the Spirit. And after these there are many uniquely strange doctrines that serve only to tease at the intellectual curiosity of those who hear them (II Tim. 4:3,4). Then we have the "deity spirit" that manages to find men [and even women?] for God's people to overesteem, even in a time when the body of Christ is at an all time low, in EVERYTHING (I Cor. 3:3-9). And there's plenty more, but I'm sure you get the point of what is being said. Now this is not even to mention that ALL of the doctrines upheld by Christianity, and imposed upon the body of Christ, are totally and simply false. In fact they are not just in error, but they are ALL polar opposite of the truth. But many of these posts have dealt with those issues, and many more will as well. Right now I just want to say a couple of things about these unnatural religious decoys that I've mentioned. These decoys, which are presented by Satan, LOOK really good, but there purpose is not good at all. We have one calling my friend, and that calling is holiness. And that holiness, means to "put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof (Rom. 13:14). How about let's hear that again: "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16). So by what means is this commandment fulfilled? I think it's evident, but let's see what Jesus said: "But ye shall receive POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:" (Acts 1:8). So what does the holy Ghost and the power it brings have to do with it? Well, EVERYTHING! Sin had power over us, and Jesus came to reverse that process. And that is ALL he came to do. Sin is the only problem man has ever had, and overcoming it is the only thing that the law could not accomplish in us (Rom. 8:2; Gal. 3:21; Heb. 10:4). And beside that, sin is the reason for death, and Jesus came that we might have LIFE EVERLASTING (Rom. 6:23; Jn. 3:16). So it's an easy equation regarding this calling: Sin = Death; No Sin = Eternal Life. So once again, the calling is HOLINESS, meaning no sin; and by the way, that means literally.
So then the question here is, "What in the world do all of these items of religious decor have to do with getting rid of sin, and keeping it gone?! The answer is nothing at all. But what they do serve to do, is to provide a religiously attractive distraction from the real (and only) task at hand. And what is that task? "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life [all our lives are about]" (Prov. 4:23). Want more evidence of this truth? "And every man that hath THIS HOPE in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (I Jn. 3:3). Even as he (Jesus) is pure? That's what the man said, and he did not say it of himself. And what hope was he speaking of? The ONE hope of the gospel, that he stated in the preceding scripture - ETERNAL LIFE! (Eph. 4:4; Col. 1:27) Like I said, the holy Ghost and the power it brings is EVERYTHING to our calling and hope, because it is the ONLY thing that has ever given man power over sin. The apostle Paul certainly agreed: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Tit. 3:5). So did Peter: "And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; ... PURIFYING THEIR HEARTS by faith (Acts 15:8,9). So who and what was Peter talking about? "While Peter yet spake these words, the HOLY GHOST fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. FOR they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God" (Acts 10:44-46). So again we see that it is the holy Ghost alone that can purify our hearts from sin, and keep them that way; so that we might inherit eternal life, whereunto we are called (I Pet. 1:4,5). All of the above mentioned decoys serve to get the minds of God's people, in effect "in the ends of the earth," when in fact the true task is right in front of us all the time, even in our own heart and soul (Prov. 17:24). Please allow me to exhort you my friend, to forsake every religious invention of men that would distract you from this calling of holiness, and that would move you away from the one hope of the gospel. And if these kinds of things are present in your place of worship, then follow the commandment that says, "From such turn away" (II Tim. 3:5; I Tim. 6:5). Amen.



