The Deception of Temptation (2 of 3)
Eddie Snipes
Up until now, we have been discussing our life in the flesh with the focus on what we know is sin, but temptation's greatest threat is when it appeals to our human desires while giving us reason to believe our actions are for a greater good. God will never use sinful means to reach a destination that we think is good. A few years back a politician was caught in a blatant lie he made during a campaign speech. When confronted he made the statement that although his statement was untruthful, it was justified because it pointed to a greater good. He was stating that it was ok to get people to believe a lie in order to persuade them to believe a principle he thought was true.
This is the heart of mankind's way of thinking. Politicians provide empty promises and lie to gain power; companies provide hidden charges or misrepresent the truth to persuade; individuals lie to get out of situations or to gain advantage. This is all with the focus that if it seems right to me, it must be right. Many believe that the ends justify the means. When someone thinks the end result is good, those who walk according to the flesh will also believe that the methods they use to achieve what is assumed to be good is not important. This is why the Bible warns that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Only God can search the heart and test mans ways and reveal to Him what is truly right. Look at the warning of Proverbs 16:
25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Our feelings are unreliable indicators of truth. Statements like 'listen to your heart' sound appealing in songs, but it is a recipe for disaster. Is there any sin that man has ever committed that didn't seem right at the time? A few years back, a gospel singer divorced her husband to marry a man she had a long term affair with. In an interview she made the statement that she believed the extramar ...
Eddie Snipes
Up until now, we have been discussing our life in the flesh with the focus on what we know is sin, but temptation's greatest threat is when it appeals to our human desires while giving us reason to believe our actions are for a greater good. God will never use sinful means to reach a destination that we think is good. A few years back a politician was caught in a blatant lie he made during a campaign speech. When confronted he made the statement that although his statement was untruthful, it was justified because it pointed to a greater good. He was stating that it was ok to get people to believe a lie in order to persuade them to believe a principle he thought was true.
This is the heart of mankind's way of thinking. Politicians provide empty promises and lie to gain power; companies provide hidden charges or misrepresent the truth to persuade; individuals lie to get out of situations or to gain advantage. This is all with the focus that if it seems right to me, it must be right. Many believe that the ends justify the means. When someone thinks the end result is good, those who walk according to the flesh will also believe that the methods they use to achieve what is assumed to be good is not important. This is why the Bible warns that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Only God can search the heart and test mans ways and reveal to Him what is truly right. Look at the warning of Proverbs 16:
25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Our feelings are unreliable indicators of truth. Statements like 'listen to your heart' sound appealing in songs, but it is a recipe for disaster. Is there any sin that man has ever committed that didn't seem right at the time? A few years back, a gospel singer divorced her husband to marry a man she had a long term affair with. In an interview she made the statement that she believed the extramar ...
There are 30723 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
