Colossians 2:4 “I say this in order that no one may mislead and delude you by plausible and persuasive and attractive arguments and beguiling speech.” (Amplified Bible)
I can still vividly remember the moment I realised, after reading portions of the gospel of John, that I was a sinner and needed Jesus. I had not heard a sermon. I had not been to a gospel meeting. I had simply read a book entitled, “Planet in Rebellion”. A book I heard advertised on the radio several years before but had never taken the time to read. After an argument with my best friend and my girlfriend at the time, I had turned to this book for answers to support my premise but instead of finding support for my argument I found Jesus.
It was at that point in my life I began to read the Bible. Not only did I begin to read it; I began to consume it. Hour after hour, day after day I read it and to this day I continue to study and read it.
After a month or two of reading I met some preachers who baptised me and gave me access to their library to read supporting evidence to confirm God’s word. Then it was off to Bible College in the USA and back home again after two years.
From those days until now I have always sought to rely upon the word of God for all that I believe and all that I preach and teach. It is just too easy to accept things as gospel when they may not be. And sadly, in these times of instant gratification, I often find this to be the case. I hear and read so many things that have not been thought through or lined up with God’s word. Not that I am encouraging anyone to be a policeman in God’s kingdom; Jesus had enough of those to deal with in His time.
What I am encouraging us to do is to read God’s word so that we may not be mislead or deluded, but to know for sure what lines up with the truth of God’s word.
Just because it sounds good, comes from a source that looks good, is supported by a group that has the numbers to prove it is good; doesn’t necessarily make it good.
If we do not want to be deluded or beguiled by what appears to be the genuine article, as far as worldly standards of plausibility are concerned, then let us create scripture searching, Berean hearts Acts 17:10-12. Hearts ready to change when change is necessary and ready to cast out error when error is realised, despite the cost.
Some prospectors found a skeleton in a desert once. Among the bones that once formed a hand they found a leather pouch. In the pouch were a note and some quartz with golden veins running through it. On the note was scribbled, “At least I died rich!” When they examined the quartz it yielded only fool’s gold.
If you and I are going to give our lives to Christ, and spend years serving Him, let’s make sure we know what He and the other servants of God said!
