Thursday; August 27

Are you frustrated with those who call themselves “Christians” but make the rest of us look bad?  I think you and I know there are people who wear the name on the outside, but are void of the spirit on the inside.  If you are like me, I get irritated that their claims are often untrue and give us a bad name.  So, what do we do?  One thing we can do is keep defending the truth by calling attention to their error; but chances are their reputation may overshadow our objection.  Is there anything else we can do?  Interestingly, this is not just a 21st Century problem – it has been around as long as there have been hypocrites.  That’s the bad news; but here is the good news.  The Scriptures give us some guidance on what can be done.  The earliest Christians were told that these types of people would be out there, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” (Jude 1:20-21).  In essence, we may not be able to quash all that the false teachers say, but we can keep on doing what we are supposed to be doing.  By hanging in there and keeping the faith, we have a chance to defend truth – and even if that falls on deaf ears – we will keep ourselves pure.

Let’s stand up for what is right … but, just as importantly, let’s do what is right.  We may not counteract all the false teaching being done, but we’ll be a bright light for those looking for the truth.

Think About It!

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