THE MOST TRAGIC MISCALCULATION, BEING WRONG SPIRITUALLY
I believe that the most tragic miscalculation would to live all your Christian life and then find out in the end that you were spiritually wrong.
Everyone believes that they are right in their assessment of Scripture and believe that they will be judged accordingly.
Are you comfortable with that?
My brother-in-law has never been associated with any church, but he knows all about Christianity.
1 Cor 2:14
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
John 8:43-44
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Matt 22:23-29
23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
The statement "It doesn’t matter what you believe so long as you are sincere" is infinitely more dangerous in one’s spiritual life than in the physical world in which we live.
Having a wrong belief in the physical world may lead to injury, sickness or death but in the spiritual world it ends in eternal death.
Many people are sincere in what they believe, but they are sincerely wrong.
"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 14:12.
Many Christian’s faith is based on info gathered from many different sources. TV, Christian books, seminars, etc. and what they believe would astound you.
Paul talks about a people living within a perverted belief system,
Rom 1:22
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
1 Cor 3:19
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.
Years ago, in a high school chemistry class, a little humorous poems was making the rounds. It went like this:
Alas for little Willie,
We’ll ne’er see Willie more,
For what he thought was H2O
Was H2SO4.
Now we can scarcely imagine anyone making such a ridiculous misjudgment as mistaking sulfuric acid for water, but far worse a fate awaits those who accept a convictionless religion instead of experiencing a life-changing faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Religion without convictions is just religion. It gives you something to do but doesn’t get you one foot closer to heaven.
There has to be the change;
2 Cor 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
KJV
2 Cor 5:16-17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
NIV
Ezek 36:26
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
WHAT YOU BELIEVE HAS AN EFFECT ON EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE.
In our physical life, it matters in regard to food, drink, medication, or environmental exposure. Our ignorance of the consequence does not minimize the danger.
How often have we said: "I thought it was good"; "I thought it was safe"; "I really didn’t think it mattered"; "I really thought that it was a good investment", etc. only to find out that it really did matter.
We must know what we believe.
Have you ever wondered where all these different denominations came from?
It’s wrong, but today morality dictates our theology. We have different interpretations of Scripture. Some say that you can’t lose your salvation, some say you can. Different interpretations on divorce and remarriage, issues with dress and conduct.
Your belief systems are developed by what you have proven to be true or what supports the type of lifestyle you desire.
If you do not apply God’s principals to your every day life, you will not have a belief system that’s consistent with biblical teaching.
Your convictions will not be consistent.
Someone said that, "if you are not living the Bible, then you do not believe the Bible."
If you do believe it and are not living it, then you commit sin.
James 4:17-5:1
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin .
James 1:23-24
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
If you spend more time absorbing worldly media info than you do spiritual truth, then when ever you do try to present truth it will be in most cases corrupted.
2 Tim 1:12
I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded
Eph 4:14
(So many today are) tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
II. ONE OF LIFE’S MOST TRAGIC MISCALCULATION IS BEING WRONG SPIRITUALLY!
This is more serious than most people realize. God is not having fun with all this. He is very serious. You see it cost Him his Son.
The eternal consequences or eternal damnation is not worth taking the chance of not knowing the truth.
Willful ignorance is committing spiritual suicide
We trust the doctor to know,
We trust the pharmacist to know,
We trust the pilot to know,
We trust our CPA to know,
And our lack of knowledge in these areas have no damaging effect. We trust them to know.
But this doesn’t work in the spiritual life.
We do not get to heaven based on the preacher’s knowledge, or his conduct, or his faith.
John 8:32
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free .
We must live the truth.
Phil 1:27
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
NIV
1 John 1:7
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all
sin.
1 Peter 1:15-16
15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
NIV
1 Tim 4:12
set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
NIV
Become what the Bible teaches.
Let God help you evolve more and more every day into what the Word teaches.
Phil 1:6-7
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Rom 8:29
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 13:14
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Eph 4:24
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Phil 2:5
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Col 3:10
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
III. HOW CAN WE BE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT BELIEF?
God’s Word, the Holy Bible, is our only sure and certain guide.
Be sure you have the right belief concerning God!
Heb 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Be sure you have the right belief concerning yourself!
Rom 3:23
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Be sure you have the right belief concerning God’s plan for your salvation!
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
