Sermon Central
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The Most Tragic Miscalculation, Being Wrong Spiritually
Contributed by Ron Hicks on Aug 21, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: I believe that the most tragic miscalculation would be to live all your Christian life and then find out in the end that you were spiritually wrong.
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.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
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.
