Beware the Moral Man! - Mar 2

Have you ever wondered why totalitarian regimes find it so easy to recruit? It's amazing how quickly a moral man will become intoxicated by a fleeting whiff of power. Here's a familiar conversation recorded between Jesus and Nicodemus:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
(John 3:1-3)

What's Wrong With Being a Moral Man?

If the basis of that morality is of the flesh and not of the spirit then we have plenty to worry about. Satan's favorite tactic for damning souls is through telling us how good we are. We then accept such vain flattery without hesitation. But if Satan is telling us how good we are, shouldn't we be suspicious? YES! That's the beauty of the deception. This raw appeal to our ego and our overwhelming sense of self-importance causes us to believe this falsehood. Jesus said 'You must be born again' in His conversation with Nicodemus. If the Devil can convince you of your own goodness then by logical extension you won't pursue that second birth. No second birth, no salvation. No salvation, no chance at eternity being spent with God!

Destroying Magnificently

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
(Genesis 3:1-5)

Has there every been a more recycled lie than "You will be like God, knowing good and evil."? Look back through history at all the genocides that have taken place. We point to such leaders of men such as the Prophet Mohammed, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. Yet these men were just that, men. How were they able to successfully mobilize their acolytes to execute their evil plans? Simple. Tell these seemingly ordinary men that they are like gods, knowing good and evil. Get an unsaved man to believe that and he will destroy magnificently without batting an eyelash.

Behold! The Moral Man Cometh!

Convinced of his own goodness and morality, the unsaved man (or woman) is putty in the hands of those who dream of war. The 'goodness' that the unsaved man boasts of is a mirage. The humanist model of goodness is a flawed one, based upon what Man believes to be good rather than the absolute sinless purity of God. We are and still remain in this imperfect state. Few are able to recognize this hard truth about our corruption. Many walk around believing in their heavenly citizenship yet having never trusted fully in the perfect sacrifice made at the cross.

Salvation: Now and for Eternity

Did you ever hear or see something and say, 'There's something not right here.' That's called discernment. For the Christian, it is the indwelling of Holy Spirit that warns us of error and convicts us of truth. Without it, we are the proverbial sucker born every minute for every false Christ and false prophet that comes our way. God is not interested in saving you purely for eternity's sake. He wants you to have victory right now! It is the presence and working of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a believer which enables to see things correctly and in context. Our emotions, our intellect, our pride and our instincts will throw us off at every instant. Hence the constant need for divine instruction.

Withstanding the Devil's Wiles

Be not deceived! Satan is doing everything in his power to keep you from trusting Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. There's no way you can resist his lies on your own power. Nor are we encouraged to do so! Only by coming to faith in Christ are we able to keep ourselves safe from dangerous and hurtful doctrines. Don't be a dupe for those evil men who wish to be like a god. Please protect yourself and trust in Him. It's the only way.

Johnny Cash