OK folks, out of a discussion I had a few weeks ago with some others in our church sprang the idea that I should ask a question every week that would challenge our thinking and give everyone who wants to an opportunity to respond. We wanted to do this on our web page, but so far haven't been able to get that accomplished. So in the mean time, we'll use my blog.
I won't check it everyday, but you can. Feel free to respond not only to the question, but to one another's responses. As much as possible, keep your answers biblical, that is back up your response with a Scripture reference. But it's OK to just share your opinions, just make sure it's stated as your opinion - remembering, everyone has one. Also, signing your real name isn't required; but a name other than 'anonymous' would be appreciated. The goal is for us to share and to grow in our understanding of God's impact on our lives.
So here are the first two questions:
1) How can a person have great zeal for God or religious activities, and yet be misguided?
2) What blinds us to spiritual truth?
Have fun with this. I'll check it when I get back late next week, and weigh in myself. God bless.
PJ
5 comments:
1) If a person is being guided in their walk of faith by someone who is misguided, they can have all the zeal they want, but they will still be misguided.
2) Fear
-Nicole
How can a person have zeal for God & religious activity and yet be misguided?
A misguided person is guided by something other than the true God of the Bible and the Holy Scripture that God gave us, and therefore what is manifesting itself as “zeal for God” is really a zeal towards whatever is (mis)guiding the person, whether it be a person/false preacher holding a false doctrine, false doctrine itself, a person's own thoughts and ideas of God in exchange of who God says he is and what he is about, “religious activities," etc. (I guess that list can be quite extensive.) The Bible tells us that the Spirit leads us into all truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit is to be the one, the Only one, who guides us, and the Holy Spirit will always guide us biblically and ultimately to Jesus.
What blinds us to Spiritual Truth?
Could it be it’s not so much as a “what” but a “who” that blinds us to Spiritual Truth? 2 Cor. 4:4 says that “the god of this world” has blinded the minds of them which believe not (the gospel) lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine upon them. We were all born spiritually blind, because we were all born in sin. It’s Satan’s job to keep us in that blinded state, and his devices are innumerable I suppose. It is up to each person to seek for truth, to seek the Holy Spirit’s constant guidance, to study scripture letting it edify us and conform us, to seek the face of Jesus. In not doing so, we give the enemy much space to work. The apostles warn us time and time and time again not to be deceived by Satan, but moreso by people, even ourselves. When we are not seeking God’s truth, we are easily deceived by another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel (2Cor. 11:4). And there’s plenty of these things to go around these days.
Loving someone or being zealous about something is not synonimous with Truth. Too many think that unbridled zeal is the key to a great walk with God, but the Truth is that unbridled obedience and regard for the Word is the key. If you do not surround yourself with people who walk with God and come from a variety of faith backgrounds you are in danger of listening to your own press or becoming very narrow minded--zealous yes, close to God--not so much.
Thank you to everyone who responded. I hope more will get involved, but we'll see. I appreciated your scripture references Faith because the hope of the questions is to lead us all in deeper search of His Word.
We all face disasters in this life:financial,relational,parental,physical, as well as emotional &n psychological. I just got off the phone with my brother who found out today he has a tumor on one of his lungs. So here's the question: Can we find new life on the other side of life's disater's?
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