Dangers
You know, when God speaks of dangers we ought to pay attention.
When Paul compares dangerous rivers and seas to false brothers, it is best to do a heads up.
Christian Selfies
See the danger sign.
God has written down the warning.
Do not let anyone who delights in false humility disqualify you for the prize. (Colossians 2:18)
Like the lost world so many Christians behave exactly the same way.
All they can see is themselves in the foreground of a relationship with Jesus.
The only concern and conclusion selfie “Christians” ask themselves is, “Am I saved?” Or, worse still, “I know I am saved! You are making this too complicated!”
Selfie-Christians have found their life in Jesus. Selfie-Christians blessed, content, and happy in Jesus’ name. Selfie-Christians have found themselves and tacked Jesus’ name onto themselves. Their doctrine is as deep as a petri dish while their lives are as much cross-carrying as the neighbor next door.
Just as the non-church going sinner who is self-focused when taking a selfie on the edge of the cliff, the Selfie-Christians who are not hating their own lives, or working out their salvation with fear and trembling, cannot see the cliff they are about to fall off of.
How many are believing in a oxymoron. They have found their life in Jesus’…
The Christian church is jam-packed with me-too Christians about to fall off the cliff into the abyss.
One proof of this fact is they do not see the danger of false brothers and sisters. Indeed, so little is the danger realized that no one speaks of it.
Not from the pulpit, nor amongst those fellowshipping between bites of pie, is their prayer and discussion about the danger of false brothers and sisters.
How many are believing in a oxymoron. They have found their life in Jesus’ name but their salvation and walk is now endangered by any false brothers around them. Hmmm, how can this command or rule or warning sign be completely ignored by them? The question answers itself.
Such think themselves safe to disregard the rules, but stand on the edge of the cliff reading their Bibles.
Such think themselves above any respect for the dangers inherent in claiming The Name.
Such think they can get as close to disobeying God as possible and still be well protected by God unto salvation.
Such think they can avoid the hard work of discernment and calling to repentance when it comes to the cliff-danger of false brothers.
You may not be making much progress into the righteousness of Jesus because of the failure to see and avoid the danger of false brothers.
Remember God only gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him. (Acts 5:32)
The peace and holiness you are looking for may be far from you because you are still associating with impure brothers and sisters. Do not be an idiot. If you hang around, fellowship, give approval of a false brother who is not repenting of false humility, your walk with Jesus will become crippled. Bad company, as God has also warned, overcomes good character. So be very wise instead of misled, God will disqualify any offering you bring that is crippled. Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33) You may need revival because you need to repent of not seeing the danger of false brothers.
You would think the whole of the Old Testament with its testimony concerning diseased and crippled offerings would be enough for every Christian to take heed. And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty. “When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord . (Malachi 1:13)
No matter your prayers or works for God, if you are not dealing with the ongoing danger of false brothers you are being taken in by the false humility of deceptive words.
This is why Paul warns all who would seek Jesus to not let anyone who delights in false humility disqualify you for the prize. (Colossians 2:18) Such individuals are most certainly impure and God has told us in Ephesians 5 “not to be partners with them.” Plus, it is kind of a duh matter. Someone who has the potential to disqualify us of the prize of Eternal Life, why would we have to be told to either disfellowship them or avoid them altogether?
If someone with false humility is going to drag you off the cliff to your destruction, why would you shake hands with them?!
Dangers
Granted there is so much talk about standing firm and so little actually going outside the camp to Jesus, that few are facing any dangers for Jesus at all. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. (Hebrews 13:13)
There is far too much conservative talk about current events that it is difficult to find anyone facing dangers in Jesus. Just consider all the books on prophecies, governmental conspiracies, and how bad the world is becoming compared to how little action is taken to face dangers in Jesus. If someone knows of a church that is sending missionaries to the local university or college knowing they will never get a degree let me know. You know, a church where the congregation is paying all the tuition costs, medical costs, while arranging lawyers after they are harassed, persecuted, arrested and beat up please let me know.
Paul, since he really was a servant of Jesus Christ following the Holy Spirit into the dangerous world of preaching the Good News, faced many dangers. The church would do well to read 2 Corinthians 6 written below and ask themselves how they are proving they really are servants of God. For now, let us talk about dangers.
Dangers from rivers,
Dangers from bandits,
Dangers from our own countrymen, (your friends)
Dangers from Gentiles, (not your friends)
Dangers in the city,
Dangers in the country,
Dangers in the sea, – and let us pause for a moment –
If you came upon a mighty river would you not attempt to cross it with great respect?
If bandits were on the hiking trail you frequented would you not be seriously on guard?
If you were foolish enough to walk and gospel talk in downtown Seattle would you not walk cautiously?
The answer to all those obstacles would be resounding “yes.” Unless your mind has been stupefied by Disney and you think you can rebound from any cataclysmic event, you would face bandits with all prayer, wisdom, and skill you could muster in God.
Why then do we treat the danger of false brothers as if they do not exists?
When writing, individuals often leave the last point to make a bigger point. Which is exactly what Paul did. Paul lists other dangers but ends with a real punch point. The danger of “false brothers.”
Not only is this admonition fully ignored by the church as a whole, time and time again I have been impressed how stubborn and stupid individuals are when it comes to dealing with false brothers, when this Word of God is preached to them. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding. (Proverbs 9:6)
This post is not discussing how to deal with false brothers, that requires real wisdom and hatred of one’s life to know what to do. The point of this post is – get on with waking up to the very real danger of false brothers! I fully realize most do not face any dangers or even hard work for Jesus, let alone are in danger from false brothers, but for those few who do get on with loving Jesus, be on guard against false brothers.
Judas Giving To The Poor
Some of the apostles believed Judas, just after Satan had entered into him, was leaving Jesus to go give to the poor.
Those who thought Judas was giving to the poor, do you not think they learned this lesson well once their ignorant hearts were enlightened?
Do you not think they were thoroughly ashamed of not seeing through Judas?
Do you not think they vowed never to repeat such stupidity?
Over three years with Jesus experiencing miracles, grand sermons, and the mighty love of God in real physical time, yet some thought Judas was going to make a donation to the poor.
Later they would no doubt beat their chests in dismay for ever having thought Judas was helping out with worship service. After all, had not Jesus warned them time and time again that one of the chosen would betray Him?
How utterly stupid and full of themselves they were to believe, up until the very end, that Judas had a good heart. They no doubt wept that they had not listened to, really listened to, Jesus’ warnings.
Think of this. Satan is hanging around in church and at just the right moment slips in with a person’s soul and many in the church think such an individual is doing good deeds or has a legit concern!
How many foolish brothers and sisters in the Lord think Satan is helping to get church ready for a worship service!
Come on believer. Wake up, let Christ shine on you so that you can see the very real danger of false brothers. For it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, (Ephesians 5:14-15)
Ignorance is a sin. God requires all who follow Him to repent, yes repent of ignorance, and become wise in Jesus. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. (Acts 17:30)
This is why wisdom rebukes, “How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?” (Proverbs 1:22)
God requires His children to grow up, to think, to be mature, and to act with obedience in all things. To be holy in everything with all that the holiness of God means. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; (1 Peter 1:14-15)
Because we are closer to the last hour of the last days, many churches are false brothers with only one or two true lovers of God. In such cases, the lovers of God are considered the false brothers. Dark, dark, dark are the days.
False Humility
There are many bad fruits that demonstrate that a person is a false brother or sister, but will only mention one. That of the counterfeit brother or sister with false humility.
The admonishing command is clear.
Like the person taking the selfie at the edge of the cliff, they are about to die. Paul is clear, we are to watch out for false brothers filled with evil false humility.
If you are unable, or far more likely unwilling, to see through and reject whomever is filled with false humility God will disqualify you for the prize of eternal life.
T. Williams
If anyone does not love the Lord–a curse be on him.
Come, O Lord ! (1 Corinthians 16:22)
Further Consideration Scripture
You claim to be a servant of Jesus? Ok, let us see if that be true.
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:4-10)
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