Follow the Leader?

1 John 3:7-9 “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.”

“No one who is born of God will continue to sin.”  That’s a true statement right there.  If one is a believer, their heart has been changed, their motivations are redirected, their heart is attuned to the Savior and their desire is to do His will.   So when someone ‘claims’ to be a Christ-follower, yet continues to sin, that should bring into question the authenticity of their faith.  They may ‘talk the talk’, but if your spirit is unsettled by that person, that’s a good indication that all may not be as it seems.

We MUST be on our guard to avoid being led astray.  Think about that statement ‘led astray’. It indicates that someone is a willing follower. They are ‘escorted’ to a place of sin, deception, danger and destruction. They’re not forced or dragged, they’re led, willingly following. Why would someone willingly follow a deceiver?! Well, because they’re not alert and watchful to the danger. They believe what they hear rather than evaluating the words and actions against Scripture. Friends, just because someone quotes scripture, does not mean they love the Lord, it only means they are able to memorize something.  It doesn’t mean their heart has changed. Just because they carry a Bible does not mean they believe what it says.  Far too often we look for ‘surface-y’ signs of Christianity and we jump on the bandwagon of someone’s message because they say or do something that remotely-reflects godliness. We are gullible and far-too trusting.  We see it all the time - (can you say “politics”?)  But even Satan quoted scripture. Think about that. Imposters are everywhere. Are we alert or are we oblivious. Look, there is no middle ground.  Either you’re a believer or you’re not.  The one who does what is right is righteous.  The one who does what is sinful is of the devil.  Period.  No one who is born of God will continue to sin.   Are we taking the time to truly evaluate who we trust, spiritually?

As the Day of the Lord grows nearer, the deception will grow more intense.  Are we prepared?  Are we alert?  We cannot be complacent.  We cannot be lukewarm.  We need to shine the light of Jesus on everything we see, hear, and experience. We need to filter it through the lens of Scripture.  Is it of the Lord or is it deception?  Friends, it’s time that we step up and address the evil that’s trying to infiltrate and destroy believers.  it’s not going to be a tidal wave, it’s going to be a gentle, unassuming current that begins to slowly move believers from their foundation into the stream of complacency and the river of indifference that will erode their faith.

Let’s pray that our sons and daughters critically analyze and evaluate what they see and hear according to Scripture.  Pray that they would determine who they  listen to and follow based on what the Bible says, not by what their ears hear and our hearts ‘feel’.  

Take time to pray through these things today. Pray over your sons and daughters by name. Spend some time listening to the Lord as well. What is it that He’s calling you to pray over more faithfully?

Pray without ceasing.