Their Lies Caused Them To Err CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Amos said about Judah, their lies caused them to err. When we consider how people get messed up in the world, we often find that a lie is what caused them to get off track. Lies like evolution, religion, sales pitches and politics have corrupted people. The devil convinced Eve with a lie. In the tribulation, God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie.
In our text, Judah started off with the truth of God’s word but then they started lying [“their lies”] and their lies led them into big trouble with God: their lies of idolatry, covetousness, tradition, justification, and foreign relations. These lies absolutely destroyed Israel through and through and turned them completely and helplessly away from God.
I wonder what lies are causing you to err?
The love of money is NOT the root of all evil – though Christians say that they believe 1 Tim 6:10, in fact they live like it’s not true. In the Laodicean church, the people are rich. And when riches increase men generally forget God [Deut 8:11, 18].
Bible reading is NOT essential to spiritual growth – this lie is contrary to Matt 4:4 – many Christians have tried to live off of devotionals and sermons – you will not grow without time in the book – you need to digest it, obey it and hearken unto the voice of the Lord in it.
Wicked thinking does NOT lead to wicked actions – the Bible says, as he thinketh in his heart so is he – if you’re thinking about it you are going to do it – whatever you’re thinking about is eventually coming out of your mouth or out of your actions or both.
Redefining sin is a proper solution to sin in your life – today’s Christian deals with sin in his life by calling it something else so he doesn’t have to deal with it – it is no longer fornication; it is living together – it is no longer drunkenness; it is a disease – and so forth – unless you call sin, “sin,” you will never have a solution for it – Jesus came to save his people from their SINS.
You can fulfill your lusts and still be Spirit-filled – Gal 5:16-17 reveals the error in this lie – the flesh and the Spirit are mutually exclusive – you cannot satisfy your lusts and be filled with the Spirit – to the degree that you give in to the lusts of the flesh is the degree to which you will not be filled with the Spirit.
A little leaven can be contained in the lump – Christians today have contaminated their faith with the wrong music and Bibles and with worldliness – the introduction of these things has taken over entire churches and denominations [or non-denominations, as some have mistakenly called them] – you let a little corruption or perversion in and they will take over your entire life and family.
Conclusion: Address every lie in your life that you have believed, that is contrary to the truth of the words of God, and straighten it out with the truth – you will find that when you turn from one lie to the truth you will discover other lies from which you need to turn.