Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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From a sermon by Pastor John, December 2, 2006
There is nothing on earth more deadly than a wrong thought about God. A wrong thought about God was the beginning of all sin. Adam and Eve sinned only because of the wrong thought about God that was placed in Eve’s heart by the Devil. Without that wrong thought sown into her heart, Eve would not even have had the thought to do what God said not to do.
“Woe to them who call good evil, and evil good”, said God through Isaiah. Wrong thoughts about God result in wrong thinking about what is good and what is evil. And that leads to misjudging liars to be telling the truth and honest men to be liars. The true prophets of ancient Israel were all persecuted in their time because false prophets had fed the Israelites wrong thoughts about God, which led them to think good was evil, and evil good, which in turn led them to hate the righteous and trust the ungodly.
The truth makes us free because it delivers us from confusion about what is God and what is not God. And when we are not confused about what is God and what is not, then we are no longer confused about what is good and what is evil. And if we know what is good and what is evil, then we will recognize God’s voice when He speaks, and we will know a deceiver when we meet one.
The truth is the opposite of a wrong thought about God. If a wrong thought about God is the beginning of sin, then knowledge of the truth is the beginning of righteousness. “I am understanding,” said the Son of God through David, “I have strength.” When you take God’s truth in, you take in the saving strength of the Son of God.
Do you have the saving strength of God in your soul? You do if you have embraced the truth, for the truth will protect you and enlighten you. When the truth is alive in our souls, it saves us from the power of darkness! Nothing else can do that.