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.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
The truth is much more dangerous than a lie. Light is more dangerous than darkness. The Spirit of God is much more dangerous than the spirit of man or the spirit of Satan. In ancient Israel, when a woman was suspected of adultery, the Law of Moses required that she be brought to God’s temple. There, she underwent a ritual that included the drinking of holy water. She could have drunk any other water on earth and remained hidden, but God’s holy water was different. It was much more dangerous than ordinary water. It revealed things, and if the woman was guilty, her inward parts would rot.
Paul said that this is how it is when saints drink of the Spirit of God. If there is secret sin in any saint’s heart, and he drinks of the Spirit, bad things happen. The Spirit reveals the truth about all of us, sooner or later.
James warned the saints (Jas. 3:14), “If you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.” He was warning God’s people not to come into God’s presence and worship with God’s innocent saints if there was evil hidden in their hearts. Hypocrisy is a deadly disease that is always eventually exposed and rooted out by the holy Ghost. It was rooted out of Heaven when Satan was cast out and “fell like lightning.” He had evil hidden in his heart, and he thought that he was getting by, but nothing escapes the attention of God. Satan was cast out of the kingdom of God along with the angels who followed his example. Heaven was a more dangerous place for him than earth because nothing can hide in the presence of God – unless God allows it to hide for a time and for His own reasons.
Please remember the lessons that the Bible teaches. It is far more dangerous to be in the presence of God than to be in anyone else’s presence, and those who dare to enter into His presence with secret sins are only fooling themselves, and others who are like them.
Are you worshipping “in spirt and in truth” or is God just letting you hide for a little while while He uses you to try the hearts of His chosen ones?