Resist Deception

From last week's Galatians study there was a question to look at several verses and then asks, "How do these verses enable us to resist deception?" The task is to stand firm in the freedom of Christ, and the danger is confusion of the mind.

One passage is 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. This is the one that says we should take every thought captive. Oh how our own minds deceive us. Our own thoughts can betray us from obedience to Christ. Instead, whatever is true, right, noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy, we should think of these things (Philippians 4:8).

Another passage is Ephesians 6:10-18, the "spiritual armor" verses. We must keep in mind the battle we fight, we fight on our knees. We must equip ourselves with scripture and a sharp understanding of it as the Holy Spirit reveals to us. And we must know Christ and accept the gospel of salvation from our sin.

Finally, another passage is Colossians 2:6-17. The deception also comes from outside of us. We hear from others we must do this, or we must do that, usually to support their cause. And not often enough do we hear about the Deity of Christ, and that only by His power can we be circumcised of our hearts. If we think we are only unconscious in our sins and that we can resucitate ourselves we are in error. Rather we were dead in our sins, and only God can resurrect us!