18/10/2013 - DO NOT BE DECEIVED

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As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one.”

Romans 3:10

Even though the Bible says there is nobody righteous, some people always try to prove otherwise. If someone sees a flaw in us, for example, we immediately come up with an excuse. But the Lord knows all things so it is not wise to oppose what He says but to admit that we are not really righteous. Therefore, we need God’s grace to amend our ways and thereby do justice, which is everyone’s duty.

None of us fully understand the way of good. We need to ask the All-knowing to give us wisdom to seek Him. Jesus assured us that he who seeks finds (Matthew 7:7-8), but our spiritual laziness does not let us make such a request and prevents us from striving to find the truth. If we do not change, we will not be accomplished and as a result we will fall short of the level set for us: the abundant life (John 10:10).

The sin committed by Adam in Paradise made everyone become unprofitable (Romans 3:12). Nobody can do well without divine help. You need to keep an eye out because even if you have been consecrated to the Lord’s service one day, before you know it you may be used to give some bad advice, to lie, cheat or do any similar shameful act and cause someone’s suffering.

The throat of the unregenerate man or the man who has lost the fear of the Lord is an open tomb (verse 13). As soon as he feels someone might thwart his plans, he opens his mouth and spews all that the enemy has placed in his heart. The poison of snakes is under the lips of such an individual and his mouth is full of malice; he is unmindful of the harm he causes to other people as well as to himself. On the Day of Reckoning, however, there will be no way of escape.

The wicked are known by the way they speak because they are always cursing someone or using bitter words. They are unaware of the evil caused by their acts because they only care for their own welfare and that of their family and friends. They are quick to find what they want and to destroy lives. They deem themselves godly when actually they are not, which is a sign they are under a type of evil oppression that is difficult to cast out. Therefore, it is not a good idea to be in their way.

If you examine the ways of people like that, you will see that they never do good works, but rather leave a trail of destruction and misery behind themselves. They do not know the way of peace and happiness, and suffer from not respecting the Word. Now, it is of the utmost importance to pray and fight spiritually for them in order to save them from the eternal fire.

In Christ with love,

R. R. Soares