07/03/2021 - SINCERITY IN IGNORANCE

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Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. Acts 14:13

Not all people who practice other religions and say they don’t believe in God are evil. The truth is that their ignorance causes them to live as if they loved the devil, and they reject good. We must live the Word of the Lord, we must know the Father and have intimacy with the Holy Spirit. That way, we will convince them regarding the gospel, the good news; if not, they will keep living in sin.

Scriptures declare that our mission is to battle against the forces of darkness, which keeps the lost ones in ways the Lord prohibits, because they’re ways of death (Proverbs 14:12). There are many reasons for people to serve false gods innocently. One of them is lack of wisdom of those who are trying to rescue them back to the truth. Sin has been present in the world since the beginning, and if we don’t have the anointing from on high to show people the spiritual reality, they will refuse to believe.

Many people have been finding ways to believe the faith they put into practice, although they have never been helped by the “gods” they believe, by the “spirits of light” or by their own philosophical beliefs. There is only one creator, but the kingdom of darkness lies openly about everything that leads people to know better this Being who planned, created and recovered us by sending His own Son to the world to save us.

Originally, the plan was for man to walk with God. That way, all would come to know the Creator. However, the devil tempted man and he fell into transgression; sin entered the world and dominated society. Today, there is no reason for anyone to be dominated by the enemy, because the Savior came to the world and died in our place, paying the price of our salvation. All we need to do is to preach the message of heaven to every creature.

It is evident that the kingdom of hell will oppose us, lie to us and try to capture us. However, we must act like Jesus did when he came to the world. He went from town to town, saying that the kingdom of God was near and that all should believe in the Scriptures. Those who believed were healed, delivered and saved. We should announce the gospel, because it’s the only thing that will make man return to God.

There wasn’t enough time for the people of Lystra to understand the full message. Some had been illuminated, but most hadn’t. When the man with a problem in his foot was healed, the priests of Zeus ran to the apostles and called them gods, because they didn’t know the Gospel. But the servants of God couldn’t accept such declaration, because it was a lie.

To the priests that was a special day, because according to their beliefs, the gods had become men and came down to them. That’s why they wanted to offer the men of God crowns of flowers and sacrifice animals in honor of such special visitation. We can’t allow people to live in ignorance, even when we spot the deceit that makes them live that way. The truth is good!

In Christ, with love,

Dr. Soares