1 John 2:24-25

"See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what He promised us - even eternal life." 1 John 2:24-25

What they heard from the beginning was that salvation was found through Christ alone by His gift of righteousness, but that message had been distorted to a point where Christ was no longer in the picture or at best had a minimal part. The teachings of the Gnostics, which attempted to replace Christ with an "awakened conscience", had reduced the Gospel to a way instead of the way to eternal life. Christ was just one of the ways people could wake up the conscience and experience spiritual light (or truth). Of course John fights back! He is assuring true followers of Jesus that what they had heard from the beginning was the truth and the only way to eternal life. He encourages them to remain (or to continue) in the Gospel. This is the message that brings a relationship with the Son and the Father, and ultimately eternal life. Gnostic teaching is everywhere in our culture. I think of Oprah, who is not hostile to Christ, yet she believes that Christ is one of many ways to awaken your conscience. The emphasis is on a spiritual experience than on truth. As a matter of fact, truth is determined by experience rather than on the Scriptures. How many Christians are buying into what she is saying? I don't know, but I know some are. We need to hold true to the Gospel message, because it alone unlocks a genuine relationship with the Father through the Son which results in eternal life. Don't believe the lie of religious relativism! Jesus is not a way, He is THE WAY! Cling to the truth!

God, I am frustrated at the distortions and lies of the evil one. His scheme to muddy the water by protraying the Gospel as one of many ways to God as oppossed to the only way to God. Help me to cling to the truth, and engage those who are influenced by lies and distortions. Help me to engage them with truth, love, and grace. I do not want to idley sit back and watch the truth of the Gospel get lost in Religious Relativism. Give me courage...Give me wisdom...Give me a heart of grace.

Comments

daveH said…
The truth is right in front of us and often at times very humbling. I take great care and pride in teaching my children the TRUTH. It is one of many ways God keeps me focused.
October 29, 2008 at 4:40 AM
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