Are We Deceived Or Are We Obedient?

Satan works night and day to keep both believers and non believers from hearing the truth. Destruction for both is his goal and he has thousands of teachers and wolves in sheep's clothing who are distorting the truth and tickling the ears of the hearers.

Hundreds of years have passed since the Protestant Reformation which rejected and broke away from the Catholic church. The Catholic Church was and is an evil system which is based on works for the obtaining of salvation, among many other false doctrines. The Protestants were vehemently opposed to the false "works based salvation" of Catholicism, but in their rejection of error they went to far and harmed the biblical teaching that we are to have good works after salvation. Jesus told us:

1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vintner. 2He cuts off every branch that does not produce fruit in me, and he cuts back every branch that does produce fruit, so that it might produce more fruit. 3You are already clean because of what I’ve spoken to you.

4“Abide in me, and I will abide in you. Just as the branch cannot produce fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in me while I abide in hima produces much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Unless a person abides in me, he is thrown away like a prunedbbranch and dries up. People gather such branches,c throw them into a fire, and they are burned up." John 15:6 ISV

In the face of what Jesus said, many of the Protestant leaders even wanted to do away with the book of James and its teaching of works. Actually the New Testament is filled with teachings of works. Only Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man could pay for sin. However, we are responsible for what we do after believing in Christ for salvation. Remember the five virgins who did not have enough oil and finally showed up asked to be let in for the banquet. “But he replied, ‘I tell all of youf with certainty, I don’t know you!" Matthew 25:12 ISV.

The grace of many of the Reformers explained away the necessity of post salvation works. This gave way to what we see today where believers are living in sin and/or are living fruitless lives, all the while claiming they are "under grace".

After telling us not to be deceived, James tells us what to do and how to live. In verse 21, James tells us to  "welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls." Why would the Apostles spend so much time warning us if there is no danger in leaving Christ? What are we doing with our will that was given to us when we first believed? Jesus told us fruitless branches are gathered and burned. As for myself, I tolerate no teaching which explains away the warnings of leaving Christ. I simply set my heart on obeying the Lord, doing what he said to do, and not doing what he said not to do. I want to obey and hear "well done thou good and faithful servant".

Continuing on in the book of James.

James 1  ISV

16Do not bef deceived, my dear brothers. 17Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father 

• who made the heavenly lights,g in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadow. 18In accordance with his will he made us his children by the word of truth, so that we might become the most important of his creatures.h

19You must understand this, my dear brothers. 

• Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20For human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 
• 21Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls.

22Keep on being obedient toi the word, and not merely being hearers who deceive themselves. 

• 23For if anyone hears the word but is not obedient to it, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror 24and studies himself carefully, and then goes off and immediately forgets what he looks like. 
• 25But the one who looks at the perfect law of freedom and remains committed to it—thereby demonstrating that he is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of what that lawj requires—will be blessed in what he does.

26If anyone thinks that he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but instead deceives himself,k his religion is worthless.

27A religion that is pure and stainless according tol God the Father is this: 

• to take care of orphans and widows who are suffering, 
• and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

                         Mirror Of Your Heart