The Sting
"I fear... your... devotion to Christ will be corrupted." 2 Corinthians 11:3 NLT
Have you heard of the velvet ant? It has a coat of tiny hairs that feel smooth and velvety. But it's all a disguise. It isn't an ant at all, but a wingless wasp with a nasty sting. After injecting its victims with a venom, it lays eggs in their incapacitated bodies. One of Paul's greatest concerns was that, after being saved by grace, the churches would go back to living under the Old Testament law. He constantly warned them about basing their salvation and their relationship with God on their own performance. "I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed" (vv. 3-4 NLT). Another Jesus! Another spirit! Another gospel! Again Paul warns, "Satan disguises himself as an angel of light" (v. 14 NLT). Yes, your work for God on earth determines your rewards in heaven. But only by trusting in the finished work of Christ will you get to heaven. No one in heaven will say, "Look what Jesus and I did!" Legalism will not only infect you, it will incapacitate you. Scottish minister Horatius Bonar wrote, "Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another's life, another's death, I stake my whole eternity." How do you protect yourself against "the sting" of legalism? By depending on God's grace alone.
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word for You Today
Have you heard of the velvet ant? It has a coat of tiny hairs that feel smooth and velvety. But it's all a disguise. It isn't an ant at all, but a wingless wasp with a nasty sting. After injecting its victims with a venom, it lays eggs in their incapacitated bodies. One of Paul's greatest concerns was that, after being saved by grace, the churches would go back to living under the Old Testament law. He constantly warned them about basing their salvation and their relationship with God on their own performance. "I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed" (vv. 3-4 NLT). Another Jesus! Another spirit! Another gospel! Again Paul warns, "Satan disguises himself as an angel of light" (v. 14 NLT). Yes, your work for God on earth determines your rewards in heaven. But only by trusting in the finished work of Christ will you get to heaven. No one in heaven will say, "Look what Jesus and I did!" Legalism will not only infect you, it will incapacitate you. Scottish minister Horatius Bonar wrote, "Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another's life, another's death, I stake my whole eternity." How do you protect yourself against "the sting" of legalism? By depending on God's grace alone.
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word for You Today
Recent
Archive
2025
January
"Forgiving each other ...as...God forgave you."EMBRACING UNCERTAINITY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?PROBLEMS? DRAW CLOSER TO GODDON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANTPARENTING, THE BIBLE WAYHOW TO BUILD YOUR SELF-ESTEEMSIGNS FOLLOW FAITHWORSHIP: GIVING YOURSELF TO GODCHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS, AND CHANGE YOUR LIFEFind Prayer PartnersHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEHOW TO GIVEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (3))WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE LORD TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
Practice Saying No To YourselfThe Best Is Yet To ComeThe Grandfather's Mistake Became The Grandson's MiracleHow To Conquer The Fear Of FailingLet's Respect Our DifferencesPass It On To OthersThrow It DownYou Are Called To Be Salt And LightExpect To "Wrestle"Use Your Gifts In Ministry To OthersKeep Trusting GodFear Is The Enemy Of GrowthChange Your RoutineYou Are Not Beyond God's ReachDon't Look At Christians, Look At ChristHave A God PerspectiveGod Uses Damaged PeopleUnderstanding The Word "Imputed"Governed By Christ's Love For UsToday Expect God's FavorGrowth Is About EnlargementKeep Praying And BelievingRefuse To Wear The LabelShake It Off, And Move ForwardWhen Others "Don't Get It"Righteousness Is A Gift, Not A Reward
March
Don't Break, Bounce Back (1)How Long Will You Live?Don't Break, Bounce Back (2)Put Away The Measuring StickKnow When To Let GoUse Your ImaginationConnect, Commit, CommunicateHow God Sees YouRearing Spiritual FruitConsult God On Your Daily To Do ListBorn To Believe (1)Born To Believe (2)Only Jesus Can Satisfy Your Soul"Forgive Them" And Delete ItPut God Between Yourself and the FoeBe True To The ScripturesThe Kids Are Watchcng You (1)The Kids Are Watching You (2)If You're A Leader, Read ThisPrayer and Your RASLearn To Say NoYou Can Learn To LoveAlways Agree With God’s WordGive God All The GloryDon’t Let A Wall Build Up Between YouTo Be Used By GodTell Them While You Still CanYou’re Almost ThereA Ministry Of Tears“Much More” Or “Much Less” (1)
Categories
no categories