Thursday, June 07, 2012

No con game here

God is not a man, that he should lie (Numbers 23:19).

It seems as if there is always a hidden complication. You purchase a new television, but when you’re trying to hook it up you discover that a necessary cable wasn’t included.  You have fallen madly in love with the perfect guy, but your future together doesn’t look quite so rosy after meeting his parents for the first time. 

It’s hard to take anything in life at face value, and that makes us suspicious.  Through email, you’ve probably gotten a bunch of messages from people who want to scam you out of money with some awful sob story.  The dating scene is full of people who put on a false face to get you into bed with them—but once they’ve gotten what they wanted, attractive illusion is replaced with not-so-nice reality.

Advertisers and con men both use a tactic called bait and switch—they get you interested in one thing, but in the end you walk away with something else.  A retailer lures you into the store with promises of big savings, but the doorbuster specials were few in number and sold out almost immediately—so how about buying this more expensive alternative instead?  An on-line merchant touts how great some product is, but when it arrives in the mail you find out that the quality or features were misrepresented.

Don’t let your bad experiences make you cynical.  When Jesus opens His mouth, rest assured that He is being completely honest with you.  The Lord doesn’t pretend to be someone He’s not to make you like Him.  In the Bible, He speaks His heart to you with complete sincerity—I have loved you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).  Jesus never pulls a bait and switch on you; He tells you what life will be like as one of His followers—I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33).  And the rescue from damnation that Christ offers is complete—there are no surprises, no loose ends.  The Good Book says, Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18).  When Jesus speaks, you can trust His every word; when the Savior makes a promise, you can take it to the bank.

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