Deception is dangerous, confusion is costly, and sin is serious. And these things characterize the world in which we live. That makes life difficult and dangerous. It’s been that way since the fall, but getting worse. The natural man is corrupt, confused and condemned. He can be delivered only by the truth, so until he conquers his confusion he has no hope.
Confusion is never a good thing. Thinking you know all the facts when you don’t causes you to make costly choices, even deadly decisions. And these days it seems that you can’t trust anyone. Politicians lie to us, businesses misrepresent their products, the media distorts the facts, preachers butcher the Bible, and even history books are being rewritten so as to hide the facts.
We watch the news and read the papers trying to stay informed. Then we draw conclusions and make choices based on what we’re told. But we don’t always know the truth. Nations go to war and both sides have their version of the truth, but in many cases both are wrong. In many instances we find out years later that we gave credence to the wrong side. Things are not always what they seem. For that reason we must be cautious about what and who we listen to.
The only sure standard and infallible guide is the Word of God. That’s why we should be students of the Bible. It’s not just about making heaven and missing hell. The Bible deals with all the issues of life and should govern all our affairs. That brings the church into the picture– as much as some resent it. 1 Tim.3:15 describes it as “The pillar and ground of the truth”. For that reason, every Christian should be a member of a good Bible believing church. We all need what it provides. It is the Christ appointed conservator of the truth, and truth is what we need —it will set you free!
