Bologna Deception

God's mercy and grace saves us from legalism ("legalism" means living by a set of do's and don't's). Instead of sending us to the furnaces every time we make a mistake, He gives us another chance. So what then? Should we sin all the more so that grace will be more prevalent? GOD FORBID! (Romans 6:1-2a) God is not mocked (tricked or made a fool) We will reap what we sow. (Galatians 6:7) How can Christians, who have died to sin, find life any longer in it. (Romans 6:2b) The first "seed" we all sow is the seed of sin. (Psalm 51:5) Our harvest of this sinful seed is death. (Romans 6:23a) Eternal death; never know what life is. Baptism (complete submersion) into Jesus Christ alone gives life. (Romans 6:3,8-11) God reaches down into the soil of our souls and snatches out that seed of sin, and its harvest of eternal death. In its stead, He plants the seed of His sacrifice, and we reap eternal life. BUT BE NOT DECEIVED! Which ever seed is in your soul is what you WILL reap. No matter how many seeds are planted throughout your life, whether good or bad, that first seed WILL germinate. Which one is in you?

Hopefully, you have the transplanted seed of God's grace. If so, does this mean you are in the clear? You have God's eternal grace to always give you another chance, right? Doesn't this mean you can live any way you want and always have God there to pick up your tab? Hebrews 3:14 states that salvation is proved through continued fellowship with God. If you are living a life of unholiness, you better check and make sure which seed is "behind door number one."

Let's look back at Romans 6:23. "Wages" and "gift." There can be many payments of sin but there is only one gift of God. The payments of sin are "death." The gift of God is "eternal life." God's gift needs only to be given once because it is eternal and can never be altered. But for every sin there must be payment.of death. Plankeye sings a song called "Goodbye." The very last verse in that song states "Death takes many forms, even while alive." The first part of Galatians 6:8 reads "He who sows of the flesh will reap corruption of the flesh." Sow seeds of lusts and reap impotence, STDs, etc. Sow seeds of violence and reap violence. Sow seeds of lawlessness of reap incarceration. Sow seeds of adultery and reap divorce. Sow seeds of greed and reap bankruptcy. (Perhaps you get the point.)

But maybe you are a good person. Maybe your reputation is unblemished. You may even be a "goody-goody two shoes." Read Romans 3:9-20. I was shocked to read that the Bible twice says (once in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament) "There are NONE that do good, NO NOT ONE." Why? Because the law (which is perfected in Christ's righteousness) shows us our guilt before God. (John 3:20) Romans 3:23 states that we have ALL sinned and come short of God. Hebrews 4:15 states Christ endured all the things we do and yet without sin. John 3:20 tells us that men run from the Light because it exposes our deeds. 1 John 1:5 says God is that Light. Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and sharp, able to divide even the soul and spirit. Psalm 44:20-21 tells us God knows if we stretch out our hand to a god because He sees the deepest part of our hearts.

I can go over to a lady with the most disgusting lust in my heart and say all the right things and maybe trick her into giving me what I want. Maybe to convince this lady that I am good man, I tell her about the time I helped an old lady cross the street; forgetting to mention the part about me stealing her bologna once we got to the other side. In fact, I may take the young lady on a date and make dinner...bologna sandwiches. BUT BE NOT DECEIVED! God ain't eating your bologna!