Book 2 Chapter 9 Archives - Real Christianity

Even Christians will have to give an account of their lives at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Therefore it is better to ask for God’s correction and judgment now, in this life

It is not just non-Christians who need to be wary of telling lies. Christians will also have to face Jesus Christ one day in judgment. For them it will be at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The lies told by a Christian might not necessarily …

Every lie will one day be exposed at the Great White Throne Judgment, which is for non-Christians

Every non-Christian will, one day, have to face Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment. Then, every lie they have ever told will be publicly exposed. All things will be put right and made straight. Any lies that a non-Christian has ever told will …

The average person automatically believes whatever suits their own interests, regardless of whether it is actually true

A key feature of our fallen human nature is that we are self-centered. That has a very adverse effect on the way we behave. However, it also affects the way we handle information. It distorts the way we see and hear things and deflects us …

If we have got our doctrine wrong, or have given a false prophecy, we should welcome correction. We must then be willing to alter our opinion or our teaching rather than cling to it stubbornly

If a person has the love of the truth then, when they realise that they have made a mistake or have got their doctrine or theology wrong, they are pleased to be corrected. They are not proud or stubborn and they don’t resent being told …

We must be totally honest with ourselves when we read the Bible

Many people read the Bible in a superficial way, not really taking it seriously and not being honest with themselves about what it says. That is why most of us can read the Bible, or hear it read or being preached on, and yet be …

What is the difference between guile and shrewdness?

We have looked at what it is to be without guile or to be guileless. What then is the sin of guile and how does it differ from shrewdness, which is a good quality? To be shrewd does not require a person to be cunning, devious, crafty or …

Another example of a ‘guileless’ person is the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well

Another good example of a guileless person who had no pretentiousness and was open to the truth was the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus meets her in John chapter four. She was not a Jew and she had a lot of sin in her …

With humble and sincere people, Jesus went into detail. But He gave very short answers to the proud and dishonest

To proud, hard-hearted people such as them, Jesus choose not to go into detail or to give full answers. He would often say things to the crowds standing alongside so as to rebut or condemn the things said by His critics and enemies. But at …

Another example of a guileless person is Nicodemus

Look now at this lengthy passage from John’s gospel where Jesus has a detailed conversation with another man called Nicodemus. He too was very transparent and honest, as Nathanael was. Note the sincere, almost child-like, questions which Nicodemus asks Jesus. He does so despite the fact …

We must be entirely without guile, as Nathanael was

One of my heroes in the Bible, whom I would most wish to be like, is Nathanael. We rarely hear of him. But he was singled out by Jesus who especially commented on Nathanael’s lack of guile. Evidently, Jesus considered that absence of guile to be …