21st Century America in a Nutshell

21st Century America in a Nutshell
Brad Reiches
Apr 12 2006 12:40AM

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Wednesday, April 12, 2006

GodThoughts Wired!

"21st Century America in a Nutshell"

Some of My Notes from 2 Thessalonians

"Because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence

so that they might believe what is false...who did not believe the truth,

but took pleasure in wickedness."

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

It troubled me for YEARS!  The way otherwise intelligent individuals who were/are so "deluded" when it comes to spiritual things.  I would ask myself, "Why are otherwise reasonable people SO UNREASONABLE when it comes to spiritual truth?"  But then I found these verses (see above), and the answer became abundantly clear to me.

You see, several years ago I learned, the hard way, the 2nd most important lesson I've ever learned.  Namely,

SIN TAKES AWAY THE UNDERSTANDING.

It's right there in Hosea 4:11, "Harlotry, wine, and new wine take away the understanding."  This is how otherwise smart individuals can become stupid.  There is a supernatural principle at work whenever we willfully sin.

KNOWN, WILLFUL, REBELLION

ERODES OUR UNDERSTANDING.

Even worse, left unchecked (as happened to King Solomon), known, willful, rebellion over time will destroy us.  "So the people without understanding are ruined" (Hosea 4:14).  Do you see the progression?  Sin erodes our understanding.  If this process is allowed to continue over time, it will eventually ruin us.

This explains the meaning of 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.  The "love of truth" leads to salvation, but those who love "the pleasure of wickedness" more than the truth, wind up deluded.  Indeed,

TEMPTATION IS TEMPTATION

BECAUSE IT IS...TEMPTING.

And why is temptation tempting?  Because of what the Bible calls, "The passing pleasure of sin" (see Hebrews 11:25).  Herein lies the essence of our challenge to "overcome."  "Sin is crouching at the door, and its desire is for you, but you must master it" (Genesis 4:7).  And why must we master sin?  Because, among other things, sin ALWAYS erodes our understanding.  ALWAYS.  And sin is ALWAYS a step toward destruction. 

"God will send upon them a deluding influence." 

21st century America in a nutshell.

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