Nuggets from An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith by Dave Hunt - Passing the Test

Nuggets from An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith by Dave Hunt – Passing the Test

The litmus test of truth for victorious Christian living must be: Is it derived from Scripture, or is it the wisdom of this world, packaged in Christian terminology in order to make it appear to be compatible with Scripture? This test should be applied not only to the sermons and writings of others but to ourselves. We should each get on our knees and ask God, “How much of my daily life is rooted in Your Word, and how much is rooted in the world? When I am happiest, is it because I know I have pleased my heavenly Father, am rejoicing in His grace and love, and the ‘joy of the Lord is my strength’ (Nehemiah:8:10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
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Jesus accused the Pharisees of establishing traditions that nullified Scripture. Even the clear command to “Honour thy father and mother” had been turned completely around by the Pharisees (Matthew:15:1-6 [1] Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, [2] Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. [3] But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? [4] For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. [5] But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; [6] And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
See All...). Christ indicted them with their having established a system of religion that allowed men seemingly to honor God outwardly while in their hearts they remained committed to self. What left men’s hearts far from God while their lips seemed to praise Him? Christ summed up His indictment by declaring that Israel’s religious leaders had substituted the traditions of men for the true doctrine of God’s Word (verses 7-9).

The human traditions that Christ exposed and opposed had at least been developed by religious leaders who presumably were sincere in their desire to please God. The traditions of men, however, that Christian psychology has embraced and brought into the church have been developed by godless humanists and self-confessed atheists who openly oppose biblical Christianity. Indeed, their theories are a secular religion put forth in opposition to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Along with this same “leaven of the Pharisees,” something even worse is fermenting in today’s church. May God help us to boldly expose and oppose these deadly errors and to stand uncompromisingly for obedience to His Word.