Bible League: Living His Word See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.We live in a world where many people are being taken captive by "hollow and deceptive philosophy". This is primarily true of young students who attend secular universities. Many of them grow up in Christian homes only to give up the faith of their parents after attending university. This is especially tragic because the secular philosophies they are being captured by are, indeed, hollow and deceptive. They are deceptive, because the answers to life's big questions they propose are not based as advertised on philosophy per se, but on philosophy guided by deeply secular religious beliefs. They are also hollow, because these secular beliefs are born of mere "human tradition" inspired by the "elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ." The problem, then, is not philosophy itself, for it is an inescapable part of the academic enterprise. You can't do any of the special sciences without also doing philosophy. The problem is, as the Apostle Paul makes clear, hollow and deceptive philosophy. The problem is philosophy practiced apart from the Christian faith and practiced instead from a secular perspective. The problem is philosophy guided by the limited perspective of mere human beings and human traditions under the malign influence of the elemental spiritual forces of this world. The Christian faith has an overall perspective and specific teachings that have implications for every area of life. The academic life is no exception to the rule. It is incumbent upon Christians who are called to the academic life, therefore, to work out these implications for philosophy and the sciences and to challenge the hollow and deceptive philosophies of our day. Our light must shine in academia, like everywhere else. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingExodus 7, 8 Exodus 7 -- Aaron's Staff; Plague of Blood NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Exodus 8 -- Plagues of Frogs, Gnats and Flies NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 17 Matthew 17 -- The Transfiguration of Christ; Healing a Boy with a Demon; Paying the Temple Tax NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But will God really live on earth among people? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!Insight Solomon marveled that God would be willing to live on this earth among sinful people. We marvel that God, through his Son, Jesus, lived among us in human form to reveal his eternal purposes to us. In doing so, God was reaching out to us in love. Challenge God wants us to reach out to him in return in order to know him and to love him with all our hearts. Don't simply marvel at his power; take time to get to know him. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 91:3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler.God delivers his people from the snare of the fowler in two senses. From, and out of. First, he delivers them from the snare--does not let them enter it; and secondly, if they should be caught therein, he delivers them out of it. The first promise is the most precious to some; the second is the best to others. "He shall deliver thee from the snare." How? Trouble is often the means whereby God delivers us. God knows that our backsliding will soon end in our destruction, and he in mercy sends the rod. We say, "Lord, why is this?" not knowing that our trouble has been the means of delivering us from far greater evil. Many have been thus saved from ruin by their sorrows and their crosses; these have frightened the birds from the net. At other times, God keeps his people from the snare of the fowler by giving them great spiritual strength, so that when they are tempted to do evil they say, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" But what a blessed thing it is that if the believer shall, in an evil hour, come into the net, yet God will bring him out of it! O backslider, be cast down, but do not despair. Wanderer though thou hast been, hear what thy Redeemer saith--"Return, O backsliding children; I will have mercy upon you." But you say you cannot return, for you are a captive. Then listen to the promise--"Surely he shall deliver thee out of the snare of the fowler." Thou shalt yet be brought out of all evil into which thou hast fallen, and though thou shalt never cease to repent of thy ways, yet he that hath loved thee will not cast thee away; he will receive thee, and give thee joy and gladness, that the bones which he has broken may rejoice. No bird of paradise shall die in the fowler's net. Daily Light on the Daily Path Philippians 4:5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. • Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. • Therefore comfort one another with these words. Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 2 Peter 3:14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 1 Thessalonians 5:22-24 abstain from every form of evil. • Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. • Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. James 5:8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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