I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea … Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them…” vss. 1, 5
1 Corinthians 10:1-5
Paul certainly was no Pollyanna. He knew from Hebrew history that most of the people of Israel, rescued from slavery in Egypt, had fallen away from the faith by the time they left the wilderness. Therefore he does not imagine that all who have been baptized into Christ will continue as people of faith. Baptism does not guarantee faithfulness, a sad truth which should not surprise any of us. Just because someone advertises that they are a Christian does not mean they can be trusted in personal relationships or in business dealings.
People of faith are subjected to the same kind of temptations as anyone else and can easily be caught up in a web of sin and intrigue. We might wish this wasn’t true and that we could trust anyone who claims to be born again or a fellow believer. Rather than basing our confidence on a person’s testimony or words, we would be well advised to remember what John the Baptist said when he saw the crowds coming for baptism, “You brood of vipers, ‘Bear fruits befitting repentance!’” It is possible for believers to trust one another, but sometimes we just have to be smart about it. Sometimes faith is only skin deep!
Thought for the Day: A time when a fellow believer has let me down.
0 Comments