Beware Of Good Liars: Why Is It Important?

When we launched the sermon series, "Beware Of Good Liars," we expected some push back. CCJ is one of the most diverse (and I don't mean race alone) congregations in this area and with that diversity comes a wide variety of beliefs and philosophies.

This is a good thing and a bad thing.

It's good because it forces all of us to dig deeper and understand what we truly believe. Why do we believe this or that? Is it because mom and dad and grandma and granddad told us this was the way it is? The variety of thoughts forces dialogue and defense of beliefs that you often wouldn't have in other settings.

It's bad, however, because there are many here calling themselves followers of Jesus who believe things completely contrary to what Jesus said and what the Bible teaches.

We kicked off the series with "The Promiser" and "The Motivator" (click to listen). If you've watched TBN for very long, you've seen both of these many, many times. Promising health and wealth or telling you that your words are the seeds to your success (and all manner of Scripture twisted and turned to meet their message). We've refrained from naming names (except in one case of the very popular Joel Osteen) because for every name we could name, you may be listening to someone just like them and not understand that that particular person is teaching the same garbage.

The question may arise then, what's the big deal?

The big deal is that the teachers and "preachers" are NOT PREACHING THE GOSPEL. They may be using church words and making you feel good and, yes, even helping you in some way, but they are not preaching what God has commanded that we preach and teach. That, friends, is playing with fire and people's lives. It is no small thing.

What, then IS the Gospel?

Simply this: We are all sinners. We are all rebels against a good and perfect and HOLY God. Sin has separated us from God. But God, in His mercy and love toward us sent His Son, Jesus (God in flesh, the second member of the Trinity) to live the life on earth we could never live and to die the death we should have died. God then raised Jesus from the grave on the third day, defeating death (the power of sin over us), giving us the hope of eternal life with God.

THAT is the good news. HE is enough for us. Not our "best life now." Not "enjoying everyday life."

The above video sums up the point perfectly. Please watch. If you are pushing back mentally and emotionally against the teaching of this series, please ask GOD to search your heart and reveal (us searching our own hearts is foolish because our hearts are deceitful) to us where we are wrong or have believed lies.

Finally, we aren't preaching these words to knock people around, but because right theology (what you believe about God) is vital to your everyday life and how you live it. In short, we love you.