DEVOTION - MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

DEVOTION – MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

“Impressive Imitations”

BY

GREG LAURIE

They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! —2 Timothy 3:5

Not long ago, fake Apple stores were discovered in China. There were five so-called Apple stores that had been built. These stores looked exactly like Apple stores, down to the shirts the salespeople wore. In fact, they were so realistic that people who worked in them thought they were actually working in an Apple store. But they were not real. These were not cheesy knockoffs; they were impressive imitations. Even so, they were not the real thing.

We have people in the church today just like that. They look like Christians. They talk like Christians. We all assume they are Christians. But in reality, they are sophisticated imitations of the real thing. The Bible tells us that one of the signs of the soon return of Christ is that we will see more and more people like that:

In the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. . . . They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! (2 Timothy 3:1–2, 5)

How is this possible? How can a person sit in church and hear the same message that a person who believes hears and yet not be a believer? Remember, there were two criminals who were crucified on either side of Jesus. Both were in the presence of God’s Son. Yet only one believed.

Here is the thing we need to realize: church can be a dangerous place. If you hear the truth and don’t respond, your heart can get hard. The best inoculation against the gospel is the gospel heard--but not heeded.

Summary sentence: If you hear the truth and don’t respond, your heart can get hard