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There is no other way – Part 7

By Emeritus Prof. Mercy Olumide
19 February 2017   |   3:31 am
Syncretism makes people believe in idols and practice Idolatry. Idolatry is a sin. See Ex 20:3-5. Read 1 John 5:18-21 on knowing the True—Rejecting the False.

Emeritus Prof. Mercy Olumide

Syncretism makes people believe in idols and practice Idolatry. Idolatry is a sin. See Ex 20:3-5. Read 1 John 5:18-21 on knowing the True—Rejecting the False. An idol is anything that substitutes for the true faith, anything that robs Christ of His full deity and humanity, any human idea that claims to be more authoritative than the Bible, any loyalty that replaces God at the centre of our lives.

• Believing or propagating the lie of syncretism leads to lukewarmness in the church of God (Rev 3:15,16) because there is no basis for the missionary imperative implied in the truth that “there is no other way” (Acts 4:12). A lukewarm church is one that compromises with the world and resembles its surrounding society; it professes Christ, yet in reality does not know Him and is in a spiritually wretched state (vv. 17-18). A lukewarm church was not commended for anything. The action to take is ‘Be earnest and repent’

• Syncretism leads to hard-heartedness. Hardheartedness keeps an unbeliever from God’s ultimate blessings (entering His rest). Read Ps 95:8-11; Heb 4:5-11

• Syncretism promotes unbelief in Jesus and rejection of the free gift of salvation. The Consequences are too perilous to ignore. Note Jesus warnings! “You will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (Jn. 8:24); “he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk. 16:15,16)

• Believing and practising syncretism and false religious teachers are living “a lie” The consequences of living “a lie”—a life of falsehood, is Hell fire. Notice how the last two chapters of the Bible focus on the issue of lying. Those who practise falsehood are mentioned three times: (1) All liars “Shall have their part in the lake, which burns with fire and brimstone” (21:8); (2) those who “practise a lie” will not enter God’s eternal city (21:27); (3) those who love and practise falsehood will be outside God’s eternal kingdom (Rev 22:15). Lying is the last sin condemned in the Bible, possibly because it was a lie that brought the fall of the human race (Gen 3:1-5; cf. John 8:44). Let these solemn words be a warning to all that believe that God tolerates lying and deceit.

Why did Jesus have to die?
The Problem: We have all done things that are wrong, and we have failed to obey God’s laws. Because of this, we have been separated from God our Creator. Separation from God is death; but, by ourselves, we can do nothing to become united with God.

Why Jesus Could Help: Jesus was not only a man; he was God’s unique Son. Because Jesus never disobeyed God and never sinned, only He can bridge the gap between the sinless God and sinful mankind.

The Solution: Jesus freely offered His life for us, dying on the cross in our place, taking all our wrongdoing upon Himself, and saving us from the consequences of sin, including God’s judgment and death.

The Results: Jesus took our past, present, and future sins upon Himself, so that we could have new life. Because all our wrongdoing is forgiven, we are reconciled to God. Furthermore, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the proof that His substitutionary sacrifice on the cross was acceptable to God, and His resurrection has become the source of new life for whoever believes that Jesus is the Son of God. All who believe in Him may have this new life and live it in union with Him.

Email:mercyolumide2004@yahoo.co.ukfacebook.com yetundemercyolumidewww.christiscomingsoon.netMobile: +234 803 344 6614; +234 808 123 7987.

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