Substitutes, Counterfeits, & Mirages

Substitutes, Counterfeits, & Mirages

SUBSTITUTES

A paraphrased definition would be “something that takes the place of the original.”

Examples:

• TV,  secular music in lieu of Christian music

• “Me time” to the exclusion of  “God time.”

• Drugs, alcohol, other forms of addiction that attempt to give pleasure or ease      pain

• Worldliness,  money, power, or popularity

COUNTERFEITS

Paraphrased definitions:

• A deceptive fraudulent imitation

• Something  that looks real, but isn’t, but it’s a close replica with no actual value

Examples:

• Accepting  a religious practice, even nominally Christian, that “holds to a form of religion, but denies its power” []

• Religious  practices that deny the  authenticity of the Bible was a Word of God,  and/or deny the deity of Christ in the Trinity as described in scripture.

• Practicing  religion without authentic saving relationship with God through Jesus  Christ

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MIRAGES

Paraphrase definition:   “An illusion that is without substance”

Examples:

• Painting      a picture in your mind that your relationship with God is different than      it really is.

• “I’m      OK; you’re OK”: that being a good person will get you into heaven.

• Alternatively      religious practices such as meditation, New Age mysticism , and eastern      religions 

SCRIPTURES:

Substitutes, counterfeits , and mirages can create confusion in the midst of a very confusing world, but God will guide us to truth and clarity if we let Him.

• “God is not the God of confusion or disorder, but of peace.”     1Cor 14:33  NKJV/NIV

• “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth;"    John 16:13 NASB1995

•  “For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” (i.e. He knows we are human)    Psalm 103:14

•  “And God is faithful ....and will provide the way out,”  (if we get confused)    1 Cor 10:13

•   "Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”  (if we get distracted from the Truth)   Psalm 37:24

•   “If you go the wrong way-to the right or to the left-you will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the right way. You should go this way.’ "(if we lose our way, He will guide us back to the right path)    Is 30:21 NCV

•   “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.....no one will snatch them out of my hand.”  John 10:27-28 NIV
  

   https://bible.com/bible/

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