Mind The Creep | Worldly Philosophies
Walking into a spider web
Worst in the morning or at night
Yellow Garden Spider
Golden Silk Orb-weavers
Just imagine one of these crawling into your bed at night and laying eggs in your ears…
Spider web works off of the principle of:
Entrapment
They trap their pray by luring or tricking them
I brought up this idea because our new series is called…
MIND THE CREEP
Defining THE CREEP
- not your next-door neighbor
The CREEP:
The subtle shift of actions and ideas away from Biblical standards to that of cultural depravity
This is what Paul means when he explains
Romans 12:1-2
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Culture is a PRESSURE COOKER
- Wants to conform us to itself
- Christian believers have been under this since the beginning
Ephesians 2:1–2
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient.
So what does this mean?
That we have an enemy who wants to entrap us under his authority
Satan DOES NOT have unlimited authority and power, but he does have some
- When man rebelled against God
- Given to him by God (Luke 4:6)
- “Air” means Spiritual world
What does he have some power over?
- Over some illnesses (Luke 13:16, 2 Cor. 12:7)
- In some sense, over death (Heb. 2:14)
- Over some people (Eph 2:2, Acts 26:18)
- Demons are under his Authority (Matt 12:24)
- He has a kingdom (Matt 12:26)
- He has a throne (Rev 2:13)
That is why Paul instructs us too…
Ephesians 6
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
One more this about the Devil that we MUST understand
The Devil is a LIAR..
John 8:44
44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
The Devil never tells whole lies
- His language is “HALF-TRUTHS”
Why is that?
A full lie is much easier to spot
- Satan cannot make us sin but can lie to us
Cain and Abel
- He allowed his bitterness toward God and his brother overtake him
- Hatred trapped him
God gave his this warning…
Genesis 4
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
Using his lies, Satan will try to trap us in our sin
like a spider trapping its pray
Each week, we are going to discuss a “CREEP”
Today’s Creep is:
Worldly Philosophies
Colossians 2
2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ. 3 In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable. 5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.
6 So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, 7 being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.
8 Be careful that no one takes you captive…
through philosophy…
and empty deceit (lies)…
based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.
Paul is writing to encourage and instruct Christian believers
- He gives a warning about WORLDLY PHILOSOPHIES
Worldly Philosophy:
Philosophy that is based on explicitly anti-Christian principles
I want to focus in on a specific Worldly Philosophy called THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT
New Age Movement:
A counterfeit philosophy that appeals to the feelings of individuals, leading them to think that that they are God and can enhance their lives through their own person.
Most of us would hear that and disagree…
- But that’s because that is the full lie
The Devil never tells full lies
- Only half-truths…
New age philosophy has CREPT into more than we realize…
New Age:
1: LAW OF ATTRACTION
Key Phrases:
- Manifest destiny – Manifest your destiny
- Karma – What you do will come back to you
- Live your best like now
- Good Vibes – Good Energy
- Your thoughts can become reality
Popularized by the book “THE SECRET’ by Rhonda Bryne
The law of attraction is NOT BIBLICAL BECAUSE…
- Rejects God’s Sovereignty
- Rejects the teachings of Jesus
- Promotes the hopeless and empty values of this fallen world
- Encourages people to live how they see fit
Think about the disciples
- They KNEW Jesus
- They gave everything up for Him
- They were all martyred for preaching the message of Jesus
So why didn’t they just “MANIFEST” a better life?
At it’s heart, The law of attraction is saying that YOU ARE THE GOD OF YOUR LIFE…
Matthew 6
9 “Therefore, you should pray like this:
9 Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
2: Universalism
Key Phrases:
- All Paths lead to God
- All Though patterns are equal in credibility
- No one truth
- All will be saved
- God is “ALL LOVING” – no judgement or righteousness
- All will experience bliss
- God is in everything – all things are God
We are all God’s children
While universalism sounds nice, if true, it means that Jesus is a liar
John 14
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus is the ONLY WAY
That is not mean, that is good news
Because Jesus is the truth, we can known truth
Because Jesus is the way, we can know the way
Because Jesus is the life, we can know and have eternal life
Because this is true:
- We know there will be justice
- We know that there is a right and a wrong
- We know that we are forgiven
3: MYSTICISM
Key Phrases:
- Seeking the divine
- Finding the “hidden meaning/knowledge”
- The desire of the “supernatural”
- Seeking experiences and emotionalism
- Spiritual but not religious
- Seeking a “Higher Power”
This one is particularly dangerous because it can easily fool Christians
Examples of Mysticism:
- channeling/Mediums
- Spirit Guides – Actually, demons
- tarot cards
- astrology
- psychics
- out-of-body experience
- horoscopes
- crystals
- good vibrations
- “spiritual experiences”
- good vibes (vibrations)
In his book “Walking Through Darkness” Author Neil Anderson says…
The New Age movement is not seen as a religion but a new way to think and understand reality. It’s very attractive to the natural man who has become disillusioned with organized religion and Western rationalism. He desires spiritual reality but doesn’t want to give up materialism, deal with his moral problems, or come under authority. ~ Neil Anderson
That’s why Jesus said..
John 4
23 But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”
I bring this to you because, like it or not, we are at war
- With darkness and wickedness
- You can either be a casualty or a warrior for the kingdom of God
- So are you MINDING THE CREEP in your life
The creep of worldly philosophies
Romans 12:2 says:
2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
When we mess with things that are NOT THE TRUE, they ensnare and trap
- Slowly takeover and take hold
- Of your mind
- Your heart
- Your life
Be aware of what you listen to
- What you watch
- What you allow into your home
- Movies
- Music
- Books
- Internet
The Devil never tells full lies…
- Only half-truths