"Are
ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the
flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. "Galatians
3:3-4
KJV
It isn't always a grave deviation that demands us to deflect from our convictions. It only takes tiny adjustments and subtle compromises that entices us to wander away from the truth. Apostle Paul's question to all of us stirs up our conscience and challenges us to remember our initial commitments and sufferings endured for Christ. Our life has taken a devious turn of living in blatant carnality and embracing a form of godliness. It is this constant seepage of unfaithfulness that has inundated our hearts to totally submerge our faithfulness and loyalty to God altogether.
It's ever too familiar with many children of God who started their voyage with Christ passionately, but anchored themselves mid journey in complacency, resulting in diminished enthusiasm and commitment. Somehow, this comfortable life seems enticing and it convinces a believer to assume that he/she needs comfort and needs met by God all his/her life, with no room for any suffering. This flawed theology gives way to accommodate prosperity theology, which is guaranteed to wreck our faith sooner or later.
It would be wise on our part to consciously analyze where we stand in our faith journey. It is possible to be deceived and blindsided by many factors including our ministerial responsibilities. Apostle Paul's all time advice is worth being made a rule of the thumb, "but test all things. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 CSB. Testing all things should include the good and the fake. And most important advice given to us is to stay away from every kind of evil. For Christians the bigger outright crimes are not the BIG NO's, but the very small compromises that looked religious to us, at some point.
It is a disheartening fact to start with the spirit and drift to perfect in flesh. The bad swallows up the good and soon takes the one who has drifted to become the worst kind of evil person. Apostle Paul warned us in 2 Timothy 3:13, saying, "Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.". Today there are other religious faiths who have exclusively started a website and Twitter account to expose the debauchery and embezzlement of Christians done in the name of Christ. We look no different from other faiths when it comes to these types of crimes committed. The commonalities are alarming.
"A little leaven leavens the whole lump." Galatians 5:9 NKJV. It doesn't take obvious temptations to subvert one from the journey of faith. Small compromises can cause similar damage. It's time for us to retrospect and maybe start asking the following questions, as individuals, to help check our spiritual health:
What is my area of vulnerability?
Which
area of my life am I forced to compromise?
Who
are my friends who have strong influences on me?
Where
do I fail miserably?
What
are my weaknesses?
Have
I disobeyed God lately in any matter?
How
involved am I in His mission?
How
do I utilize most of my time?
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