The Invisible Trap

The thing about traps is that we don't expect them, we simply can't see them, or we just can't understand how they could possibly even BE a trap. That's what makes a trap, a trap. Everything LOOKS safe. It looks innocent. What could possibly go wrong . . . right? SNAP!

We have mice that get into our house every now and then. I set traps, baited with peanut butter or some cheese. It doesn't take long. That's because the mouse is more interested in the bait than it is in the workings of the trap.

My wife and I went to a high school jazz concert the other night. We walked in as they were setting up the stage. We were supposed to meet a friend there, but they never showed up. We were even given a program that said, "Christmas Jazz Concert" on it. And we were seated at a table just like they were expecting us. That's because they were. It was a trap!!

And what was the trap? The trap was of our own doing. In our own beliefs. My wife and I had walked into the wrong school. They just happened to also have a jazz Christmas concert going on at the same time, on the same night. No wonder our friend wasn't there!

Why did we go to the wrong school? Lack of information on my part. All of the information was there. I just never read it. I had made an assumption, and my assumption was wrong.

The Gospel of Jesus, the Messiah, is NOT a trap. It is the truth. But there are other religions and false gospels out there. People are believing in them as if they are fact. They are traps - invisible traps for unsuspecting.

Other religions can sound good. They can relax us and make us feel comfortable. They can even make us feel safe and secure. SNAP!

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

For those who want to avoid getting caught in the trap of false doctrine and false religions, there is an easy way to do that. Educate yourself on the workings of "the trap." Dig into each belief. Compare them to the teachings of The Bible. Read! Understand! Retain!

Mormonism is false. Scientology is false. Buddhism is false. Hinduism is false. How do I know that these other religions are false? I compared their teachings to that of The Bible. And how do I KNOW that the Bible is the absolute truth?

The Bible was dictated by God (who cannot lie) through His prophets. God's Holy Spirit spoke to the writers of the New Testament through people who witnessed the risen Christ (Jesus) personally and were given revelation by God Himself. The same God who raised the dead, parted the Red Sea and fathered the only sinless man (Jesus) through a virgin. And told us that it would happen hundreds of years beforehand.

But the final piece of evidence in my life that the God of The Bible is who He says He is, is this: He changed ME. He changed who I was, into who I am today, all in the twinkling of an eye.

We should not fall for the trap of comfort in our faith. Our faith should be living and active. Not comfortable. Jesus said, "In this life you will have trouble," not comfort.

There is no arguing with the truth. There are no "versions" of the truth. There is only ONE truth. We can either accept it or deny it. It's up to us to test everything that comes at us in this world. Only the Truth (capital T) will set us free.

“Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8: 34-36