Attempting to Fool God

Have you ever seen a child trying to cover up something they’ve done wrong with a lie? Perhaps they took a chocolate chip cookie that they knew was supposed to wait until after dinner. With chocolate smeared all over their hands and face they will still tell their mother they didn’t eat the cookie to try and avoid punishment.

We must appear like little children to God when we attempt to fool Him and those around us into thinking we are faithful Christians. Believing we can fool God in this way is really self deception. Psalm 139:3 says, “Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” In other words, God knows everything that we do. He is omnipresent and omniscient, so we should know that we cannot fool God into believing we are being faithful to Him when sin still rules our lives.

Galatians 6:7-9 teaches the law of sowing and reaping. Paul writes, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” To attempt to fool God is to declare that we don’t believe we will reap what we sow. This scripture does not leave wiggle room. Sinful behavior brings about destruction; spiritual, righteous behavior is rewarded with eternal life. Paul implores the Galatians to continue in their well doing because the reward is worth it.

Certainly the destiny for the one who continues to “sow to his flesh” is one that is not to be envied. Concerning the punishment for the wicked, Jesus says three times in Mark 9 it is a place “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” He wanted to emphasize the nature of hell. It is a place with no hope and everlasting punishment. With that in mind, resisting the desires of the flesh shouldn’t be as difficult.

Many don’t want to admit that they have to do something to live the Christian life. They act as if any talk concerning works eliminates the need for grace. Without God’s grace, man would have no hope of avoiding the fires of hell. However, it cannot be denied that the concept of sowing found in Galatians 6 requires action on our part. Some will be saved, many will be lost, and the works that are done will distinguish between the two. Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Later Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10).

We can continue pretending we are faithful before God in attempt to sneak into Heaven, but that will only bring about eternal damnation. Our only legitimate option is to do the will of the Father and reap life everlasting. What choice will you make?