Grace As Protection From Deception
by George Moore
During my younger years, my family often played Helen Baylor’s If It Had Not Been for the Lord On My Side. Years later, the lyrics to this song still ring in my ears:
“If it had not been for the Lord on my side
Where would I be? Where would I be?
If it had not been for the Lord on my side
Where would I be? Where would I be?”1
Through this song, Helen was communicating to the listener that there are a number of things that could’ve taken us out, but God’s grace kept us. Through dangers seen and unseen, the grace of God was on our side and protected us from the pitfalls and predators that we face.
Remembering Paul’s Words
The lyrics of that song remind me of the words of the Apostle Paul in Colossians. In this epistle, Paul is writing to the church at Colossae imploring them to resist the philosophies of this world and to cling to Christ. What strikes me most about Paul’s message is how he described these philosophies in Colossians 2:4. He did not say they were absurd or unbelievable. Instead, Paul calls for the church to stand against arguments that are “fine sounding,”2 or as another translation says, false ideologies that, “sound reasonable.”3
Fine Sounding Arguments
As I observe the spiritual climate of our time, the words of Paul echo in my soul. I am reminded of all the people I know (and those I’ve heard of) who have walked away from the truth of the Gospel due to “fine sounding” arguments. The truth is, outside the grace of God (and having a firm foundation built on His Word), our hearts are vulnerable to philosophies and worldviews that don’t align with scripture. Helen Baylor’s song remains true for us today. If it were not for the Lord and His power to sustain his children, where would we be? I shudder to think.
As believers, we can rest in the reality that the power of God is able to keep us from deceptive philosophies and “plausible arguments.”4 Our Heavenly Father knows how satan influences the ideologies and philosophies around us. Despite this influence, our God has not left us helpless. He has given us His Son, His Word, and His Spirit to help us navigate and overcome the dangerous philosophical minefields of our time.
He is Greater
One of my favorite shows to stream is NCIS. It is a television show about naval police officers that investigate crimes committed by or against members of the Navy. Periodically, there will be an episode where the team has to conduct their investigation on a submarine. If you know anything about a submarine, it is designed to go deep underwater. Anyone who studies science knows that the deeper you go underwater, the higher the pressure gets. The pressure has the ability to crush anyone or anything that enters a certain depth in a body of water. In order for the submarine to withstand the pressure caused by the descent into deep waters, the pressure on the inside of the vessel must be equal to or greater than the pressure on the outside. 1 John 4:4 says, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” As we encounter the pressures of this world, the Greater One that dwells within us pushes back against the pressure of our environment that attempts to poison our beliefs which empowers us to survive, thrive, and promote his glorious kingdom in the fallen world. In 1 John 2:27, we learn that the only way for the church to stand against this pressure is to “remain in Him.”5
Apologetically Humble
Outside of God’s grace, all of us are susceptible to going astray due to reasonable arguments. That’s why God’s Word encourages us with words and phrases like “remain,”6 “be steadfast,”7 “persevere,”8 “be sober,”9 and “be on guard.”10 When it comes to apologetics, it can be easy to be condescending to the beliefs of others as we persuade them to know Jesus. I believe that when we fully understand and internalize that it is God’s grace and power alone that keeps us and not our intellect, we will be less sarcastic and condescending to skeptics and unbelievers. Even when their beliefs and ideologies sound out there, we must have the capacity and empathy to engage a soul, not merely win an argument. It is imperative that we are intentional about trying to shame them, but rather seek to mix truth and love as we use “all spiritual wisdom and understanding”11 to let the world know that the “manifold of God is no longer a mystery.”12
My prayer is that as we continue to resist, refute, and defend the faith against deceptive philosophies and worldviews and that we remember that it is the grace of God that is keeping us. May we remember the power of God that enables us to resist the powers of darkness. May we, the children of God humbly be ready to “give an answer to the hope that we have with gentleness and respect.”13
Notes:
Helen Baylor. “Worship Medley.” Helen Baylor…Live. Verity Records, 1999.
Colossians 2:4 (NIV)
Colossians 2:4 (CSB)
Colossians 2:4 (ESV)
1 John 2:27
John 15:4 (NIV)
1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)
Colossians 1:9 (NIV)
Lecrae. “The Bride.” Rebel. Atlanta, Georgia: Reach Records, 2008.
1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)