Have you ever dated someone who turned out to not be what you first thought? Maybe you didn’t realize he was abusive or an alcoholic. Or you might have joined a group only to discover it wasn’t at all what you expected.
We seem to look at things in the light, only to discover they’re really shrouded in darkness. Examples of this are abusive men, cults, and certain beliefs expounded upon by charismatic non-believers. Evil masked as good leads us away from God.
We seem to look at things in the light, only to discover
they’re really shrouded in darkness.
I’m sure you recall the story of Adam and Eve with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:1 tells us that the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. There are a lot of crafty people out there who fall under this category. They’ll try to lead you into ways that make you think are right, but are really just sins disguised. Political correctness does this in some ways. The sad part is they hide in plain sight. We don’t see them because we like what they say.
At first, it sounds good, but by the time these people have got you sucked in you’re believing half of what they say. They use their charisma and charm to lure you in. And we fall for it without much thought.
People have been known to kill and destroy because of what charismatic people have asked them to do.
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People who claim that they’re evil are usually no worse than the rest of us… It’s people who claim that they’re good, or any way better than the rest of us, that you have to be wary of. – Gregory Maguire, author
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In comparison, there is Jesus Christ. His lure is that of humility and kindness.
Stalin killed between 34-49 million people
I can’t help but wonder how many people chose not to follow Him because He didn’t exude the charm of some. Unfortunately, that’s why people turn away from Him today. They want someone in the pulpit who will speak charismatically about Jesus. Make Him sound like some sort of rock star. But Jesus was never one to draw attention by shouting. He used soft tones in most instances.
We have to avoid the charismatic leaders of today. Too many are more interested in getting your attention for themselves than anything else. And remember, there have been a lot of charismatic leaders who turned out to be evil. People like Jim Jones, pastor of the Disciples of Christ, Adolph Hitler, and Charles Manson are just a few.
Be cautious of who you listen to, especially if they’re standing behind a pulpit. Just because they call themselves minister or pastor doesn’t mean they aren’t really being led by the evil one who wants to entice you away from God. Read your Bible daily and learn what God’s true Word is. It’s the only way to really see past these leaders trying to spread their own agenda instead of Jesus Christ’s.
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