“Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before— do not listen to them. The LORD your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul. Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. The false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the LORD your God, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt. Since they try to lead you astray from the way the LORD your God commanded you to live, you must put them to death. In this way you will purge the evil from among you. [Deuteronomy 13.1-5]
It doesn't require creative license to say that debt, insurance, medicine and technology all offer "signs" or "miracles" in the particular benefit they each provide. Neither does it require abstraction to see that debt, insurance, medicine and technology all promote their respective benefits also appealing to men and women in the ways John wrote about:
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. [1 John 2.16]
It is not enough that debt, insurance, medicine and technology simply offer a utility benefit. Their promotions and advertisements, more often than not, go beyond utility benefit depicting additional benefits ranging from the right to self-fulfillment to the normalcy of unrestrained sexual pleasure.
First to consider is this: what debt, insurance, medicine and technology offer at a price, God offers for free. This should cause suspicion (and even alarm) among God's people, but the subtlety in which this trickery progressed "walked right through the door" of Christianity with most Christians even "holding the door" for it to enter.
Then, as if it is not "idolatry enough" to pay elsewhere for what God offers freely, it is what debt, insurance, medicine and technology offer additionally - bringing with them (ranging from the right to self-fulfillment to the normalcy of unrestrained sexual pleasure), that flies in the face of God proving they are actually wolves in sheep's clothing! These additional benefits are the covert goal of all idols: to lead people as far away from God as possible and to do so in the most glaringly defiant way possible.
God offers a zero-tolerance policy for this offence: death.
It is this "death sentence" that Jesus died for. However, we should not be fooled by "cheap and easy" grace. No person may enjoy Jesus' substitutionary work without obedience. Jesus was not unclear what that obedience looks like:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]
What are debt, insurance, medicine and technology if they are not man's own way? And, as man's own way, they come at a price. The price paid for debt, insurance, medicine and technology is "sacrificially" paid in lieu of obeying God and freely receiving His benefits. The Bible is clear about the distinction between sacrifice and obedience:
But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. [1 Samuel 15.22]
It is a false prophet, according to the subject passage above, who uses God-like signs or miracles to ultimately lead people away from God. Debt, insurance, medicine and technology fit that description.
Rather than simply disagreeing with me on this topic and putting it out of mind as ridiculous or fanatical, prove me wrong! Search the Scriptures for yourself to eliminate any uncertainty and confirm my error. Please, do me this favor - give me this relief!
Otherwise, pray this prayer with me:
Father in heaven, forgive us for our idolatry that has lured us into further idolatry. Help us as we intentionally give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. Prepare us to humbly face the ire of the world, but more importantly, prepare us for the ire of the carnal Church (revealing those who are wolves in sheep's' clothing). Prepare us for the reality of Jesus' words that say "only few" will find the Kingdom. Help us to understand that all this preparation can only be accomplished as we intentionally prioritize Your Word and it permeates our being. So be it.
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