Scams, deception, and counterfeits are part of our modern-day vernacular, and finding truth has become harder than ever.
Although false practices have existed since the beginning of time, the rise of AI and other means of making things look authentic when they are not has made it very difficult to distinguish what is fake and what is real.
The prophet Jeremiah had the tough job of warning God’s people against the convincing deceptions of his day and leading them to the truth. The deceptions he fought against took place in the form of idols. The worship of these false deities gave the illusion that something else was better for the people than the God they were currently following.
But illusions are just that, illusions.
So, God used Jeremiah to question the people about their unfaithfulness and the direction they were inwardly traveling.
One question He asked was, “What injustice have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me, followed idols, and have become idolaters?” (Jer. 2:5, NKJV). In other words, what has God done wrong that caused them to turn away to these false ways? And the answer is, nothing at all.
At another point, God charged them of “Saying to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’ But in the time of trouble they will say, ‘Arise and save us.’” (Jer. 2:27), giving accolades to “resources” and images that had no bearing on any part of their lives.
And that’s not far from what we see in our world today. The items of idolization and undue attention some look to may not be stones and trees, but there are still illusions and falsehoods receiving undeserved homage.
But the good news is that when truth is found, it destroys the illusion!
Jesus spoke this promise, saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
Jesus’ life is the only life that was perfectly lived without sin (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:19), and the only one who fulfilled hundreds of prophecies, not missing a beat, hundreds of years after they were originally spoken (Luke 24:44; John 1:45; Acts 26:22, 23). (Without getting too complicated, for reference sake, at the very least compare Psalm 22 with the events surrounding the crucifixion of Christ.)
He was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 22, 23) to save mankind from sin (Mark 10:45; John 3:16). Sin is that ugly three-lettered word that separates us from God. Holiness is God’s standard. Sin steps in and taints the relationship God wants with His people, causing a division He never desired.
Jesus willingly succumbed to death to be the atonement (the means of removing the sin from wayward people and restoring our relationship with God). He became the way for us to escape the judgment that should have been ours to bear (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 5:8), saying, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
And He rose from the dead, not only gaining victory over death, but showing us the promise of new life we have through Him: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).
Fulfilling all, He ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9-11), and now we are awaiting His return.
The Gospel presents a clear claim: that Jesus is the way to salvation and to have everlasting life (John 3:16; 6:47; 10:28). According to Scripture, there is no other source of lasting salvation and peace.
While many voices and influences can project illusion, seeking to draw our attention away from God, God is still calling us all, in love, toward His Truth.
As He did with Jeremiah, the call is still going out for people to repent and turn to the God who desires this unbroken relationship with them.
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19
Note: True repentance means more than saying or feeling sorry. It is more than being remorseful. It is turning away from sin and its ways in mind, body, and soul, and turning to God, giving Him your life from the inside out.
Blessings~
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