Dangers to your Christian Life

    Dangers to your Christian Life

     Almost every time I am on one of my country's interstate highways I see someone texting on their cell phone while driving at 70 miles per hour (112.654 kilometers per hour). At that speed, the vehicle will travel the length of a football field in a few seconds WHILE THE DRIVER IS LOOKING AWAY FROM THE ROAD!

    This makes as much sense as turning on a chainsaw while entering a room where a baby is sleeping and throwing the chainsaw into the air. It may end well. I may not.

    Many Christians carelessly involve themselves in activities which are just as dangerous as a chainsaw. You may not agree with this list or may be able to add to it. Every item on this list has the potential to cause serious damage to your Christian life. 

   Practicing Cafeteria Christianity in which you take a little bit from here and little bit from there and reject things which make you uncomfortable. There are some things about Christianity which are difficult. Paul had some strong things to say about accepting any changes to the Gospel.

    Dabbling in astrology, Tarot, Ouija boards, automatic writing, divination, the occult, and other practices. These are not harmless children's games.

    Attempting an exorcism. Real demon possession is probably quite rare but Jesus acknowledged that it is real.

    Ghost hunting. The Bible never teaches the existence of ghosts though some people in the Bible obviously did believe in them. The appearances of dead Old Testament saints may have been the saints  actually being physically present. Ghost phenomena (hauntings, poltergeists, etc) may be evidence of the other supernatural beings mentioned in the Bible. Do you really want to find out?

    Practicing Hatha Yoga. The Sanskrit word "hatha" in English translates as "force" and is a system of physical exercises. From a physical standpoint, this is probably excellent for your health, relaxation, stress reduction, and bodily flexibility. When you practice yoga, from a spiritual standpoint, you are dabbling with Hinduism, a totally different religion from Christianity.

    The word "Yoga" is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "yoking" or "union." There are numerous types of yoga, all of which are focused on yoking or stilling the mind and achieving an inner stillness which contributes to a oneness with the universe, which is sometimes described as "cosmic consciousness."    

    Aligning oneself with extreme political views, whether conservative or progressive. Politics is not the answer; the Gospel is the answer. "Render unto Caesar" assumes that we should have civic and political involvement but our ultimate allegiance must be to Jesus. Secular political parties are ultimately not motivated by Christian principles but by a desire for political power. Real change can only come by reformed hearts, not by legislation.