Why Don’t You Be Perfect Trap

 

Why Don’t You Be Perfect Trap

Romans 2: ¹⁷ What about you? You call yourself a Jew; you depend on the Law and boast about God; ¹⁸ you know what God wants you to do, and you have learned from the Law to choose what is right; ¹⁹ you are sure that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in darkness, ²⁰ an instructor for the foolish, and a teacher for the ignorant. You are certain that in the Law you have the full content of knowledge and of truth. ²¹ You teach others—why don't you teach yourself? You preach, “Do not steal”—but do you yourself steal? ²² You say, “Do not commit adultery”—but do you commit adultery? You detest idols—but do you rob temples? ²³ You boast about having God's law—but do you bring shame on God by breaking his law? ²⁴ The scripture says, “Because of you Jews, the Gentiles speak evil of God.”

 

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Trying to fit in, I had several sets of “friends.” One set was for playing cards and games, the other for dancing and socializing and there was another who spoke about having sex with as many as they could. I tried to please all groups by indulging in the activities.

 

When I matured and GOD began to guide me, I went back to some of my “friends”, trying to get them to stop doing some of the things I had done. Not admitting my own wrongs, I showed verse after verse from the Bible. They turned a deaf ear.

 

• There were times when I wanted people to do what I said, not what I did.
• There were times when I wanted people to turn from their ways, while I conveniently hid my sin.
• There were times when I wanted people to “be good” so I told them to stop sinning but forgot to mention my sins.

 

Paul turns to the Jewish church leaders and speaks about how they boasted about depending on the Law of GOD. He also writes about how they elevated themselves to the title of “teacher” and “preacher.” Then he asks, “Why don’t you teach yourself?” He challenged their hidden sin.

 

• GOD wants me to follow HIS ways and the heart of HIS ways.
• GOD wants me to be able to admit my sin, giving power to HIS word.
• GOD wants me to point to HIM as the only good example so people will not become disappointed with my hypocrisy.

 

Saying “Do not steal” and taking even a paperclip from work is hypocrisy. The same with saying “Do not commit adultery” and watching porn or saying “I detest idols” and not giving to the poor but instead buying a huge TV.

 

Each Law GOD gave was to show how impossible it is to be perfect. The more a human tries to be perfect the more that person breaks all the laws. But there was one who was able to keep every Law, namely JESUS. HE became a human and never sinned. I am glad I can admit my sin to people and point to JESUS for my forgiveness.

 

• Are you trying to manipulate people into being perfect while you are being a hypocrite?
• Do you secretly break GOD’s law by taking credit for something you did not do?
• Will you get off the path of trying to make everyone else perfect and admit to them your sins so they can admit their sins to GOD and accept JESUS as their Savior today?

No More Traps

Matthew 22: ⁴¹ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴² “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,” they replied.

⁴³ He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

⁴⁴ “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’

⁴⁵ If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” ⁴⁶ No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

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“Why?” is the question I asked GOD. “If YOU are GOD, the why” fill in the blank with whatever question. I asked this on many occasion. I never got an answer.

• Sometimes I question GOD’s authority.
• Sometimes I question GOD’s power.
• Sometimes I question GOD’s position on matters.

Supremacy of GOD is what I question. I mean “Why does GOD allow ‘that’ person to get away with seemingly everything?” Usually I ask that question when I am not getting my way. JESUS quiets the Pharisees and Sadducees for good. No more traps were set because they were made to look like fools.

• GOD wants me to learn to believe in HIM without question.
• GOD wants me to grow in faith so I can throw away my sinful questions.
• GOD wants me to ask without doubting, knowing HE will answer the right questions.

Questioning GOD’s authority has never yielded a favorable answer to any human. Asking HIM “What would YOU like me to do LORD?” always yields fruit. GOD does not mind questions, as long as they point towards growth in me and HIS kingdom.

• Are you trying to trap GOD?
• Do your words try to trap others?
• Can you stop trying to twist situations and ask GOD to lead you?

Trapped

Matthew 22: ¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. ¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. ¹⁷ Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, ²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

²² When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

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Hour upon hours I spent collecting my facts. I was finally going to catch this guy in his slippery ways. I was going to lay my trap that he could not get out. When I got in his boss’s office he was there. Their question was about something I was supposed to be doing, but had not time due to my collection of evidence. I was caught in yet another trap!

• When I try to trap people I get caught in the trap.
• When I try to bring someone down I am the one who falls.
• When I try to make someone look bad, I am the one who winds up looking terrible.

Time is precious, yet the Pharisees spent an enormous amount of it scheming against JESUS. I did the same. I should have been working instead of trying to gain vengeance that GOD owns. Laying traps for people is as slimy as the person I am trying to trap. GOD wants something different.

• GOD wants me to be the person of integrity so I don’t have to trap anyone.
• GOD wants me to state the truth without bending it so I will not fall into any trap.
• GOD wants me to stay focused on HIM so human traps will fall off of me.

Snares, traps and deceptions are not the way of the LORD. HE does not want me to play games like that rather HE wants me to be courageous enough to stand for the truth and tell the truth. By following JESUS’s example, I do not need to lay traps for anyone.

• Are you trying to trap someone?
• How much time do you spend brooding over “that” person?
• Can you remove the hatred from your heart by asking GOD to fill it up today?