The Real Thing

When I was in college, I worked for a bank.
I worked part time during the school year and full time in the summer.

I loved my job and I loved the customers.
I even enjoyed the hectic rush every Friday.
That is when most people were paid, and they would come in on their lunch hour to get their paycheck cashed.

When I was hired, I had to go through two solid weeks of training.
The one lesson I remember the most was how to spot counterfeit money.
I looked at the schedule and saw when we were going to cover that topic.
I was anxious to actually see all the different types of counterfeit bills.
I imagined the dollar bills lined up on the table.
I imagined that we would look at each bill to determine which ones were real and which ones were counterfeit .

To my surprise, that never happened.

We studied authentic bills.
We didn’t waste our time on counterfeit.
We learned about the water marks, where to find the name of the Federal Reserve Bank where the bill originated, the serial numbers, the linen and cotton composition of the bill with the red and blue fibers running through it.
We studied the real thing.

I was disappointed.
Seeing a counterfeit bill would have been far more exciting.
But it would not have helped me.
It would have only confused me.

I was to learn everything I could about the authentic bill, so that if a counterfeit bill came across my teller window, I would be able to spot it right away.

Everything is sold to us in the cultural marketplace as being equally valid…equally true.
Relativism is the brass ring…the prize.
Anything less is intolerance.

It is next to impossible to stay on top of everything in order to maneuver in our culture.
Just when you think you can handle an argument, another one pops up to confuse and challenge.

The culture wars remind me of prairie dogs I saw at the zoo.
They popped up from their burrows, only to hide again, then pop up somewhere else.
It was impossible to keep a close eye on any one prairie dog.
There can be as many as six entrances to a prairie dog burrow.
They were much too quick and were masters in the art of concealment.

We have become a Biblically illiterate nation.
We have put the Truth of God’s Word aside thinking we can spot deception on our own.
We think that following the experts, or reading the newest book on the most current trend, will ensure that we can spot a counterfeit when it pops up.

The enemy would love nothing better than for us to buy that lie.
Spend your time on counterfeit arguments…have no time to study Truth.
The enemy loves to keep God’s people on the defensive…with our eyes darting here and there trying to stay one step ahead of the master of concealment.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)

His Truth is power.
His Truth enables us to be on the offense.
His Truth ensures us that we are battle ready.
We have a sword in our hands…the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. (Ephesians 5:17b)

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  (Ephesians 5: 10-13)

Let’s stop wasting time with counterfeits and spend our time studying the Real Thing.

Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)