Be on Your Guard - Crosswalk the Devotional - June 30

Truths observed at the intersection of faith and life by Crosswalk.com editors [Crosswalk.com Logo]( Crosswalk: The Devotional [Devotionals]( [Newsletters]( [e-Cards]( Be on Your Guard by Laura MacCorkle Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. [2 Peter 3:17]( NIV Who of us doesn’t remember a film, television show, book or play with some swordsman in chainmail declaring, “On guard!” before engaging in a duel with someone else? In that type of adversarial situation, the warning is said to alert the other party that “I’m armed, so prepare to defend yourself.” And in light of the current belief battles going on today within evangelical Christianity, that meaning has been front and center in my head and heart—especially after reading through today’s verse in 2 Peter. I did a little further study and found what I read in the New Testament portion of The [Bible]( Knowledge Commentary to be quite helpful in understanding this passage: If [Peter’s] readers were not careful, they could be carried away by the error of lawless men … The verb “carried away” emphasizes a group or corporate movement. False teachers are not satisfied with ambushing one or two, now and then, here and there; they want to sweep large groups of people away from the correct doctrine of Christ. Those who keep company with such people are in danger of being led astray. I don’t need or want to name prominent names or cite recent book titles or the like within the Christian bubble, as I’m sure that one or many have already come to your mind by this point in today’s devotional. Sadly, false teaching is everywhere these days and only seems to be gaining momentum as we head further into the twenty-first century. It’s alarming, for sure, to hear those who are in pastoral, shepherding or leadership positions mishandle God’s Word or imply that there is suddenly a new “change” in the meaning of scriptural doctrines that trained theologians and Bible scholars have agreed upon for centuries prior. But Truth is supposedly relative in the world where we now live, isn’t it? What’s true for you may not be true for me and so forth. Right? So how do we arm ourselves and follow Peter’s instruction to “be on your guard” as believers? [CONTINUE READING →]( You May Also Like: [7 Solid Anchors for Your Anxious Soul]( Sarah Walton Time and again I’ve found that the greatest antidote to anxiety is to consistently remind myself of the unshakable promises we have in God’s word. When a circumstance suddenly threatens our peace, we can be ready to push it back and cut it down with truth. So here are seven unshakable promises for anxious souls today! [CONTINUE READING →]( [Formula for Personal Growth - In Touch - June 30]( Growing in Christ involves far more than just attending church, tithing, and listening to a sermon. [CONTINUE READING →](                       Bible Trivia Question of the Day                                       Complete the following from 1 Peter 5:5 - `God resisteth the _______, and giveth grace to the _______.` A. Simple, wise B. Proud, humble C. Meek, haughty D. Arrogant, strong [ANSWER THE QUESTION →]( [Crosswalk.com Logo]( [Read about Salem Web Network]( | [Unsubscribe From This Email]( [Email Preference Center]( | [View in Browser]( © 2021 Salem Web Network. All rights reserved. 111 Virginia Street, Suite 500, Richmond, VA 23219. This email is never sent unsolicited. You are receiving this email because your email address, {EMAIL}, is signed up to receive newsletters, updates, and special offers from Crosswalk.com - The Devotional. [Link](