Saturday, May 10, 2014

Discernment

The game of Chinese Checkers has nothing to do with China or checkers. Its rules do correspond, to some degree, with the rules for the game of checkers, but the game uses marbles instead of checkers. In fact, Chinese Checkers actually originated in England and was called Halma, from the Greek word meaning "leap."
The board itself is shaped like a hexagram. It has six colored triangles adjacent to a hexagon. Even the lines within these geometric figures form triangles. The board itself is geometric masterpiece. (And you thought you hated geometry.) Anyway, the next time you want to play Chinese Checkers, ask a friend if he wants to play the game that requires him to move spheres from one triangle to another triangle by jumping the spheres across a hexagon--you know, the English game that is named after the Greek word and is supposed to be Chinese.
As Christians we need to be aware that everything or everyone is not what it claims to be. For example, someone has said that Christian Science is like Grapenuts--It is neither grape nor nuts. Christian or science. The Apostle John tells us to "try the spirits," or "test your teachers." No matter who proclaims that certain matters are taught in the Bible, the Christian must "search the Scriptures'" himself to see whether those things are so. God has given believers the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth. Remember that Luke praised the people of Berea for checking what the Apostle Paul said against the Scriptures. If the Apostle Paul needed checking up on, do you know of any teachers whose message doesn't require the same diligent examination? To base your beliefs on a secondhand relationship to the Word of God is to play into the hands of the many false prophets who have "gone out into the world." They are neither grapes not nuts. Chinese nor checkers. They falsely claim to know the truth and are consequently dangerous to the child of God. They will, of course, be held accountable for their deception. And you will be held accountable for allowing yourself to be deceived.
Test those teacher--every one of them. Particularly the ones you trust the most.

No comments:

Post a Comment