Wake Up!
“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33-34
Don’t Be Deceived
Deception often comes in subtle forms, especially through erroneous teachings and false doctrines. After all, the most effective lies are mostly true.
Don’t be deceived. The many wrong things we listen to, watch, and read have an effect. Wrong doctrine, whether it be straight from the world or in the form of twisted scripture, warps our thinking and in turn, our manner of living.
We must wake up to our own fallibility. No one is above being deceived. There are areas in all of our lives where we fall victim to it. If you think you’re not prone to deception, think again:
“For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” – Galatians 6:3
We will reap what we sow, so it is paramount that we sow seeds of truth in our minds and hearts upon humble, receptive soil.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:7-9
To avoid being deceived, we must be rooted and grounded in the truth of the Bible. In Romans 16, we are admonished to recognize and avoid those propagating lies, which requires that we first know what the truth is:
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.” – Romans 16:17-19
False teachers serve their own interests and deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting and unlearned. To prevent corruption of our thoughts and actions, we must stay vigilant and grounded in sound doctrine, humbly realizing our own inadequacies, so that we can be fundamentally transformed from the inside out:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” – Romans 12:1-3
Awake to Righteousness
Many Christians are asleep. While they are saved by God’s abundant grace, very little in their life reflects the transformative and constraining love of Christ. They are on the sidelines, taking a nap.
In 1 Corinthians 15:34, we are told to "awake to righteousness." But what does that really mean?
It is a call to wake up and realize the high calling and purpose that we have as Christians. It is a call for believers to recognize and live according to their true identity in Christ. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” There is a purpose God saved you: to do His bidding as an ambassador of Jesus Christ and a minister of reconciliation (2Co 5:17-21).
The charge to “sin not” in 1 Corinthians 15:34 is a call to live a life of holiness, reflecting the righteousness we have received through Christ. Paul speaks to the Corinthians' shame, pointing out that “some have not the knowledge of God.” We have a responsibility to grow up into Christ together, which only happens when we learn His truth, communicate it to each other, and serve one another in love (Gal 5:13, Eph 4:13-24).
Redeem the Time
Paul's message in 1Corinthians 15:33-34 is a reminder to make the most of the time we have. We see a similar admonition in Ephesians 5:15-17:
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” – Ephesians 5:15-17
By waking up to our identity in Christ and rejecting false teachings, we can fulfill our God-given purpose: to preach the gospel, help others grow in the truth, and walk in the good works God has ordained for us.
As Christians, we should be vigilant against deception and live out our faith with integrity and purpose. Let us wake up to righteousness, reject evil communications, and embrace the high calling we have in Christ. By doing so, we can live lives that glorify God and make a lasting impact for Christ on the world around us.
