Fine Sounding Arguments

I love movies about con men. Two of my favorites are Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Matchstick Men. There’s something fascinating about watching a character try to pull off an ever-increasing ruse on his unsuspecting victim. More often than not, in the movies the con man reaps what he sows, and himself becomes the victim of a con, often with hilarious results. But there is nothing hilarious about being deceived in the real world.

In Colossians 2:4, Paul tells the believers that the reason he works so hard in the ministry is “so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.” There are con men at work, he warns, and what they say might sound very reasonable, but it isn’t true. Paul is focused on pouring wisdom and understanding into the believers so that they won’t be taken in by these charlatans.

What about you? Are you able to discern between “fine sounding arguments” and orthodox belief? Have you tapped into the riches of complete understanding in Christ, so that you are able to judge between truth and error?

The devil’s cons always have the ring of truth. The best liars know how to make their lies sound true, and the devil is the world’s greatest liar. You need to be wise to his game, which means that you must be grounded in Christ. The truth is always centered around Christ.

Is what you believe about God centered on Christ?

Is what you believe about yourself centered on Christ?

Is what you believe about history centered on Christ?

Is what you believe about politics centered on Christ?

Satan’s long con is to move Christ, inch by inch, away from the center of your belief and actions. He wants nothing more than to make you Christ-askew. It’s okay by him if Jesus is a part of your life, so long as he’s not the center, the source and driving force, of your life. So beware of his fine sounding arguments and anything that removes Jesus from the center of your faith.