Paul’s words in Galatians 1:6 carry both sorrow and urgency. “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel.” It is troubling how swiftly the Galatians were drawn away, yet it should not be surprising. The human heart is easily turned when Christ is not its singular devotion. Just as Eve was deceived in the garden, not by an outright rejection of God, but by the subtle shifting of her gaze toward the forbidden, so too are many led astray when their eyes wander from the sufficiency of Christ.
Genesis 3:6 captures this tragic moment: “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” (NASB). The deception began not with rebellion but with misplaced desire. Eve believed she was gaining wisdom, but in reaching for more, she lost everything. James warns of this same process: “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15, NASB). This is the pattern—temptation, enticement, sin, and ultimately, death. The wages of sin is always destruction; it poisons all that it touches.
What is the safeguard against deception? Proverbs 4:23 provides the answer: “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” (NASB). The Christian’s heart must be a throne upon which Christ alone reigns. If anything else—whether self-interest, worldly approval, or even a slightly modified gospel—begins to compete for our devotion, we are in danger of being led astray. Heresy does not usually come with flashing lights and warning signs; it comes subtly, wrapped in appealing language, feeding desires that have not been surrendered to Christ.
Erwin Lutzer tells of an artist, Gustave Doré, who painted a striking image of Christ. An admirer, moved by the painting, commented, “You must love Christ.” Doré responded, “Yes, I do, but if I loved Him more, I could paint Him better.” What a piercing truth! The depth of our love for Christ determines the clarity with which we see Him and the faithfulness with which we follow Him. This is why Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30, NASB). Where is your heart today? Where is your soul, your mind, your strength? To love Christ with anything less than our whole being is to invite idolatry.
Let our prayer be this: Lord, let nothing steal my gaze from You. Let no rival compete for my heart’s affections. May my life be a clear and faithful portrait of Your truth. Find me ever pursuing You, my Lord. Amen.
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