I Was Just
Thinking About - - -
Are you a person who subscribes to the idea that the end justifies the
means? Perhaps you may be attracted to the words of a legendary football coach,
Vince Lombardi, who allowed: “Winning isn’t everything – it is the only thing!”
Do you believe that machinations are
totally acceptable in the culture of today? Machinations means: “crafty schemes; plots; intrigues.” Two of the
synonyms are: “stratagem and device.” When this is the approach, its similar to
observing a chess-master who gives no indication of his strategy or moves. His
idea is to bait you into playing “his game” and falling prey to his skillful
board moves.
The Idiom Free Dictionary states the following regarding the end justifying
the means: “You can use bad or immoral methods as long as you accomplish
something good by using them.” There are two illustrations used to express that
concept (not everyone agrees with it): (1) Lucy got money for the orphanage by
embezzling it from the firm where she worked. The end justifies the means, she
told herself.” The additional illustration seems more applicable at this time
of political saturation in the United States. (2) “The politician clearly believed
that the end justifies the means since he used all kinds of nefarious means to
get elected.”
Deuteronomy 18:14-22 addresses the potential of machination in terms of
prophetic utterance. It is set in the context of a pagan culture and society.
God’s people will encounter a culture where machinations are common-place: “The nations you will dispossess listen to those who
practice sorcery or divination.” By contrast, there is a clear and precise
instruction: “But as for you, the Lord your
God has not permitted you to do so.” The people of God are not to dabble in the
theories and intrigues of an unbelieving cultural worldview. Instead, “The Lord your God will raise up for you
a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen
to him.” What will distinguish the true from the false? How will a person be
enabled to drawn the distinction? The Lord states: “I will raise up for them a
prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in
his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.” There will also be
accountability of both that which is spoken and that which is heard and
implemented: “I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to
my words that the prophet speaks in my name.” The consequence for the one
imitating a true prophet will be: “But a prophet who presumes to speak in my
name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other
gods, is to be put to death.”
The Lord
anticipates their question: “You may say to yourselves, How can we know when a
message has not been spoken by the Lord?”
The Lord’s answer is: “If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come
true, that is a message the Lord has
not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.” In
the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:15-16), Jesus warns: “Beware of false
prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous
wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.” II Peter 2:1-3, summarizes and
concludes: “Now there were
also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers
among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies that even deny the
Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will
follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of the truth will be
defamed. In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with tales they
have concocted. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and
their destruction does not sleep.” We must be guarded and discerning so that
the cleverly devised fables of men do not become attractive to us. Embrace and
identify the Truth always! Consider
these things with me.
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