Led Astray? - Thursday 25th October

1 Timothy 4
1 God's Spirit clearly says that in the last days many people will turn from their faith. They will be fooled by evil spirits and by teachings that come from demons. 2 They will also be fooled by the false claims of liars whose consciences have lost all feeling. These liars 3 will forbid people to marry or to eat certain foods. But God created these foods to be eaten with thankful hearts by his followers who know the truth. 4 Everything God created is good.

Would we be turned astray? Or would we be fooled?
The problem is that we can be fooled from behind! Plausible arguments about “healthy eating”, “modern lifestyles” and “political correctness” come on us from every side. Marriage is out of fashion, not for the sake of celibacy, as Paul was probably thinking, but in many cases to enable sex without responsibility, relationships without long term investment. Similarly, eating is not now a joyful social occasion, but has become the zone of the pundit and the “expert”, and foods may be prescribed or forbidden almost on a daily basis with great passion.
How easy then to get consumed in the great arguments about “personal freedom” and so on, but to the detriment of our faith. Observers see Christians getting into massive political and social arguments, which no matter how plausible in their own right, somehow obscure what we are really here for, which is to show the goodness of God and to bless him for his creation with thankfulness. So simple, yet so profound – and apposite too in this season of harvest!