False Security

Introduction:

1. Growing up in the Bay Area, my dad and I went fishing quite frequently.  We had a 16-foot boat and lived fairly close to the bay.

2. I remember the normal routine we would go through in getting ready for our trip. 
   a.  Trailer on the hitch, everything in boat was secure and would not fly out, and last but not least we would be sure that we had the spare tire.
   b. Every once in a while we would forget it and if we were not too far away from the house we would turn around and go back home to get it.

3. Recently, my parents bought a house and had to move.
   a. The boat was not used very much over the past few years so my dad thought it best to have the spare tire checked out.  We never had to use the spare tire.  The man at the station told my dad that he hoped he had received a good deal on the tire because it would not fit on the trailer.  Sure enough, my dad looked and there were 5 holes on the wheel but only 4 bolts on the trailer.  All this time we had made certain that the spare tire was there in case of an emergency.  After all, you never know when you might get a flat tire.  The security we had by having the spare tire with us was in vain.  If we had a flat tire the spare would not have provided us any assistance.  All we had was a false sense of security.

4. My dad and I had a good laugh when he told me what had happened.
5. Unfortunately, many today have the same kind of security when it comes to matters of a spiritual nature and that is no laughing matter.
6. We should desire spiritual security.
   a. It is also something that we need. 
   b. John's first epistle had this purpose.  I John 5:13, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life." 

7. Confidence in our eternal destiny is important in our lives as Christians.  A miserable existence we live if we do not have this confidence.

8. Although spiritual security is important, what is perhaps more important is making sure this security is not false. 

9. Just because I feel secure religiously doesn't make me right. 

10. The only basis I have for my security is the comparison I make between my life and God's word.  If I am living my life in accordance with God's Divine Word, I have reason to feel secure.  Otherwise I have reason to be fearful. 

11. Let's consider some examples in scripture of those who had a false sense of security.

I. False Security Is Ignorant Of God And Truth

A. The Jews whom Jesus addressed in John 5 had a false sense of security. 
   1. In showing that it wasn't His sole testimony that substantiated His claims, Jesus talked of other witnesses: John the Baptist (vs. 33-35), God the Father (vs. 36-38), and even the scriptures (vv. 39-47). 
      a. It is in the scriptures that the Jews had put their trust but Jesus showed them that they really didn't believe in the scriptures because they pointed to Him. 
      b. Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me." (John 5:39). 
      c. They had put their hope in Moses but in doing so Moses accused them of unbelief.  He said, "...the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" (John 5:45b-47). 
      d. Their security was false because their belief was not focused on what the scriptures really meant.

B. Many people today are ignorant of God and truth. 
   1. Just look around and what you'll see is all kinds of different "opinions" about the characteristics of God and truth. 
   2. We understand that the word of God is truth (John 17:17) and we have a responsibility to know it (John 8:32). 
   3. Paul said, "So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Eph. 5:17).  We do that by reading and studying the word (Eph. 3:3-5). 
   4. It seems that most religious people today do not study as they should.  Far too many people listen mainly to what they are told by others.  Their belief is not there own because they have never searched the scriptures to find out what the truth is. 
   5. It would be a very scary time to meet the Lord at judgment having only followed what other men had told us. 
   6. We will have the security of God and the truth by finding out what the Bible teaches and following it.  Ignorance will only bring us a false security.

II. False Security Is Deceived By Pride

A. The men who built a city and a tower had the same kind of security. 
   1. Genesis 11:4, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."
   2. There is safety in numbers. 
   3. These people wanted to stay together, build a tower up to heaven, and make a name for themselves.  What security I bet they felt! 
   4. We know that this security didn't last too long as God confused their language.  They scattered over the face of the whole earth (11:8) and thus fulfilled God's original purpose (Gen. 9:1).

B. Naaman the leper was deceived by his pride.

   1. He was a powerful man (Captain of the army of the King of Aram, highly respected (II Kings 5:1)
   2. However, when he came down with leprosy, he didn’t want to obey the simplest of commands.

      a. Read vs. 10-12.
      b. Elisha didn’t even come in person!
      c. Finally, his servants talked some sense into him and he obeyed the command.

C. Many people today have a security based on their pride. 

   1. For example, if you believed that you could never lose your salvation, it would be very difficult to change and say that it was possible. 
   2. That’s why the seed only prospers on the good soil (Matthew 13:8).  It is only the one who hears the word, understands it, and bears fruit (vs. 23) that is right. 
      a. Luke’s account tells us that the seed that lands on the good soil are those that have heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance (Luke 8:15). 
   3. Pride will cause us to look at something with the wrong perspective.  We won’t look at what God’s word really says but only what we would like it to say. 
   4. The writer says, “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling. “ (Proverbs 16:18).  If we don’t humble ourselves we will never see what God is telling us. 
   5. “A man's pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.” (Proverbs 29:23).  If our attitude is not right, our pride can shield us from obeying the truth.

III. False Security Trusts In Lies

A. The church in Laodicea had a false security. 
   1. "Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked" (Rev. 3:17). 
   2. They thought that everything was fine.  In reality, however, it was not.  They were in terrible shape. 
   3. Jesus told them that they were lukewarm.  These were people that would not take a stand on anything and trusted in the lie that everything was all right.

B. If we all told ourselves that we were doing everything right and that we were going to heaven that might make us feel secure. 
   1. Does that mean that it would be true?  Of course not.  Just because I “feel” that everything is right or someone tells me I’m doing what is right doesn’t make it so. 
   2. What makes it true is if I’m following God’s word.  It is God’s word that is the standard (Phil. 3:16; II Tim. 1:13), not man’s opinion.

Conclusion:

1. Security can be a wonderful blessing but if it is based on error, we will lose our soul. 
2. The challenge is to make sure that we do not feel secure based upon our own reasoning and wisdom. 
3. It is the words of Christ that will judge us (John 12:48) and we would be wise to follow His plan.

                                                                      --Shane Williams