Page 95 - Overcoming Addiction

this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or
covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of
Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of
these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Therefore do not be partakers with them...

James 1:22
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who
deceive themselves.

God’s word testifies over and over that He will judge us according to our
actions, not our confession. The apostle John also sounds forth this same
message.

I John 3:7-8
Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices
righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices
sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

Who will God judge to be righteous? Those who walk in righteousness!
Those whose words and actions are in accordance with the will of God! The many
Biblical warnings against deception occur most frequently in regard to this one
pervasive lie. Men and women falsely believe that their confession alone is all that
is needed to be accounted as righteous in God’s sight. Yet God says such a mindset
seeks to mock His justice.
Consider the example of two men who live in the same town who both
pursue the same fleshly passions and desires. Man number one goes to church and
the other doesn’t. Man number one prayed a sinner’s prayer and the other has not.
Man number one asks God to forgive him every time he sins, and the other
doesn’t. Yet they both live the same lifestyle. They both regularly view
pornography, or get drunk, or take illegal drugs. Both live carnal lives as they seek
to fulfill the desires of their flesh. It would be a mockery of God’s justice for the
first man who claimed to be a Christian to ask God to judge him differently than
the other man. Yet many Christians have such an expectation.
This type of mentality is so prevalent among Christians today that some who
read this might be saying, “Hey, I don’t believe you are right. Isn’t the man who
confessed his sins justified before God and considered righteous?” It is just such a
message of confession that has become separated from actions that has led to so
much deception in the church today. Consider the following parable of Christ,
which seeks to make this matter as plain and easily understandable as possible.

Luke 6:46-49
"Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who
comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom
he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a
foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst
against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.