There are certain mixtures that are extremely harmful to us. Mixing certain medications with food, or even chemicals, can cause disastrous results. Each of these elements, by itself, can do no harm – on the contrary, food, medicine and chemical products help us in many ways and are essential in our lives – but the danger lies in combining them.
The same is true with faith and emotions. In their essence, none of them are harmful. What’s wrong with believing in something we do not see or feeling happy? However, the problem lies in mixing these two elements. When they fuse inside a person, the results are the worst possible.
The fusion between faith and emotions causes people to act irrationally, making bad decisions that will destroy them over time. The destructive effect of this mixture is long term.
It tastes sweet, but corrodes the stomach. At first, it resembles something special, holy and pure, but when the results begin to emerge, they prove it to be the exact opposite. In fact, faith and emotions, together, form something disgraceful, diabolical and extremely harmful.
In practice, this mixture causes its victims to rely on feeling or not feeling something to believe in the things of God; this is, it causes their faith to stop being faith. And, without a pure faith, it is impossible to have any connection with God, because, as it is written: …without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists… Hebrews 11.6 (HCSB)
We cannot turn to God or please Him through our heart. Those who have their faith annulled by emotions, no longer have anything to do with God, or please Him – even if they appear or think otherwise.
People who are constantly inebriated by this dangerous mix become weak, unstable and undefined. They are Christians during the good times, but turn away during the bad times; they are strong when everything is in their favor, but weak when faced with adversities; they are fervent in praise, but cold in trusting and obeying God. And, they are always – whether inside or outside of Church – lost: they are unable to see who they really are or where they are going.
If the effects of this mixture have been controlling you, there is still time to get rid of it. And here is the opportunity: from this moment on, ignore your emotions and live by true faith – a faith without mixtures –, which does not depend on a feeling to believe and be well.
Decide to live by what is written, instead of continuing to live by what your senses are processing. And, if you have been attracted to the false advertising of this mixture, don’t even try the first sip. It is strong enough to get you addicted, and suave enough to lead you straight to hell, while you still think that you’re on the path to heaven.
Bishop Macedo
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