Paul Derengowski, Ph.D.
This morning in the Star-Telegram Express was an article written about how to keep snakes from slithering into your home. The article itself was actually a regurgitation from an article by the same title published online three weeks ago. This time, it came in paper form, gratis, as it lay in my driveway.
The article itself addressed an apparent problem that many homeowners are having around the area with snakes, as well as other pests, creeping to their homes, due to all the rain we have had in the past couple of months. At our humble abode, the rain gauge accumulated 33 inches of liquid between September 1 and October 31.
Advice was given on how to prevent all the creepy-crawlies from venturing in to get away from all the water. Check cracks and seals around doors, especially the garage. Pay attention to vents and siding. Air conditioning units have openings into the house that may allow certain critters access. Look up! Not only are snakes capable of crawling up walls, but other varmints, likes squirrels and rats, are quite adept at making their ways into attics.
By way of application, the advice given to deter the slithering pests from gaining entrance into one’s domicile could be analogically applied to religious snakes, as well. For just as pesky animal pests desire to make your home their home too, pesky religious pests desire make your life their life, if you are not careful about them sneaking in unawares.
Jesus said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Mt. 7:15). The apostle Paul wrote, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them” (Rom. 16:17). The apostle Peter warned, “Be sober, be alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). Jude, Jesus’ half-brother, wrote, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you earnestly contend for the faith…For certain persons have crept in unnoticed…ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 3-4).
Clearly the mandate is there, but what can be done to fulfill it? Here are few helpful tips.
- Check for “cracks” and weaknesses in what you claim to believe. Second Corinthians 13:5 commands believers to, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves.” Orthodox Christians believe certain fundamental things about the faith: the Trinity, Jesus’ deity, the infallibility of the Bible, salvation by grace through faith, etc. If you are having difficulty subscribing to the basics or are having difficulty explaining them to others, then be truthful to yourself and everyone else and explain why. It could be that you are not a Christian or are simply in need of instruction on the subject.
- Prayerfully read God’s Word, the Bible, daily. After all, it is His special revelation to you, as a believer, whereby you will be taught, reproved, corrected, and trained in righteousness, in order that you will be adequate and equipped for every good work that God has for you (see 2 Tim. 3:16). Besides, since the Bible is “the sword of the Spirit,” meaning its source of authority comes directly from God Himself, you will have a defensive tool readily in hand and mind to counter the daily challenges leveled by those who come “slithering” up to your door to lead you astray.
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JW “pioneers” Read sound Christian material written by sound Christian theologians and authors. If you do not know the theological background or pedigree of an author, then ask. If the source is ambiguous or unnamed, then do not consume it until you find out. Just because a work claims to be Christian or has Jesus Christ somewhere in the title does not necessarily mean it is either Christian or that the biblical Jesus is in mind. There are multitudes of charlatans and imposters that have gone out into the world. Therefore, test them to see if they are from God (see 1 Jn. 4:1).
- If you are unsure about your apologetic (defense of the faith), then simply to not engage in a conversation with those who are confident about their cult apologetic. A sad reality these days is the fact that those in the cults (Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Islam, atheism, etc.) spend more time in indoctrinating their followers than do Christians. The result is unprepared Christians ready to counter cult “evangelism” and countless victims being sucked into the traps laid out for them. If you do not know what you are doing, when it comes to religious “pests,” then a basic rule of thumb is, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching”—the teaching that Jesus Christ is deity, as His Father—”do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting” (2 Jn. 9).
- Realize that whatever amount of love-bombing that might take place, the pests at your door are disingenuous. Disguising themselves as angels of light and ministers of righteousness, they are actually servants of Satan and are up to no good (2 Cor. 11:13-15). That will become quite obvious, should you offer an intelligent response to their pitch. Not only will you be shunned or written off as “dead,” depending on where you live or what you do, you will be hated. Just remember, “Because the world hates you, you know that it has hated [Jesus] before you” (Jn. 15:18).
If you will keep these tips in mind, whether dealing with animal pests lurking about and attempting to enter your house or of the religious pests “prowling” about “seeking someone to devour,” you will not only safeguard the physical structure you call home, you will safeguard your spiritual well-being, as well as those who live with you.
