Good Morning:
An inevitably of children walking on snow and ice is that there will be falls. This is especially true on a sledding hill. The thrill of flying down the hill on a sled can only be had after making the climb to the top. The slicker the snow and ice get, the more children slip and start their slide down the hill a little earlier than they were expecting. On a slippery slope, it is all too easy to find yourself at the bottom when you thought you were almost at the top.
Psalm 1:1 speaks of a slippery slope a Christian needs to watch out for “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;” The slippery slope of sin can begin with an occasional walk in sin, but before long typically leads to standing in sin and finally becoming so entrenched in it that you’re sitting squarely in sin. To avoid this slippery slope of sin, a Christian needs some solid footing.
The Devil is always trying to push believers off the path to heaven, but it gets easier for him when instead of standing on the firm and solid path of righteousness found in God’s word, the believer is standing on the slippery slope of sin. Here the lies of both self righteous pride or overwhelming guilt are less easy to resist. When you’re walking, standing, or sitting on the slippery slope of sin, you don’t have any solid footing to push back from. How different is the case when you can push back against pride and guilt from the solid footing of scripture?
Scripture casts out pride as Jesus casted down Peter’s pride in John 13:8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Scripture removes our guilt so thoroughly it is as if it never existed “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12) When standing on the solid footing of God’s Word, both pride and guilt are then seen as lies they are, that are meant to distance you from your loving Lord.
The solid footing of God’s Word is exactly what Jesus Himself used to push back against the lies of the Devil, and when you use God’s word to avoid the slippery slope of sin you stand on that same solid footing. Jesus’ command of scripture let Him teach with authority and finally led Him to remove your guilt at the price of His own blood. He knew who He was and what He was meant to accomplish. With a wonderful repertoire of scripture at your beck and call, you won’t be like the child struggling to climb the icey hill, but rather will be standing surefooted and ready to face your foe. You will always know who you are and what you are meant to receive, a child of God and an eternity in heaven.
In Christ,
Pastor Naumann
