1-7-16 Flagging Faith


I remember when Dutch Elm Disease swept through South Dakota. The city marked all the trees for removal that looked ill with red spray paint. The arborists cut down only the flagged trees and left the unmarked ones.

It amazes me how Christians can lie to themselves that they are spiritually healthy, when their faith is flagged as worthless. Even non-Christians can recognizes the marks of false religion just as non-arborists can note the trees flagged for removal.

The tongue is the flag – the mark of false faith. Oh, the person seems religious, yet the tongue says otherwise. Telling of dirty jokes, swearing, lying, gossiping and such are red flags of worthless faith.

The first sign that my faith is slipping is via my speech. When I find myself wanting to lie to get my way or cover something up, my faith is flagged as ill. 

When swear words slip through my lips, my faith has become worthless. When the desire to share tidbits of information with others – whether true or not – the gossip renders my faith ineffectual.

Those verbal flags are warnings for me to repent and revive my faith. I just need to take note and not deceive myself that I am ok with God. I don’t want flagging faith.
 
“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.” James 1:26. 

© copyright 2016 Kevin T Boekhoff


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