Satan’s Great ‘Axiom’, i.e., Lie – Sunday Thought For The Day

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition. defines the word Axiom as: A self-evident or universally recognized truth; a maxim; An established rule, principle, or law; A self-evident principle or one that is accepted as true without proof as the basis for argument; a postulate.

“God helps those who help themselves” is an Axiom largely accepted as biblically true by many believers and unbelievers alike. Many Christians and non-Christians state the saying as if they were reciting the words Christ spoke in His ‘Sermon on the Mount.’

The problem with this lie from the pit of hell is twofold at the least: 1) It encourages self-sufficiency; 2) It promotes a standard of self-righteousness based upon one’s own value system.

If we could help ourselves there would be no need for Christ.  We could simply determine our best course of action and at some point ask, and expect, God to wrap things up according to our wants.

But herein is the serpentine character of Satan, which reveals the willful blindness of man. The lie is intended to lead us to the belief that we can and are supposed to rely upon our own judgment, i.e., reasoning, and in so doing develop or own system of righteousness.  We pray not in submission to God’s will, but in reality for God to participate in the selfishness of our plans.

The Word of God instructs us: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV)

But the enemy of our souls has convinced many through the deceitfulness of our hearts and pride, that we are sufficient based upon our own understanding, and that we do not need to rely upon God in all things.  In fact, it’s looked upon as foolishness to trust God in everything.  It’s even looked upon as not understanding free will.

But here again is scripture misunderstood.  Free will applies too God’s allowing us to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior or reject Him and suffer the eternal ramifications of that wrong decision.  Free will is the love of God manifested in that He does not force us to love and accept Him, the penalty for choosing wrongly being beyond comprehension notwithstanding.

If we could help ourselves why would Christ have sent the Holy Spirit?  One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to “lead us in all truth.”  Why would I desire to lean upon my own understanding, which I have proven to myself is fallible, time and time again; when I can petition the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God who is Creator and sustainer of all that is seen and unseen, in the name of Jesus Christ my Savior and my Lord, who in His earthly incarnation was perfect and sinless in all of His ways?

Seeking God’s will and direction in everything also increases my faith in Him, because I experience Him leading me safely time and time again.  It isn’t that I don’t trust my own judgement as such, it is that I trust God more because He has never led me to a wrong path/decision.  The more I lean upon Him, the closer my relationship with Him grows.  My greatest desire is not just to live my life in the way that’s pleasing to Him, but to have a close, personal relationship with Him.  I want to walk as closely as possible with my Lord and my God while here on earth, so He is not a stranger when I finally meet Him face-to-face.

Leaning on my own understanding and depending upon myself when I can take everything great and small to God in Jesus’ Name, to me would be like walking through a minefield blindfolded in the pitch black of night, when I could have the person who knows where every mine is placed and who is guaranteed to lead me through safely in the brightness of day, guide my way.

I am neither embarrassed nor do I feel diminished to rely solely upon the Lord.  Those who are, should ask themself why?

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Jeremiah 17:5-9 KJV

5 Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.

6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?