Da Vinci Code: Making Your Faith Foolproof Series

We’re in the series on Reaching Your Full Potential for God.

Last week we covered the pre-requisites to reaching your full potential for God. The Bible laid the groundwork in Colossians chapter one for your advancement in Christ. Reaching your full potential in God is so vitally important because it reaches out and touches every other area of your life. Your relationships, your finances, your emotions, your hopes and dreams for life.

This week we’re going to talk about what to do after you’ve laid the foundation in Christ. One thing the Bible makes crystal clear in the Colossian church letter is that Christ is the foundation to a life of spiritual potential!

I want to give you one example of why this is such a vital issue by reading some excerpts from an article by Lee Strobel called, "How to Respond to the Davinci Code."

"Dan Brown’s red-hot, page-turner The Da Vinci Code has become a runaway best seller with 40 million copies in print and will debut as a major motion picture on May 19. What’s most intriguing, though, is not merely the astronomical sales figures – it’s the effect the story is having on popular culture. By cleverly mixing fact with fiction, Brown has created a raging controversy over how many of the novel’s claims are rooted in reality."

"USA Today said the book consists of ’historical fact with a contemporary storyline.’ Charles Taylor of the popular Web site Salon.com said: ’The most amazing thing about this novel is that it’s based on fact.’ Brown even begins his book under the heading ’FACT,’ telling his readers: ’All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.’"

"However, the book’s assertions are so outrageous that they have spawned a mini-industry of books debunking them. Among the claims: Jesus was never considered to be the Son of God until he was deified in AD 325 by the Roman Emperor Constantine for his own nefarious purposes; Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, who bore his child; Jesus wanted Mary Magdalene to lead his church, but she was forced out by power-hungry men and demonized as a prostitute; and the four Gospels in the Bible are essentially fabrications designed to seal this masculine power-grab for the rest of history."

"Amazingly, some readers are being convinced that this fiction is really fact. A survey by Decima Research, Inc., showed that one out of three Canadians who have read the book now believes there are descendants of Jesus walking among us today. And according to pollster George Barna, 53 percent of Americans who’ve read the book said it had been helpful in their ’personal spiritual growth and understanding.’"

"On the surface, this looks like a serious challenge to Christianity. But it’s also an incredible opportunity. What if churches and individual Christians took advantage of the hoopla surrounding the forthcoming movie to reach out to their friends, colleagues, and neighbors with the real story about Jesus?"

In Colossians chapter two Paul reveals vital information on the real story about Jesus and why the truth about Jesus is so essential to know.

Keep in mind that Paul is writing from Rome to a church he had never been to before. Why would he do that? Why did the great apostle and missionary go to the trouble of writing the Colossians when he was imprisoned in Rome? He answers that question in Colossians chapter two.

Colossians 2:4 (CEV) I tell you these things to keep you from being fooled by fancy talk.

5 Even though I am not with you, I keep thinking about you. I am glad to know that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.

Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write his letters to the churches "to keep you from being fooled." Circle that phrase in verse 4. That’s one of several great purposes for the Bible – to keep you from being fooled.

The catch is - you must follow the precepts set forth in God’s Word if you want to make your faith foolproof. You must be "living as you should." Circle that phrase in verse 5.

These two ideas, "keep you from being fooled" and "living as you should" are intricately tied together.

Part of the life of the Christ follower is in learning the other part is in living.

To keep from being fooled by the counterfeit religions and philosophies all around you there are some important courses of action you must take. Paul outlines them in Colossians chapter two. As we cover these courses of action today ask yourself how you are doing in each of these areas.

First of all, if you want a faith that’s foolproof you must…

1. Maintain consistent communion with Christ.