Recently, I was watching a Hallmark movie. Yes, I watch Hallmark movies, and no, you cannot take away my man card. I don't live alone. I live with my sister, who gets to choose what we watch sometimes.
This particular movie was about a woman who worked in advertising, representing a New Jersey company that sold bottled water. They were trying to rebrand this company, calling it by a French name, making people think they were getting sophisticated French water, a really fancy product. But when push came to shove, the woman said, "You know what, it's still just the same old New Jersey water."
The official term for what this company was doing is called "repackaging."
Basically, they make it look better, and more appealing to the eye. They strive to get you to see their product in a different light than you are used to thinking of the product.
Considering this definition, I realized businesses aren't the only ones using repackaging. Our enemy and all of his evil forces also have become quite the expert at repackaging the sins and bondages they use to try and trap God's people and keep them bound in their sins and from becoming mature, godly believers.
As believers have become aware of what sins and issues to avoid, the enemy has also become aware of the need to repackage them so they aren't as easily noticed. Instead, he makes them look better and more desirable.
Many sins and evil practices have been repackaged so they don't seem so bad. For instance:
-Strip clubs are now called gentleman's clubs.
-Alcohol abuse is called social drinking.
-Pornography is called adult entertainment.
-Abortion is called a woman's right to choose.
-Adultery is called an open relationship.
-Homosexuality is called an alternative lifestyle.
-Prostitutes are called escorts.
-Demons, witchcraft, and satanic activity are called Sci-Fi.
-Racism is now called critical race theory.
And the list goes on and on.
Our spiritual enemy and his evil forces have realized that if they repackage the sins we all have come to recognize as things to avoid, they can trap a whole new generation of people. So he has cleverly renamed and resold many of his goods and wares, and both society and the church have bought into his marketing campaign without even realizing it.
For too long, we have not given the enemy the credit he deserves for his shrewdness and cunning ability to trap us and bind us in chains, and before we know it, we are bound in sin and feeling hopeless, helpless, and alone.
1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (NIV)
Do not doubt that the enemy will use anything to destroy our faith, our relationship with Jesus, and our witness. This isn't just true for new or weak Christians. Even people who wholeheartedly love Jesus and do all they can to serve Him often fall prey to the enemy's sneak attacks.
Notice: 1 Peter 5 was written to elders in the church. He was talking to leaders when he said, "Be sober and vigilant..the enemy is looking for ways to destroy you.”
That is why we need to know what the Word of God teaches us. The Bible is our guidebook for life. It contains not only the words of God but also His moral rulebook for how we are to live. The Bible is the roadmap for the Christians' journey through life. When we know what the Bible says, we can see through the enemy's repackaging schemes and see the traps, sin, and temptation for what they really are.
So what about you? Are you spending enough time in the Word so that you can discern and avoid the enemy's repackaging campaign?
Are you strong in your knowledge of the Bible that you can pick out the lies and traps that are being set all around you as the world works to make sin seem less and less evil and more acceptable?
Is your mind being renewed so that you can tell what God's good, acceptable, and perfect will is?
It is time for God's men to pick up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and start fighting back!
We can't keep buying into the lies of the enemy and his temptations. We can't fall for his repackaging schemes. Instead, we must see things for what they are.
We must call sin "sin" and not allow cultural views and distortions to cause us to become trapped in sins and bondage.
We must know what we believe and stand firm in our beliefs.
This is how we recognize the same old traps wrapped in new, more appealing labels. Then, we can continue growing in our walk with God and become the men He created us to be.
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