What drives churches into irrelevancy and compromises the family’s integrity at its core? It’s syncretism—mixing the things of God with the things of the world. And one of the greatest syncretizing tools in the world today are our phones. As Christians, we must ask ourselves, “Are these devices making me more or less holy in how I use them?” To avoid syncretism, we must, first, double down on the word of God by saturating our minds in Scripture daily. Second, we must double down on our family—don’t let the enemy kick down your home’s door anymore. And, third, we must double down on the church by faithfully devoting ourselves to its interests. 

Scripture Reference: Psalm 106:35-36; Deut. 18:9; Isaiah 2:6; Mark 7:8; Jeremiah 10:2; Romans 12:2

Sermon:https://churchandfamilylife.com/sermons/67037998177b921a763bb898

Psalm 106.35, but they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works and it became a snare to them. This verse points to a great danger to your life, my life, and our churches. And it's what would drive our churches into irrelevancy. It would corrupt our families for multiple generations. It would dull our witness.

It is syncretism. Syncretism is mixing the things of God with the things of the world. And syncretism is such a danger because if one misunderstands the gospel, they'll be a victim of syncretism. Because in syncretism, the power of the gospel is lost. It embraces what is already in the culture instead of transforming culture.

And so, syncretism is the amalgamation or the mixing of different things together. And it really is the greatest danger to the church. And what is the greatest syncretizing tool in the world today? It's your phone and the internet. And you have to ask what is the effect of these inputs on my life.

Is it making me more holy? Is it creating a holy nation, a separate people who walk in the ways of the Lord? Let me give you some language in the Word of God. In Deuteronomy 18.7, Moses says, when you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not to learn to follow the abominations of the Gentiles. Isaiah talks about people who are filled with Eastern ways in Isaiah 2 verse 6.

The Lord Jesus Christ talked about respecting cultural traditions more than biblical truth. Jeremiah 10-2, Jeremiah says, do not learn the ways of the Gentiles. In Romans 12 to Paul tells the Christians in Rome not to allow the world to squeeze them into its mold he says and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Okay, syncretism is dangerous. Three things to do, three things to offset syncretism in your own life, in your family life, and in your church.

First, double down on the Word of God. Live your life out of the Word of God. Get to a quiet place. Declutter your life. Don't think that five or ten minutes in the morning is going to transform your life.

Saturate your mind with the Word of God. Live your life out of scripture. So double down on the Word of God. The second thing is to double down on your family. What in your family are you trading away for the Word of God?

The greatest impact you'll ever have in this world is on your family. And then thirdly, double down on your church. Devote yourselves fully to your local church. I mean, are you taking your local church lightly? Are you one of those people who has plenty of time for the gym, plenty of time for the pickleball court, plenty of time for scrolling, but you have no time for church prayer meetings, you have no time for the equipping ministries of a local church.

And you know, what are you doing with your children in the Church of Jesus Christ? Are you just taking them to church or are you teaching them the doctrine that's being taught in that church? Are you walking through the sermons with your children so that they really understand what the Bible teaches? Maybe you bring your children into the worship service. Well, what are you just bringing them in like you used to drop them off at Sunday school and not instructing them and helping them?

So doubling down on your family, syncretism is the greatest danger. Double down on the word of God. Double down on your family. Double down on your local church life. The grass withers, the flower fades.

But the word of our God stands forever. Scripture applied as a production of Church and Family Life. Visit churchandfamilylife.com for more resources. Ever.