Parable of The Boiled Frog ...

[mourningdove~]

Many of us have probably heard it ...

The Parable of The Boiled Frog​

“If you place a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will immediately try to scramble out. But if you place the frog in room temperature water, and don’t scare him, he’ll stay put.

Now, if the pot sits on a heat source, and if you gradually turn up the temperature, something very interesting happens. As the temperature rises, the frog will do nothing. In fact, he may show every sign of enjoying himself.

As the temperature gradually increases, the frog will become groggier and groggier, until he is unable to climb out of the pot. Though there is nothing restraining him, the frog will sit there and boil.

Why? Because the frog’s internal apparatus for sensing threats to survival is geared to sudden changes in the environment, not to slow, gradual changes.”



I think we can look at this parable and apply it to how we as Christians can become deceived.

I don't think many, if any, of us wake up one morning and make the decision to become deceived.

I don't think many of us as Christians decide one day to start fellowshipping in Hindu temples, or Muslim Mosques, or the like ... as they are not Christian in belief.

Nor do I think many of us Christians, after salvation, decide to join a street gang so as to live the wild life.

Lots of us choose after salvation to not even go into sinful places ... like brothels, porn shops, x-rated movies, drug houses, bars ... well, you get my drift!

Generally, as followers of Jesus we will want to go places, do things, fellowship, in ways that are conducive to growing in our faith. It's just a natural kind of supernatural thing that happens after conversion!

So no, I doubt many of us seek to be deceived.

But deception does happen.
Much like how this frog became deceived ... and someone's dinner!

Deception happens gradually, slowly.

We may begin watching and listening to tv preachers that don't quite preach the whole gospel truth.

Or we may begin reading Christian books that are full of more of the world's philosophies than the principles of God.

Or we may begin hanging with persons that aren't so stable in the faith.

Or we may begin reading too much worldly stuff and not enough Bible.

Or we may begin listening to too many loud voices in the world rather than choosing to listen to the gentle nudgings of the Holy Spirit.

Or we may begin hanging out too much online in forums with Christians that are not 'like-minded'.

Or ...

In this day of tremendous technology and opportunity, there are so many ways that we can become confused in our thinking ... and deceived.

And generally, the process happens very slowly.

When we arrive 'there', we don't know it.

That's the nature of deception!

We do have a Saving Christ Who can deliver us from deception.
But why allow deception to happen at all?

( ... I know I surely don't want to suddenly find myself one day being someone's dinner!!!)

We are told in the Word ...

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Proverbs 4:23

Good advice, sound advice, biblical advice ... from the Word of God ... because God does not want His people deceived and lead astray ...

 

[Messy]

Yes, good post, never heard it by the way.

 

[Svt4Him]

Totally unrelated, it's not true, a frog will jump out of warming water.

snopes.com: Slow Boiled Frog

 

[Svt4Him]

Haha, ya, probably missed the point of the thread...carry on...

 

[jiminpa]

But if the frog is gradually lured into sin by a false grace message that slowly lulls him into deeper and deeper sin will he eventually be trapped in sin to the point that he lies about Christians without even seeing that he is doing anything wrong and becomes so engulfed in his false grace message that he sets out to cause others to sin with the same false grace message that lured him into sin and deception?

Going with the parable and all.

 

[mourningdove~]

Totally unrelated, it's not true, a frog will jump out of warming water.

snopes.com: Slow Boiled Frog

The subject of this thread is deception, and not whether or not the parable is literally true.

But to elaborate upon your snopes research, I provide the link below to allow readers to decide for themselves (privately please, lol!) the value of this parable ... a parable that has been used for many years now, not only by businesses but in churches and sermons, too:

Boiling frog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

____________________________________________________________


NOW, as to the subject of this thread:


Svt4Him, you've obviously read my post. What are your thoughts on what I've said about deception:

Do you believe a Christian can become deceived?
And if so, do you believe one generally becomes deceived slowly, gradually?

If you'd like to discuss deception, your thoughts are welcome here.

 

[mourningdove~]

But if the frog is gradually lured into sin by a false grace message that slowly lulls him into deeper and deeper sin will he eventually be trapped in sin to the point that he lies about Christians without even seeing that he is doing anything wrong and becomes so engulfed in his false grace message that he sets out to cause others to sin with the same false grace message that lured him into sin and deception?

Going with the parable and all.

I believe it is very possible that he eventually will be, because sin hardens the heart and the hardened heart is spiritually blind and self-focused to the exclusion of the light.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

But if the frog is gradually lured into sin by a false grace message that slowly lulls him into deeper and deeper sin will he eventually be trapped in sin to the point that he lies about Christians without even seeing that he is doing anything wrong and becomes so engulfed in his false grace message that he sets out to cause others to sin with the same false grace message that lured him into sin and deception?

Going with the parable and all.

Yup!

 

[ToBeBlessed]

But if the frog is gradually lured into sin by a false grace message that slowly lulls him into deeper and deeper sin will he eventually be trapped in sin to the point that he lies about Christians without even seeing that he is doing anything wrong and becomes so engulfed in his false grace message that he sets out to cause others to sin with the same false grace message that lured him into sin and deception?

Going with the parable and all.

Your not telling a falsehood I hope, just going with the parable?

 

[jiminpa]

Your not telling a falsehood I hope, just going with the parable?

If my commentary on the parable has more than a ring of specific truth I am still not the one who did those things, nor is it any less applicable as a proverb. For the sake of the OP, the COC and the edification of all it is best to address it as a hypothetical.

 

[gideons300]

Many of us have probably heard it ...

The Parable of The Boiled Frog​

“If you place a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will immediately try to scramble out. But if you place the frog in room temperature water, and don’t scare him, he’ll stay put.


I think it a very appropriate comparison. The Bible is a wonderful book but it is very unbending. Truth is truth. It does not change. So when God warns us to not be deceived, that all adulterers, fornicators, thieves, etc. would not inherit the kingdom of God, there it is, like it or not, laid out in front of us. What we do with it is certainly our choice, but we must understand that we are responsible for those choices and that they have eternal consequences.

This is not a time for situation ethics. The Bible truths do not change with the times on the issues of sin and its consequences.

I have likened the church as planted on the south side (the conservative one, of course) of a large iceberg slowly but steadily moving away from the truth. Because we are a part of the iceberg, we are unfortunately moving as well, very slowly. But as the iceberg melts, it seems to be picking up speed. Now, we may pride ourselves as always being more conservative than the rest of the world around us, but where are we compared to the truth, which is NOT on the iceberg but anchored down, not moving?

We have come to the point where it is a very slippery slope. For instance, pre-marital sex. When I was a teen, it was almost unheard of, and yet now? It is almost commonplace, and I would suspect that is true for our young people in the church. I am sure Barna has some figures on that. But God says BE NOT DECEIVED. Are they listening? Are we telling them clearly, or do we consider that "judging" and "condemnation"?

Once we have left using the Bible as our measuring stick for what is correct and what is not, it increases our chances of deception greatly. It used to be that everone carried a Bible into church. Now? One in five maybe. Now that will not save you, but it is an indication of how important what God says is to us.

So, how do we get off the iceburg? The iceburg is the world. We are not of the world. We serve a different king. Will it make us look weird if we stick to truth as the world slowly evolves downward, moving away from us just by our standing firm to the truth? Yup. Will we be thought of as archaic and uncool Yup. But if we do not like this, and long to "fit in", then it is best we remember this verse. Jesus asked:

"How can you believe, which receive honor from one another, and do not seek for that honor which comes from God alone?"

The answer? You can't. There is but one way to protect against this slow drifting that even we in the church are experiencing. I believe it is in putting off the old nature, which belongs to this world, and to put on our new man, which is led by the Spirit into all truth. We are putting on our citizenship in another country.... the kingdom of God.

Right now, the church is in a very confused, vulnerable and weakened state. It is like a sweater that got caught on a nail and is unraveling at a faster and faster rate. There is confusion and disharmony everywhere and no one seems to be saying the same thing. New doctrines and takes on grace are assailing us. Truths that were once bastions of our faith are now wavering, and the average believer is tossed to and fro.

But in the midst of this confusion and turmoil, God is lifting up a standard for all true believers to grab hold of, a bridge to get off the iceberg and to run to safety in Him. Again, I hate to be repetitive, but it is in our faith that God has made us truly "not of this world"..... new creatures. We have to renounce our citizenship in the iceburg, and to let the life we once lived go. We are not that man or woman anymore.

Until we see that, we can batten down the hatches and try like heck to not be swayed by the world around us, but Madison Avenue is a billion dollar industry built around getting the masses to accept what they are putting out. Safety on the iceburg? There is none.

Once we see the danger of remaining as old natured people, and have NO confidence in our flesh to be our anchor, and cry out to our God for the faith to believe His promises are really, REALLY true and trustworthy.... for US, the bridge will appear and we can all run into our savior. This is not our home. We are not of the earth. We are stranger and pilgrims, sojourners here, awaiting our king to set things right. And in these final days, God is restoring the truths that will allow us to escape and to run joyfully into Him, It is called the highway OF holiness and God want so plant us there, with new natures that can walk it out with ease. He says that on this highway, there wil be no ravenous beast, and a man, though he be a fool, shall not err here. Wow! Now that is good news.

If none go with us, if everyone in the church begins to say that grace makes sin ok, and repentance unnecessary, will we stand firm in what God has said? In the old man? Not a chance. In the new, our safety is guaranteed, for our God nas promised to CAUSE US to walk obediently. Let us put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisions for the flesh (to exist) to fulfill the lusts thereof. How? By reckoning ourselves dead, to sin, dead to this world, dead to self.

Blessings, and great OP by the way.

Gideon

 

[Frogster]

I have to say, I am having a great lol ! You guys are great, and I really appreciate the comments and humor here!

Very creative idea, love the theme, continue on!

Hopfully people will post frog leg lunch photos, I hear they taste like chicken.

But hey, lets remember, God used my ancestors for the good in egypt!

Well, anyway, happy to say, dove hunting is big where I live, we use birdshot on them, they are pests! They make that awful cooing noise all day!


Later gators, continue on

 

[Frogster]

But seriously folks, really, the decpetion was brought into Corinth, by the people who hated grace.

Paul could simply not understand, why they would put up with another gospel, and get into legalsim, leaving grace, indeed, the deception by the devil, was to take them from grace.

2 Cor 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

The one and only frog, rib-it.

 

[Frogster]

The devil has to deceive people, and he fears grace, so he deceives them into thinking they are better off without that "awful" thing, called grace.

In their past, the Galatians were very into spells, and the "evil eye" thing, here Paul shows how the devil did indeed deceive the church, he put a spell on them. The spell was not to get them into grace, nope, away from it, because grace is Jesus! So the spell was the deception, and as they left Christ, like the little frog in the boiling water, the incremental drift, was from grace, so again, beware the devil, attacking grace, that is the deception in the text.


New International Version
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

New Living Translation
Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ's death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross.



Holman Christian Standard Bible
You foolish Galatians! Who has hypnotized you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified?

?

 

[Frogster]

Here we see the evil workers, used also In Corinth for the deceptive false apostles, here in Phil 3, it was about the grace haters, and the evil workers were from the devil, always trying to deceive Paul's children to leave grace.

So again, we see that the deception, and yes, like the poor little frog in water, is sometimes slow, yet sometimes fast, there is text for both, but anyway, bottom line, the test for deception, incrementally or overnight, is does the teacher, attack grace, if so, the devil is behind it, deceiving people to leave grace. They were called "angels of light", ministers of the devil in 2 cor 11.


Evil workers/evil doers, depends on what Bible used, who attack grace, deception indeed!


Phil 3:2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.


Thanks, froggy.

 

[Messy]

Well, anyway, happy to say, dove hunting is big where I live, we use birdshot on them, they are pests! They make that awful cooing noise all day!


Later gators, continue on

LOOOOL!!!!!

 

[Messy]

 

[ToBeBlessed]

But seriously folks, really, the decpetion was brought into Corinth, by the people who hated grace.

Paul could simply not understand, why they would put up with another gospel, and get into legalsim, leaving grace, indeed, the deception by the devil, was to take them from grace.

2 Cor 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

The one and only frog, rib-it.

And one of the devil's greatest tactics is fear. When we are in the gospel of His grace, we have no fear. We can truly do the Lord's work as He calls us to do. We are not off trying to impress God or working to keep our salvation. When we 'try' to be holy, we are off doing what we think God wants us to do. We are using our time, focused on ourselves asking 'are we good enough'? Will God forgive me? What if I do that again?

Our focus then is back on us. It's a circle and their is no escape from it, if you are always trying to keep your salvation. The devil can have his way with you and he will. Reminding you of every doubt you've ever had.

Not for me anymore. That is not being led by God. Being led by God is when we are letting Him drive the bus.

 

[ToBeBlessed]

I like it. Love the 'F', Forever!

 

[Messy]

In order for the frog to turn into a prince, it had to be submerged in water and go through a transformation. Maybe I’m stretching it, but think of that as being like a baptism of faith. The “frog” starts transformation once baptism of Christ takes place. Then a prince that was hidden is revealed, and by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit he grows. Just like us before Christ (the frog), we accept Christ, we become baby Christians (prince), and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we grow to be mature Christians (full grown prince). Of course, the process with the toy in the jar all happens within a few days, but for us, the process takes much longer.

http://holy3nity.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/ace-of-grace/