Unequal Exchanges

"Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles... They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator..." -Romans1:22-23, 25

Exchange: the act of giving or taking one thing in return for another (trade). (Merriam Webster).

We exchange when it benefits us. People don't make exchanges when it doesn't benefit them. As we read in Romans, they (the world) exchanges God for gods and truth for lies. From the beginning of time, the enemy has successfully executed this. He makes us believe that exchanging something for the world is of greater value than the pursuit of God. If the world did not believe that an exchange would be beneficial to them, it would not happen, but the devil has created this lie inside of all of us that he stirs. Yes, even me, even you. It's a battle that doesn't stop when you are saved, it's a battle we must fight, daily. The devil is really good and creating filters that hide the faults. He puts a filter on the world that makes it look more appealing to our flesh than the God of it all. In Genesis, Eve exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and it led to the fall. The Israelites exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images. If the devil can convince someone that the exchange of truth for lies is an equal trade, then he can easily speak lies into everyone's minds that make that trade. The devil lies, he is shrewd, from the beginning of time. He just needs us to believe that those trades are of equal value and he has immediate, unfiltered access to our minds and souls.

You see, exchanges are not mandatory, they're optional. But some things become so appealing, we make those exchanges. Is there anything of the world that you're exchanging for God right now? It doesn't have to be truth for lies or God for idols. It can be His love for worldly love, His grace for guilt, His peace for stress, anxiety, depression. The devil presents us a flaw filled world as unflawed. And it's not until we are so far in that we begin to see the colors fade, the cracks open, and the truth come to light. We must be diligent about exchanges we make, especially when it comes to the Kingdom. Worldly and Kingdom exchanges will never be obviously unequal to the Christian, they will be slyly unequal. To the world, they don't see it as unequal, and that's the problem. Even the obvious. "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." (Romans 1:21).

So, whether it be an exchange for lies, or an exchange for worldly love, power, etc. We must always be on guard. Protect your Kingdom values over anything else. Know that eternal Kingdom principles are of far more value than temporary worldly pleasures.