New Reminders: Scan vs. Security

Scams are so pervasive that Americans will lose over $10 billion this year in fraudulent schemes.  Major newspapers have printed many articles about protecting yourself from common scams.  Typical safeguards include watching out for fake charities, double-checking websites since deceptive links can be just a few characters different than the real one, don’t answer unsolicited emails or texts, and be skeptical of product reviews & testimonials.  The most repeated warning is the one we all know well. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.  For that very reason, many people think the Gospel is a scam.  We need to be prepared to dispel that myth and help others understand the difference between a scam and a truth they can believe.

Scammers often use a fraudulent or deceptive scheme intended to deprive someone of their money or property, sometimes involving misrepresentation or trickery.  While not all scams necessarily meet the legal definition of fraud, they can still lead to civil or criminal liability depending on the circumstances.  Some of the characteristics of a Scam are that they often rely on deception, trickery, or misrepresentation to lure victims.  The perpetrator of a scam usually aims to gain something of value, usually money or property, at the expense of the victim.  Many scams involve gaining the victim's trust before attempting to defraud them. 

One of my friends from my former church, who was a middle-aged widow, was lured in by a romance scammer who used someone else’s picture and profile on an internet dating site to lure her into not only giving him her heart, but her bank account as well.  She lost her home and the trust of her family and friends who were trying to warn her.  She was so convinced that the man in the picture was the man who said he loved her, that she was incapable of believing the evidence that her family and friends put before her that he had been an impostor all along.

We all need to be skeptical and hyper vigilant, to prevent falling prey to all kinds of scams.  The problem is that we also need to know when and what to believe.  The first step is to trust the people in our lives who present us with evidence of what Jesus’ life and His death on the cross has done for us.  Those of us who know the truth need to be ready to present that evidence, by letting others know what the knowledge and experience of salvation means for us. We need to be able to convince the skeptics that God’s grace is real and can be trusted to provide us with the promise of salvation that gives is the assurance we need to live a life of security in eternal life. 

While we want people to be skeptical enough to avoid scams, we also need to convince them that what Jesus did, through His life on earth and His sacrifice on the cross, isn’t too good to be true. It is just so good because it is so true!  Jesus Himself said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life.  He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." John 5:24. The Bible teaches that assurance of salvation comes from trusting in Jesus Christ, receiving His gift of salvation through faith, and experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit in one's life.  While a level of skepticism is good, believers can find confidence in God's promises and the evidence of His work in their lives.