The term caveat emptor is a Latin term that means “let the buyer beware.” Its use as a disclaimer of warranties arises from the fact that buyers typically have less information than the seller about the goods or services they are purchasing. Defects in the goods or services may be hidden from the buyer and only known to the seller.
The Church needs to become aware of some things. The enemy, the antagonist of our soul, Satan himself, is trying to sell the Church a message of anxiety and fear through a pandemic and crises. The enemy knows his time is short, and he is unleashing a full-fronted, final attack on the Church through political upheaval, racial tension, cultural uprisings, and a constant onslaught of negativity through the media and humanity itself. We should heed the Apostle Paul’s warning to the church in Corinth:
2 Corinthians 2:11 (NASB)
“so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”
The enemy may try to inject us with fear and despair, but God is reminding His Church that we are overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. We will not surrender or succumb to the manipulative tactics of the enemy.
Today, caveat emptor is mostly used in property law after the close of real estate deals. Under this principle, a buyer cannot recover damages from a seller for property defects if it is unfit for use. To understand this concept, let’s look at Scripture.
Genesis 13:11-13 (Berean Bible)
“So Lot chose the whole plain of the Jordan for himself and set out toward the east. And Abram and Lot parted company. Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked, sinning greatly against the LORD.”
In this synopsis of Abram and his nephew Lot, we see the importance of a single choice. Abram chose to dwell in the promise land created by God, while Lot chose to reside in a secular society that had no intention of installing morals or Godly living. The warning sign to Lot was clear and explicit: Your life will get damaged if you go there! Your family is going to suffer if you go there! Where you decide for your faith to reside will impact not only you but also your family.
So here’s a daunting question for all of us during this time of uncertainty and unpredictability: Where will your faith reside? In a haven of hope or a dungeon of despair? Will you walk in faith? Or be coalesced by terror and fear? Will you take residence in the promise land? Or dwell in the habitations of the wicked?
Beware of those who have a weak state of faith and try to impose it on you:
Numbers 13:17-20, 27-28, 30 (ESV)
Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes…
…And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large…
…But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”
It doesn’t matter who the President of the United States is or who may be the victor of future elections. Believers must cling to the promise that they will possess everything that God has said He would give to them. Our hope is not predicated upon the occupant of the Oval Office. While we have a moral obligation to advocate for Christian principles, we must not be dismayed when temporal things don’t go our way.
Joe Biden didn’t build the promise land.
The Republican Party didn’t build the promise land.
China didn’t build the promise land.
God did.
Beware of any situation or fallacy that will attempt to distract you from walking into your promise land.
Demetrius Minor is a minister, author, and political commentator. He is a former radio talk show host and television personality. He is also a member of the Project 21 advisory board of black conservative leaders across the United States. He and his wife, Riesa, serve on the leadership staff at Tampa Life Church in Tampa, FL.
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