The Success of Deception
Matthew 24:4-5 Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ, and will deceive many.
These prophetic words of Jesus tell us what we are to watch out for in the end. Jesus clearly was concerned that His children could be deceived. This was the very first thing Jesus stressed when asked by the Disciples about the end times and His Second Coming. Jesus goes on to tell us that many will come claiming they have the truth about God when in fact they would teaching another Jesus and a false gospel. The real chilling part of these words by the Lord are not that deception will come or how the deception will come — it is the fact that the deception will be very successful. MANY WILL BE DECEIVED!
The deception Jesus spoke of was religious deception. Many read these gospel words to be a warning about the crazy religious kooks and zealots, people like Jim Jones, David Koresh, Jose Miranda and Mr. Moon. Jesus was not referring to these obvious delusional freaks. Religious kooks like these guys are easily spotted by the mainstream (the ”many”). While some may be deceived, it will not be very many. Jesus was speaking about a more sinister and insidious type of deception; one that is so hard to spot that even the elect could be deceived, if that were possible. The true deceiver will come carrying a Bible, quoting Scripture and preaching a wonderful godly sounding message that will be very well received and popular. These are the wolves in sheep clothing and the ministers disguised as godly workers of righteousness as spoken throughout the Scriptures. Indeed the devil used Scripture exclusively to tempt and deceive Jesus in the desert. Paul feared for the early church and their endurance in sound faith for salvation and he warned them to be on guard.
2 Corinthians 11:3-5 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
Like Eve’s deception in the garden, the deceivers are unwittingly being led astray and then in turn leading others astray. The devil tricked Eve and then she unwittingly deceived Adam so both rebelled against God. Some of the lies told by the father of all lies have been told for so long that they have become the “obvious truth”. But this is how MANY ARE DECEIVED. We should indeed have a very healthy skepticism, at least initially, about anyone we lean on for spiritual wisdom or insight. While nobody knows it all and true revelation comes from God, we need to understand the schemes of Satan which mix in a little leaven into the lump of dough. It does not take much to create a new Jesus and a different gospel which is spiritual poison for our souls. That is why we are to know the Scriptures and test everything against the Word of God.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Note the key word ALL in the above verse. At the heart of religious deception is the cherry picking, perverting, twisting and outright blindness to Scripture properly divided. The Devil used Scripture to attempt to deceive Jesus but Jesus answered that EVERY (ALL) the words of God must be used to know the truth that will set us free.
Matthew 4:4 “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on EVERY WORD that comes from the mouth of God.’”
False teachers have sprung forth that pick through the Bible only the verses that support their cotton candy, flesh pleasing gospel. This is as the Lord told us it would be in the end.
Prophecy Fulfilled?
Jesus’ prophecy of many being deceived is being fulfilled right now in this generation. Much of the professing church is in full-blown apostasy — the great falling away is clearly at hand. The apostasy may have started in Rome many moons ago but it certainly did not end there. There are many movements of false prophets that have appeared along with false signs and wonders. Signs and wonders follow the Lord, they do not lead you to the Lord! We walk by faith not sight yet many are easy pray for the deception promoted by the powers of darkness. You see a lot of this on TV and many popular ministries show off supposed healings, holy laughter, shaking and all kinds of disorders as it relates to speaking in tongues. These things may indeed be real, spiritual things, manifest in the flesh, but they are of the wrong spirit.
Still there are scores of large ministries that speak words of flattery about our prosperity, our purpose in life and lots of other nice things that really lead us away from Jesus yet are spoken as if they lead us to Jesus. These have followed after the error of Balaam who traded God’s calling for gain of money and reputation. I do not wish to name names in this forum but I will just say what Jesus said as a little litmus test.
Woe unto you when all men speak well of you
The biggest deception of all is coming from the mainstream Protestant churches. It is the one that has ensnared the most victims with its cotton candy gospel which denies the Lord Jesus. The churches are teaching a form of godliness but deny the power of Christ to change and transform lives that lead us into obedience and a walk of holiness. The sound doctrine that the Apostles taught has been replaced with a gospel that says we can walk double minded and commit spiritual adultery and stay in the will of God. Lord have mercy.
This is all a precursor to the revealing of the antichrist which is going to shock the world, especially Christians.
2 Thess 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed
The spirit of the antichrist is the opposite of God’s spirit. This spirit is Satan our enemy. These demonic forces were already at work IN the early church over 2,000 years ago. Working on the inside for 2,000 years it is difficult to grasp the extent of the deception.
1 John 4:2-3 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.“
Jude 4 For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
It is a lot harder to fight a hidden internal enemy than one that comes and attacks you straight up. But that is the heart of our battle, it is fighting lies and deception that come from the “inside” and look wholesome and godly on the surface. Paul gave Timothy some prophecy about the great falling away that we are now in the midst. We are told that deceivers will be deceiving and being deceived themselves. Do not be one of them! It will be going from bad to worse in the end times that we are in now.
1 Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons
2 Timothy 2:13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived
You must have knowledge of the enemy and be alert for the wiles of the devil and his demons. Satan walks around looking for Christians to devour and he does this by deception. The father of all lies is indeed smooth and hard to spot but we must guard our hearts and our minds and not be overcome.
ARE YOU DECEIVED?
The question to ask and pray about is this. Are you deceived? Are you caught up into the apostate error prophesied in the Scriptures? Are you involved in the false signs and wonder movements? Have you followed after men who have fallen for the perversion of Paul’s Epistles like Romans and Galatians as Peter said would happen (2 Peter 3:16)? I have asked these questions to God many times as the shocking truth of the extensive deception amongst “christians” put me on guard that I was somehow being led astray. But God is faithful, He has always answered my prayers for wisdom and understanding and has provided me confirmation via His written Word and the soft whispers of His voice I hear in my heart.
I am not deceived at the moment and I intend to stay that way by following the voice of my Shepherd and being led by His Spirit. But I also know, praise be to God, that I do not know it all. I know enough to know that I don’t know it all, in fact I know very little but I do have a hunger and thirst for knowledge of God. This is the power of God working in Me and I thank God for His grace that put it in there.
Pray for wisdom always. God grants us wisdom when we ask Him for it with the right motives.
James 1:5-6 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith
It is very important that we go to the ONE source JESUS for truth and wisdom. If the words spoken/written by anyone do not conform you to godliness and do not line up with the Scriptures, do not follow that man, women, pastor, blogger, YouTuber or prophet. We should test everything with the Word of God and search the Scriptures daily to make sure the things being said are indeed so. Doing this will ensure you are wise unto salvation in Christ Jesus. Heed the warnings from Jesus. The deception, the poison, the leaven, is going to come from professing believers, the outwardly religious, so watch out.
Matthew 16:6 Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
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