Be Not Deceived

Be Not Deceived

God says quite a bit about the subject of deception. He warns us repeatedly about the consequences of such. In fact, the worst type of deception is self-deception: “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise” (1 Cor. 3:18). Several examples include when one develops the attitude of conceit (Gal. 6:3), hears the word of God but does not apply it (James 1:22), does not control his speech (James 1:26) or claims to be sinlessly perfect (1 John 1:8). In addition, the inspired writers on a few occasions wrote very plainly to their readers (including us) to “be not deceived.” Notice these examples more closely.

“And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived : for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them” (Luke 21:8). In the context of Jesus discussing the future event of the destruction of Jerusalem, He warns His disciples not to follow false teachers who would lead them away from the truth. False teachers disguise themselves well as sheep, “but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matt. 7:15). Hence, the activity of deception is relatively simple and effective to all but those who love the truth (cf. 2 Thess. 2:8-12). In both the religious world and the church where we find so much false doctrine taught by false teachers, this is a worthy admonition for us today.

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Including Christians, everyone should understand that sin has no place in the presence of God (Isa. 59:1-2). For humanity to act as if God will overlook those who commit sin is tragic. For Christians to act as if they are able to enter heaven simply because they were baptized earlier in their lives without any regard for the spiritual condition of their souls is nothing but deceptive. These are worthy words to the many who loudly proclaim false messages of tolerance!

“Be not deceived : evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33). While we usually teach this diligently to our teenagers, this is a message for adults as well. Who are our closest friends? Do we live our lives with anticipation of the fellowship of the saints (cf. Heb. 10:25)? The wise adage rings true: “Birds of a feather flock together.” We fall to the deception of the devil when we do not watch our associations.

“Be not deceived ; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). The law of retribution is a law that has been in effect since the dawn of creation. Youth cannot sow their wild oats without reaping a wicked harvest! Christians must not fall into deception by thinking that one can slip by God. Every action in our lives will have consequences to come. We need to live our lives in constant attention to these facts.

Therefore, here are but a few examples to encourage us in warning against “the wiles of the devil” known as deception. May we all be keenly aware of the damaging effects it can render in our lives!

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The Bible Says, but…

“I know the Bible says that, but I do not see it that way.”

I am amazed at the arrogance of those whose attitude toward the Bible is, “I know the Bible says that, but I just don’t see it that way.” You would think that anyone who knows what the Bible says would immediately embrace it, but that is far from the case. Have we never considered that it is not just a book which “says it,” but because that book is from God, it is God who says it?

The Bible did not come from mortals giving their private interpretation about spiritual matters. If this were the case, then our decision to ignore what their views were becomes a viable option. Yet hear the words of Peter.  “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20-21, ESV). When the prophets delivered their message, it was not their message but God’s!

Take time to look at the words of Ezekiel. He was God’s prophet sent to rebellious Israel. Before he ever began his work, God told him that he would be rejected by the Jews (Ezek. 3:7). The irony was that they “came to church” to listen to his preaching, but had no intention of obeying the words of God which he preached. God described it this way, “They come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them. . . . Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them” (Ezek. 33:31-32). They enjoyed listening to the prophet, but they despised his message. It was as though they said, “I know Ezekiel says this, but I do not see it that way.”

They were so mistaken! It was not Ezekiel giving his lecture; it was the voice of God speaking through him! Ezekiel tried to remind that nation of this truth. Many would be amazed to discover that Ezekiel uses the phrase, “Says the Lord,” 210 times and the phrase, “The word of the Lord came, saying” 50 times.  That’s more than five times on every page of the book of Ezekiel.

So the next time you hear someone say, “I know that is what the Bible says, but I do not see it that way,” just remember they have not rejected a book, they have rejected the Author of that book! Our place is not to elevate our wisdom above the wisdom which God has clearly expressed in His word. Our place is to humbly come before Him and say, “Speak, for Your servant hears” (1 Sam. 3:10).

Let us never forget this truth; write it on your heart. Ours is not to judge the book, the book will judge us!

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The Marriage “Amendment”?

Several years ago, the State of Texas voted in a constitutional amendment defining marriage as existing only between a man and a woman. This constitutional amendment was brought about to combat the threat of “homosexual unions” to the institution of marriage. This constitutional amendment changes absolutely nothing with regards to God’s institution of marriage. Man may change secular law and allow males to “marry” other males; women to “marry” other women, and yet still this would have absolutely no effect on God’s institution of marriage. “Gay marriage”, whether it is voted constitutional or not, is no threat whatsoever to God’s institution of marriage. God ordained, from the dawn of creation, that marriage is between one man and one woman for life. Matthew 19:4-6 “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” It has also been jokingly put this way, “God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!”

Man’s laws in no way supercedes God’s laws. Just because man’s laws allow something, does not make it less sinful. For example, God’s law of “One man and one woman for life” has only one exception: Matthew 5:31-32 “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” Man’s law allows any divorced person, regardless of the reason for the divorce, to re-marry. God’s law gives only one reason for divorce and re-marriage – adultery on the part of one’s spouse. What real difference then would “gay marriage” make with regard to man’s law of marriage? Man’s law of marriage already contradicts God’s law in that it recognizes many types of unions as valid marriages that God has already condemned. Man’s marriage law would be no less unscriptural if it allowed gays to marry than it already is.

I have no problem with our state putting forth and passing this constitutional amendment, even though in reality it changes nothing. All it really has done is given some politician the ability to say on election day, “Vote for me! I saved the Institution of Marriage!” God does not need help. God’s institutions do not need to be saved by politicians – they need to be preserved by Christians! The answer to this problem of “gay marriage” as with all problems in society, does not lie in the political realm. It lies in the spiritual realm, in the realm of God. The only way to solve this or any other moral problem is by teaching and applying the principles found in God’s Word, not by passing laws or constitutional amendments.

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When Must I Stop Sin?

NO GOOD TIME FOR SIN

There is a mind-set in some people that says, “I am not responsible until after I have sowed my wild oats.” Exactly what one means (i.e. personally thinks) about responsibility to God is wrong? No one can willfully disobey God whenever they arrive at an age when they know the difference between right and wrong.

EXAMPLE and COMMENT:

As a person develops from birth, there is a time when they understand that lying is wrong (i.e. should not be done). There is a time when an individual realizes that hurting another person deliberately is wrong (i.e. perhaps deadly). There is a time when one knows that to take things that belong to other people is wrong (i.e. against the law). Indeed, there is a time in the individuals physical and mental development that they are aware of their amenability to the civil authorities and that if they break civil laws they will have to answer to the courts.

As one develops in the previous ways they also develop a sense of responsibility (i.e. an understanding that their actions are being observed by God also). Whenever a person’s intellect reaches a state when they know that they are not doing that which God requires of them they are sinners and need to think about making some corrections in their manner (i.e. standard of living) before man and before God. This is known generally as reaching the age of accountability (i.e. to God). A Bible references that shows man’s responsibility – Mark 7:14 “And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:” KJV

At some point whenever a person reaches an understanding of their lost condition (i.e. the need to correct their disobedience to God) with regard to God and the things that are righteous they must make a decision about their life. The decision cannot be deferred, it must be made one way or the other – A person will either choose to serve God or will become a servant of the Devil by ignoring their responsibility to serve God. NOTE: Joshua of long ago – Josh. 24:14-15, 14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve ; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (KJV)

Young people need to be taught by godly parents that there is a God and that God is truly real and that God is great. Parents need to instruct their children that disobedience to God’s instructions is sin. Parents need to tell their children about salvation from sin at an appropriate time in the children’s physical and mental development. Parents need to correct their children’s actions and speech that indicate that they are becoming responsible to God’s law and tell them that sin in their life must be corrected. Parents ought to encourage their children to listen closely to teaching about sin and the cure for sin in the lives of sinners. Indeed, parents ought to tell their children about God’s plan of salvation for the sinner.

Are we conscious of the passing of time with our children as they grow physical and mentally? We must understand that it is our duty to God, to ourselves, and to our children to keep them up-to-date about God and God’s expectations of their actions and conduct. Parents and grandparents, are we doing the job? We must!

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Evil Suspicions

Evil suspicions!

“But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one” (1 Cor. 2:15).

“Suspicion” is primarily defined as “having a mistrustful nature; having doubt about someone’s honesty, integrity, or motives.” “Evil suspicions” (1 Tim. 6:4) involves impugning motives.  It is to deem something wrong or sinful due to mistrust or doubt (based on preconceived suppositions, or the mere appearance of a thing) without evidence of any actual wrongdoing.

Those who are guilty of evil suspicion are not usually prone to giving someone the benefit of the doubt when the occasion calls for it.  Instead of having an “innocent till proven guilty” attitude, they have a “guilty till proven innocent” mindset.  Such will often judge matters and people without knowing all the facts. Solomon said, “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (Prov. 18:13).

To misinterpret one’s motives as evil or to pass judgment based on supposition (not facts) is to speak evil of that person. “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?” (Jas. 4:11-12).

Jesus and Paul were frequent victims of evil suspicion.  Their motives were often called into question by their opposition.  For example, Jesus was called into question for eating with tax collectors and sinners (Matt. 9:11).  Paul was falsely accused of teaching things he never taught and defiling the temple, which he never did (Acts 21:28-29).  Also consider Job.  His friend Eliphaz concluded that those who are innocent/upright do not suffer (Job 4:7ff).  Therefore, since Job was suffering, he had to have sinned (which, of course, he did not, 1:1, 8, 22; 2:10).  None of these righteous men committed the sins that they were suspected or accused of, but that’s not the way it looked to those who saw what they wanted to see.

We must be careful about jumping to conclusions with people for we may misinterpret their motives or actions, calling something good evil.  “Woe to those who call…good evil…” (Isa. 5:20).  Perhaps we can illustrate this best with a story that was told of Dr. Glenn Olds (a former President of Kent State University) who, in 1941, during his junior year in college, recalled the sight of Mt. Rushmore as he hitchhiked cross-country.  From 10 miles away, he easily made out presidents Washington and Lincoln, but in the middle was a figure that looked a lot like Adolf Hitler.  Yet, once he got closer he realized that what looked like hair combed over a forehead was really cable wires.  What looked like a mustache was really scaffolding.  This made an impression on him and he noted in his journal, “What was Adolf Hitler at 10 miles away was Thomas Jefferson under construction.”

Jesus said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (Jn. 7:24). “…For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).  Therefore, friends, “…Do not be wise in your own opinion” (Rom. 12:16).  “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matt. 7:2).

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