faithfulservant
Member
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2009
- Messages
- 462
One of Satan's primary tactics against God's children is the lie. He used it against Eve at the very beginning:
Genesis 1:1-7
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
Jesus declared Satan the father of lies. Lying was actually birthed by this creature. Before Satan was created, there were no lies. He actually invented lying!
John 8:44
44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Satan even has his own church, a church that pretends to represent God and spreads lies about God and His truths. Every generation has one, it appears we have many:
Revelation 3:9
9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.
The New Testament has a number of warnings against deception, especially at the end of the age (which I think it's clear the return of Jesus is very, very close):
1 Timothy 4:1
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
2 Timothy 3:1-7
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
2 Peter 2:1-3
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
I could go on, but I think you get the point. Knowing these things, we must consider how we are to defend ouselves against deception (emphasis mine):
2 Thessalonians 2:3-10
3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
This passage starts with a warning to the believers of the church in Thessalonica. This warning puts the issue right in the hands of the believers: Let no one deceive you in any way.
Look at verse 10: Some people will simply refuse to love the truth.
This is important, as receiving truth is connected to our freewill. We have a choice in this matter. The truth isn't always comfortable, primarily because that discomfort is borne from the rebellious will not to want to change.
So we follow our hearts, instead of God's truth. Hearts are deceptive, though:
Jeremiah 17:9
9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Consider what Jesus said about the Kingdom of God (emphasis mine):
Matthew 13:44-46
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
These passages are framed around someone "selling" all they own in order to obtain what they found, but I think a very practical, and important, application can be found in recognizing that believers must be prepared to put aside all the lies of the world, the doctrines that go against God's truth, and whatever baggage they may be carrying from before they become born again believers in Christ.
When I read the word of God, and I come across something that directly opposes an ideal I've held (no matter how long I've held it), I've got to let that false ideal go and grab hold of God's truth.
Let me state for the record, I don't think anyone gets into heaven with a perfect doctrine. We all have ideas that don't perfectly line up with God. God isn't a "Gotcha!" God, either. He does, however, test hearts. And He does warn against deception through His word for a reason.
This is about major, fundamental truths that should not be compromised. I'm not talking about debatable points. I'm talking about apostasy and deceptive stuff that leads people to willingly sin against our God which may lead them to being bound by their sin again.
Stuff like your stance on the rapture is not worth arguing about. Whether or not women should wear head covers isn't worth arguing about. What style of music to praise and worship isn't worth arguing about.
However, whether Jesus is God in flesh is worth arguing about (as He most certainly is). Whether or not people should worship statues of Mary is worth arguing about (as it is gross idolatry). Whether or not believers should wallow in sin is worth arguing about (as sin is deceptive, and we should seek the Lord to deliver from sins and temptations).
Now, having said all that, allow me to give you a warning about what's coming to Christian forums, blogs, news-sites, and chat-rooms everywhere. In fact, it's already here:
There is a concerted effort by Satan to infiltrate and pervert godly gathering places in these last days. I've seen this effort ramp up tremendously in the past 3 years. It's a full-on blitz, folks, and it's getting more and more deceptive.
So many churches are actively turning against God's word to serve their fleshly wants. The people filling up these churches have a pointed agenda: They aim to claim and re-frame what "Christianity" is. Their framing, of course, is not grounded in Biblical truth. It's a perversion. A lie. It's from Satan.
Go to the online news-site the Christian Post. Go to any story even marginally related to atheism or homosexuality and you will find an absolute swarm of anti-Christ spirits pounding away at basic, fundamental Christian truths. You will find these people in the comments section.
This stuff isn't a joke, as Satan is coming in the power of lying signs and wonders to lead people (that includes God's people) astray.
Go to any Christian youtube video that has any Christian ideas portrayed in a clear, resounding manner. You will find hate-filled vitriol being shot forth from atheists and homosexuals who wish to persecute and attack anyone who dares to think anything contrary to what their own fleshly desires drive them to.
Consider this forum. It's here, too.
We should not fear or freak out. There's nothing to fear if we simply trust in Jesus and stay awake and be aware. Put the Armor of God on every day. Pray for discernment. Pray for the LORD to put the love of truth in your heart! He will do it!
Just know these warnings are for just such a time as we are living in. People, the apostasy is well under way. Satan is laying snares for young, newborn Christians to fall into by making them question their faith. He's using atheists, homosexuals, and anyone who does not love the truth to subtly, and sometimes not to subtly, chip away at our faith.
Just be aware of this, and rely upon Jesus. The LORD will guard you against deception.
Genesis 1:1-7
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
Jesus declared Satan the father of lies. Lying was actually birthed by this creature. Before Satan was created, there were no lies. He actually invented lying!
John 8:44
44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Satan even has his own church, a church that pretends to represent God and spreads lies about God and His truths. Every generation has one, it appears we have many:
Revelation 3:9
9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.
The New Testament has a number of warnings against deception, especially at the end of the age (which I think it's clear the return of Jesus is very, very close):
1 Timothy 4:1
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
2 Timothy 3:1-7
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
2 Peter 2:1-3
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
I could go on, but I think you get the point. Knowing these things, we must consider how we are to defend ouselves against deception (emphasis mine):
2 Thessalonians 2:3-10
3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
This passage starts with a warning to the believers of the church in Thessalonica. This warning puts the issue right in the hands of the believers: Let no one deceive you in any way.
Look at verse 10: Some people will simply refuse to love the truth.
This is important, as receiving truth is connected to our freewill. We have a choice in this matter. The truth isn't always comfortable, primarily because that discomfort is borne from the rebellious will not to want to change.
So we follow our hearts, instead of God's truth. Hearts are deceptive, though:
Jeremiah 17:9
9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Consider what Jesus said about the Kingdom of God (emphasis mine):
Matthew 13:44-46
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
These passages are framed around someone "selling" all they own in order to obtain what they found, but I think a very practical, and important, application can be found in recognizing that believers must be prepared to put aside all the lies of the world, the doctrines that go against God's truth, and whatever baggage they may be carrying from before they become born again believers in Christ.
When I read the word of God, and I come across something that directly opposes an ideal I've held (no matter how long I've held it), I've got to let that false ideal go and grab hold of God's truth.
Let me state for the record, I don't think anyone gets into heaven with a perfect doctrine. We all have ideas that don't perfectly line up with God. God isn't a "Gotcha!" God, either. He does, however, test hearts. And He does warn against deception through His word for a reason.
This is about major, fundamental truths that should not be compromised. I'm not talking about debatable points. I'm talking about apostasy and deceptive stuff that leads people to willingly sin against our God which may lead them to being bound by their sin again.
Stuff like your stance on the rapture is not worth arguing about. Whether or not women should wear head covers isn't worth arguing about. What style of music to praise and worship isn't worth arguing about.
However, whether Jesus is God in flesh is worth arguing about (as He most certainly is). Whether or not people should worship statues of Mary is worth arguing about (as it is gross idolatry). Whether or not believers should wallow in sin is worth arguing about (as sin is deceptive, and we should seek the Lord to deliver from sins and temptations).
Now, having said all that, allow me to give you a warning about what's coming to Christian forums, blogs, news-sites, and chat-rooms everywhere. In fact, it's already here:
There is a concerted effort by Satan to infiltrate and pervert godly gathering places in these last days. I've seen this effort ramp up tremendously in the past 3 years. It's a full-on blitz, folks, and it's getting more and more deceptive.
So many churches are actively turning against God's word to serve their fleshly wants. The people filling up these churches have a pointed agenda: They aim to claim and re-frame what "Christianity" is. Their framing, of course, is not grounded in Biblical truth. It's a perversion. A lie. It's from Satan.
Go to the online news-site the Christian Post. Go to any story even marginally related to atheism or homosexuality and you will find an absolute swarm of anti-Christ spirits pounding away at basic, fundamental Christian truths. You will find these people in the comments section.
This stuff isn't a joke, as Satan is coming in the power of lying signs and wonders to lead people (that includes God's people) astray.
Go to any Christian youtube video that has any Christian ideas portrayed in a clear, resounding manner. You will find hate-filled vitriol being shot forth from atheists and homosexuals who wish to persecute and attack anyone who dares to think anything contrary to what their own fleshly desires drive them to.
Consider this forum. It's here, too.
We should not fear or freak out. There's nothing to fear if we simply trust in Jesus and stay awake and be aware. Put the Armor of God on every day. Pray for discernment. Pray for the LORD to put the love of truth in your heart! He will do it!
Just know these warnings are for just such a time as we are living in. People, the apostasy is well under way. Satan is laying snares for young, newborn Christians to fall into by making them question their faith. He's using atheists, homosexuals, and anyone who does not love the truth to subtly, and sometimes not to subtly, chip away at our faith.
Just be aware of this, and rely upon Jesus. The LORD will guard you against deception.
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