Beware of Deceivers I
Memorise: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: – 2 Timothy
3:16
Read: 2 Timothy 3:1-8 (KJV)
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of
God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn
away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive
silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the
truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
Bible in One Year: Luke
9:21-10:42; Job 24:9-20
A deceiver is someone who practices deceit as means of seducing, misleading, or
giving false impressions to people. A deceiver would try to impose a false idea
that causes bewilderment, helplessness, or confusion in people’s mind. Every
act of deception is a direct attack against the truth for the purpose of
distorting the original creative order and position of things by the Almighty
God. Deception is therefore the devil’s invention which has been carefully
designed to create doubts and questions about the credibility of God in the
hearts of men. This is the reason why deceit is condemned by God as an attempt
to deny His sovereignty and the revelation of Himself. After the devil’s
successful attack on Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:1-7, God repeatedly warned humanity
about the subtlety of Satan and his false prophets. Matthew 24:11 says
“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.”
The whole of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is full of similar warnings
about the deliberate plot of devil to send his evil agents of deception in form
of false prophets and heretic teachers into the world, in order to deceive and
mislead many. These deadly agents of deception have perfected the means of
attacking unsuspecting individuals from two seemingly harmless fronts. One of
their tactics is to preach the gospel of the alternative. They claim to be
serving the same God through another saviour, and therefore present their
religion as a better alternative to Christianity that only has the appearance
of the Christian religion on the surface, but is full of heresy, ungodliness,
and immorality in actual practice. To this end 1 Timothy 4:1-2 says
“1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times
some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having
their conscience seared with a hot iron;”
In the above passage, the Word of God is making it very clear to us that the
activities of these agents of darkness will become very concentrated and
effective in the latter days, such that it will cause some believers to depart
from the faith. This will happen because those affected would commit the error
of giving heed to seducing spirits. They would be seduced through the preaching
of other gospels, the gospel of relativism, modernism and post-modernism, and
through attractive motivational messages. To counter the evil, we must turn
to 2 Timothy 3:16. God has given us all scripture by His
inspiration, to be profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and
instruction in righteousness. Dangerous heretic teachings are in the air, but
anyone that abides in the Word of God, can never be deceived. Be warned.
Prayer Point: Father, please don’t let me ever give heed to seducing
spirits in Jesus’ name.
HYMN 9: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN
JESUS
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