An Encounter With Deception

A few weeks ago a couple of well-dressed and attractive ladies came to my door with a message of deception. Yes, it was that.

Their bible was translated to establish their doctrine. As to who Jesus really is, or was, they read from John 1, "In the beginning was the word and the word was.....a.....god." The second lady came forward to point out that the Greek there was the same as it is in Acts 28:6, where the Apostle Paul was called ....a...god by the natives when he did not fall dead after the viper bit him.

I am not into original Greek. Give me the plain old ABCs. But common sense tells me to consider the context in both passeages above. In John this Word they call ....a....god also is named the Creator further in the context. I led them to the passage in I Timothy 3:16, where it declares "God was manifested in the flesh...." I don't recall how their translation read, but likely it was made to read: "...a...god was manifested in the flesh...."

One thing is certain, though. Once on the road of deception, they must forever continue, or try to do so. The claim that Jesus is not God will not hold up in the whole of Scripture, for God's inspired, Spirit-moved, Word holds true.

I did refer them to John 8:58, where Jesus answered the Jews' question with this: "Before Abraham was, I AM!" I don't recall how they evaded that one.

All this has led me to think of the various decptions the devil has developed for mankind, and what they are to accomplish in his plan. Above, it is denial that JESUS is really God in the flesh, thus making their Jesus non-essential. this is the same deception in the Mormon doctrine. There, Jesus is identified as a created being, brother of Lucifer, the fallen angel we know as Satan. Thus, Jesus is non-essential for salvation in their book, and by their plan, salvation is dependent on a person's works, primarily church membership--their church only, of course.

The deception that a person must... MUST...somehow perform SOMETHING to merit salvation permeates almost every denomination in all Christendom. Many born-again believers tgo to bed at night, hoping they have done enough good stuff to merit salvation, or have not done something that shuts them out. None have been avble to say, or point to, exactly which sin is the one that flips them over the edge! It is truly amazing how we think, right in the face of conclusive statements throughout the New Testament that speak otherwise.

Note this: "For Christ is the END of the law for righteousness to EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES"! Romans 10:4. Looks like faith is the only key.

And this: "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."! GFalatians 2:21

If a person cannot be assured of his salvation, he is forever held to that issue and cannot be effective to any length in Christian discipleship. Thus, Satan's deception through the whims of man, or basically, one of the three temptations of his, the pride of life, does its evil work. Adding naything to the mix of grace and faith and the willing and eager desire of God to save us is part of that deception. Baptism, church membership, taking communion, and for the Catholics, mass participation requirements--all these and others of likekind, are part of the deception.

Catholics are taught all their lives that they can leave their spiritual welfare in the hands of their priest, and they will be just fine at the judgment. Do what we want and have no worry about it. What a way to live! Yes, another very dangerous deception that will, along with the teaching of Purgatory, brings many right into the depths of hell. Hebrews 9:27 says this: "It is given to man once to die, and after this, the judgment."!

One other deception comes to mind. Many, many folks believe that Jesus is coming again, but have no idea when, or how it will be.
The pre-trib, pre-wrath, mid-trib and post-trib issues confuse people, and some even maintain that all those things of Revelation's accounts already have happened in ages past.

If Satan can convince people that they still have a second chance to make things right and be saved, that fits right in with the sin-hungry and sin-sick natures we have inherited from Adam. So, if one is convinced that when these tribulations and desolatons start happening, then he can submit to Christ and be saved, then the deception has worked.

When Jesus, and Paul, spoke of the unannounced coming of Christ for His own, like a "thief at night" and catches one with his "lamp not trimmed and filled with oil" (not spiritually ready), then he will be left to the ravages of the Anti-Christ as he sets out to control the whole world and all who are in it. Salvat ion will be possible, but it will be a difficult time of it.
Read again Luke 17:26-30 and give it some serious thought as to when the stated events occur there.

We must pay attention to the details of God's word, for deception is the number one tool in the hand of the enemy.

Stand fast brothers,

Gene Lawley