It is easy to see the world is full of deceived people.
They are deceived by their loved ones, fellow workers, politicians, friends, scientists, media, professors, teachers, and yes, even pastors and spiritual leaders.
Deceiving people has become an art form in this modern age, in fact Hitler’s psychological profile it is noted, “people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.”
In Satan’s constant struggle with God, he continually works to not only deceive believers in Jesus Christ, but also to spread lies to keep others from coming to life-giving faith in our resurrected savior.
In 2 John 1:5-8, the apostle wrote, “I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
“I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out in the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.”
John, as a “Son of Thunder,” calls these deceivers antichrists. What he was dealing with the first century church was a form of Gnosticism. They believed Jesus, being God, could have no dealings with the flesh. They taught Jesus was only present on earth in Spirit.
There is a reason John was kept alive so long, as the apostle who watched Jesus die on the cross knew Jesus came her in the flesh and gave himself willingly to death on the cross.
John also saw the empty tomb and gave testimony to everything he saw and knew about Jesus.
Now, we are still being deceived. The deceptions are different, now people just outright deny there ever was a Jesus. Others say he was just a prophet, or a wise teacher — the deceptions are many and they all are meant to draw people away from God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
Now this is to believers out there, if someone asks us, “Why should I believe in the Jesus of the Bible?” are we prepared to answer the question sufficiently? My guess is probably no.
We have become so enamored with our own selves we fail to relinquish this world to Christ. This self-reliance that we hold so dear in essence cripples our witness and our relationship with God.
Let’s say the folks 40 and over were imbued with the Puritan work ethic from the time they were children. We were taught to work and do for ourselves, then we go to work and sing praises to God, but not allow him outside the church doors.
People see that, they see us living life as they would live it in a constant search for “heaven on earth.” Some search in politics, others search in illicit drugs while others search in treasure.
They search because they have believed the lie that Jesus cannot satisfy every want and ache in their body. They search because we, as believers, fail to deliver the truth as can be seen in our daily lives.
There is coming a time when we will have no more opportunity to refute the lies being paraded around as truth. The truth for Christians is we must love one another. Not in some hippie kind of commune, but a love through Christ that goes beyond emotion to a faithful obedience of God’s commandments. A love that would not deny anyone the life-giving gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, His name be praised.
Now, how do we gird ourselves from being deceived — study the word and put your life in the hands of Jesus.
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We live in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” — Titus 3:3-7
Our truth is the cross of Jesus, on this side of it is pain and death, on the other is life through Christ’s atoning blood. A truth that will never lead down the path of destruction.
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