Are We There Yet

CHAPTER 11 DECEPTION Its Meaning Yes, the time is near for the return of Jesus. In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks about his return. He starts by warning his followers to not be deceived. What did he mean, and why is this warning so important? It is important because deception can lead us away from the truth of God’s Word and could ultimately lead to losing our salvation. Have you ever been deceived? I know I have. All I can say is thank you Lord Jesus for not granting my every prayer request. Instead, you sent me your wisdom. I fall into deception when I really want something to be. I wish I had a better report but the truth of it is, I don’t. I have tried to be part of specific groups where, after serious thought, I moved away from. I have also wanted to do great things for God, only to later come to the conclusion that it was only me trying to glorify myself. Pride can be a ruthless taskmaster. So, what is deception? Deception is a lie that we believe as truth. That’s what makes deception so dangerous. Based on circumstances and influences around us, we like what we hear and this becomes our truth. Once a deception becomes our truth it can be very difficult to move away from. We like our truths even if they are not truths. This is because we are comfortable with familiarity. We would rather live with a lie than suffer the emotional torments of accepting truths. These lies come easily, often as part of our culture and tradition. However, I boldly say that both culture and tradition are very real threats. Threats that can prevent us from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Deception is a tool of Satan, neither individuals nor churches are excluded. It is so easy to fall into traditions and practices mainly because they are passed down as a birth right. People also join in because they want to be part of something bigger than themselves. The outcome of this is serious. They lose touch with the power of God by not paying attention or knowing the truth found in the Word of God. False teaching is any belief or practice that is not based on the Word of God, or in extreme cases, is even contrary to the Word of God. False teaching originates from different sources. It can be adopted from others without scrutiny, or originate from popular and charismatic leaders. False teaching is man-made and dangerous because it replaces Biblical truths. We should pay attention to the Words of Jesus in Revelation 22:7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” When we stand before Jesus, telling him we belonged to a particular denomination will not impress him. The bottom line for our acceptance into eternity and having our names recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life, is our belief in Jesus Christ. In other words, as Jesus told Nicodemus, in John 3, we have to be born again by the Spirit of God and this happens through our belief in Jesus Christ. Our Responsibility In Philippians 2, we are told that each person must work out their salvation with fear and trembling. The expression “fear and trembling” refers to us having a proper relationship with God our creator. The word “fear” refers to us approaching God with all due respect, while the word “trembling” refers to us having personal humility when acknowledging our failures and need of a Savior. Philippians 2: 12-13 (NIV) 12.Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13. for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Your faith and salvation belong to you as an individual. We must be ready to stand before God as an individual, and give an account of what we did with our lives. Living life is both an opportunity and a responsibility to be a co-worker with God, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Being part of a church can be beneficial. Learning about God and his Word, and belonging to a church family, are comforting. However, never allow teaching and practices to trump the written Word of God.