ARE YOU DECEIVED OR BEING DECEIVED?

ARE YOU DECEIVED OR BEING DECEIVED?

The devil himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). We often think of him as a red guy with horns and a pitchfork, yet his appearance most commonly is one of beauty and glory. This is why Paul cautions believers to beware of anyone or anything that tampers with the gospel or the Scripture, even if an angel of light is the one telling us to add or take away from the Bible. It very well might be the devil himself who is leading us to our own destruction even though we think we are listening to the voice of truth. The Bible is the only measuring stick of truth, for it is the truth. Deception always begins with adding to, taking away, or altering the Word of God. “Did God really say,” or “Did God really mean,” or “Is that really worth studying” are all ways that the devil tries to place a wedge of division between us and God. If he can make us question the Bible, lean upon our own understanding rather than trusting in Him, and use “common sense,” then we will be had.  

            Have you been had already? If you have, you likely don’t know it. Such is the nature of deception. Those who are deceived don’t know it. All sin is rebellion, but not all sin feels or looks like rebellion to the one rebelling, particularly if they have been deceived. The one who has been deceived thinks that he is laboring for the Lord and teaching the truth when he is in fact aiding and abetting the devil. This is why deception is such a powerful tool of the devil. He can get people to advance his cause without them even knowing it. This makes his work through them so much more effective because they, too, look like ministers of light when they are teaching and serving the darkness, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Many deceivers do know exactly what they are doing, having compromised and sold their souls to the devil. Others are honestly well-meaning, yet they are leading others and themselves astray. 

            Deception is so dangerous because the church could be deceived and therefore walk peacefully and joyfully to its own destruction, thinking it was victorious when it was not. This is why the Bible tells us to be introspective. In Psalm 139:23-24 David says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” David understands that it is possible to be deceived. He says in Psalm 19:12, “Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.” The nature of deception is that we cannot see it. Thus we need to ask God to help us to see what we need to change and to forgive us for our hidden errors.