Revelation 12:9 speaks of,
"... that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world."
The Lord put that and similar verses in his Word to warn us of a reality of
world history: Global deception. And even those who profess to be Evangelical Christians
are susceptible to the Serpent's lie.
"In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of
devils."
1 Timothy 4:1.
Four ways that Christians are being deceived in our day are:
- The Repackaged Lie
- Blurred Distinctions
- Unequal Yoking
- Following Gurus
The Repackaged Lie
Satan is brilliantly clever at taking age-old lies, disguising them in subtlety, and
gradually introducing them to even those who insist that they believe in the infallible
authority of the Bible. Examples of lies the Enemy has deceived us with are all the
various ways we are obsessed with "Self"; the numerous techniques of
"Christianized" sorcery and divination within the Church; and the many issues
and fads designed to give us a "Tower of Babel" vision for global unity.
Blurred Distinctions
Not only is Satan the "Father of lies", but he is also the "Author of
confusion". It is getting harder and harder to tell the difference between
neo-paganism and the liberal church; or between the liberal church and Evangelical
Christianity. The message and the priorities of the Church are becoming indistinguishable
from the World. Books by M. Scott Peck, for example, are found in
both Christian bookstores and New Age/Occult bookstores. These books teach that humans are
evolving to godhood; that we must become "mystics" and use Eastern meditation;
and they advocate a one-world government.
Unequal Yoking
Christian leaders and Christian organizations are more and more yoking themselves with
unbiblical, pagan groups and movements which set the followers up for synthesis,
syncretism and compromise of doctrine and priorities. What fellowship does light have with
darkness? These unholy alliances are often taking place in the name of "traditional
family values" and involve relationships between Evangelicals, Roman Catholicism,
Mormons, and Moonies;
or, the alliances involve solving the problems of "Mother Earth" in association
with various utopian movements.
Following Gurus
The final way in which Christians are being deceived is very much related to the first
three. We are much more likely, these days, to not refer to our Bible for our convictions
and world- view, but instead to follow the opinions of leaders we look up to. In these
days of "Christian Mass Media", Celebrity Ministers are likely to draw our
attention and our allegiance. It is a dangerous thing to set up Gurus within the Body of
Christ who are beyond criticism. "Touch not the Lord's anointed!" we are told
when the Guru's doctrine or behavior is questioned, which is a reference to 1 Samuel 24
and 26. In those references, David was referring to not KILLING Saul. He was not
forbidding CRITICISM of Saul. In fact, David himself rebukes Saul publicly. In these last
days we cannot afford to follow human leaders as if they were Gurus; whether they be Dr.
Dobson, Bill Gothard, Pat
Robertson, or Billy Graham, or
leaders who jump on a media bandwagon, or
musicians, or
Emergent Church leaders, or politicians. We are to be
disciples of Jesus, and him alone.
Our only hope to not be deceived in these last days is to "abide in the
vine"; to surrender our hearts moment by moment to the Holy Spirit; to be Acts 17
"Bereans" and filter everything through the written Word of God; and to be
lovers of the Truth.
"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
