Dangerous Deceptions
What are the dangers of false doctrines and how can a believer remain protected against deception?
“There are very few errors and false doctrines of which the beginning may not be traced up to unsound views about the corruption of human nature. Wrong views of the disease will always bring with them wrong views of the remedy. Wrong views of the corruption of human nature will always carry with them wrong views of the grand antidote and cure of that corruption.”
- John Charles Ryle
People from all walks of life are prone to deception when they reject or resist the true teachings of Christ by not engaging and applying the whole truth revealed through His Word. This happens when either the Holy Spirit has not yet given them the ability to come to true saving faith, or they have gone astray from the true way of the Word due to a lack of knowledge and sound interpretations in Scripture. And it includes all the many people who believe they have come to true saving faith but produce no fruit. True saving faith should always testify to a new life in Christ. Deception does not have preferences concerning gender, age, race or social status and never sleeps nor slumbers in its quest to mislead the masses. It is Satan’s most common strategy and one which he has been perfecting since the fall of man.
Attacking the Great Commission
The Word of God is clear that not all are elected as is clear from Romans 8:29-30, 9:10-16, 9:21-24, 2 Timothy 1:9, Ephesians 1:4-11, John 6:37, 6:44 and Colossians 3:12. A Sovereign God predetermined His elect before time began and this means that man in his fallen nature do not have the ability nor the will to turn to God but is entirely at God’s mercy. Yet many Christians believe it is they who first accepted Christ and not the other way around. They forget that the Potter never needs to justify His actions to the clay, and that He shows compassion and mercy on whom He wills. It is not a question of works but of grace. This is so that man may never boast in himself and all the glory may go to God as is clear from Ephesians 2:8-10.
But this gracious calling by God leads the called having to journey on the narrow road and so Satan relentlessly tries to deceive Christians to leave the narrow road in favour of the broad road. And this deception applies not only to false converts but also to true converts with a deficient knowledge of Scripture.
Matthew 7:13-14 speaks of two roads leading into two different directions. The one leads to heaven while the other leads straight to hell. The narrow road leads to a small gate which only a few finds because it is hard, difficult and requires sacrifice, while the broad road leads to a wide gate which is easy to find, comfortable and gives control to man. It looks inviting and alluring but it is nothing other than religion without regeneration. It is a religion that appeals to the desires of the flesh, does not deny self and costs nothing. But by far the biggest deception concerning this gate is that it does not lead its followers to where it proclaims it will. It does not deliver and never will.
Since not the righteous nor the unrighteous know beforehand who God’s elect are, the Great Commission remains how the mystery unfolds. The problem is that the Great Commission is burdened with deceptions, false doctrines, false teachings and heresies since the days of the early church. And all these many deceptions abound on the broad religious road which many finds because it is easy to see. To say it is an effective counter-attack by the Enemy is an understatement and that is why it is imperative for Christians to have understanding.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 the Apostle Paul speaks of a great falling away and a rebellion which need to occur before Christ will return. So when looking at the false teachings, doctrines and heresies which have spread like wildfire in last 200 years, compared to the 1800 years before that, a great worldwide defection from the true teachings of Christ in His Word is clear. I am not predicting Christ’s second coming, I say that more now than ever, not everyone who proclaims the name of Christ is a Christian who follows sound doctrine. And the wolves in sheep’s clothing are leading the ignorant down the broad road in numbers multiplying in these last days.
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
2 Timothy 4:3-4
Discerning Deception
When you seek to gather knowledge or revelations regarding life and various circumstances beyond what Scripture teaches, you expose yourself to spiritual deception beyond your human comprehension. The purpose of spiritual deception is to turn you against God’s sovereign authority and you trigger it through ignorance concerning the truth in the Word of God. If the knowledge or revelations you receive cannot be verified through Scripture, deception is already present. And by not relying on the Word of God to be your only source of revelation and conviction through guidance by the Holy Spirit, the deceived may find themselves in a situation where they choose what they want to believe instead of what they should believe.
In other words you reject the true message in favour of a more popular one. A message that is to your liking and one you feel comfortable with. The message of the true gospel is unpopular because the words are hard and the sacrifice is heavy. That is why many false teachers reinterpret Scripture to suit the needs of their hearers and to give them what they are comfortable with. The popular message draws the crowds because it aims to satisfy their fleshly desires by ignoring their true spiritual condition. And large crowds naturally mean big money.
“Unless we examine what we believe and why we believe it, we can easily be deceived and not know it.”
- Pamela Christian
One of the biggest traits of the self-deceived is proclaiming to serve the Lord but bowing to the world in secret. They believe they can expect health, wealth, significance and honour and their best life now, while Scripture teaches the sufferings and afflictions you endure in this life cannot be compared to the glory and the rewards His perseveres are to receive in the eternal life to come.
Also, the actions which truly glorify God, may really unsettle man. The Lord is foremost after the heart and not the numbers and no matter how sweet those false preachers make the Word of God sound, there was, is, and always will be, only one true interpretation of Scripture. Therefore, the way to discern deception, which is on the increase in these last days, is by abiding in a solid relationship with Christ through His Word, guided by the Holy Spirit. Interpreting the Word of God to fulfill in your spiritual needs and not to justify your desires. Because the more you glorify God by allowing His Word to prevail in your life, the more futile the Adversary’s onslaught.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
The Importance of Scripture Concerning Deception
To listen to the Word is not enough as you also need to apply what it says for the fruit to be distinguished. And bearing abundant fruit will always evade you when you are not practising and applying the truth as it is revealed in John 8:32. Proper knowledge of His truth is essential in protecting you from Satan’s schemes. Because if the enemy could deceive Eve in a perfect environment, how much more vulnerable are you in this fallen state even if you do confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour?
Confessions do not ensure knowledge of the truth and do not make you impenetrable to the Adversary’s schemes. Scores of believers think regeneration is the finish line when in fact it is only the starting point of the whole journey towards eternal glorification.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
James 1:22
From Revelation 12:9 you know Satan will lose the spiritual war. In the meantime however, you need to ensure you do not become one of the unfortunate casualties. The enemy uses a multitude of ways to cause a stumbling block for the elect. For example, he will use pride, greed, vanity, lust, disobedience, bitterness, fear, rejection and religion. Another strong hindrance is unbelief which will also expose you to deception because the Spirit will be absent. But it is the Christian’s ignorance concerning the Bible that causes them to be deceived the most by false doctrines and teachings undermining God’s Word. And this condition is rife in the church today.
You become deceived by rejecting, resisting and even being oblivious to the truth in the Word, and like Eve, become susceptible concerning the Adversary’s lies he masterfully mixes with truth. And as a mere mortal sinner you have no chance of overcoming the onslaught without the saving intervention of God’s mercy and grace. Therefore, take heed, for even the Lord’s elect should not expect any exemption from Satan’s sinister seductions. Because such is the nature of your wicked and deceitful heart, even to the extent you can fool yourself concerning the truth. Thankfully, you can cry out to One who is Himself, truth. The Lord Jesus Christ, Who Himself, has been the Word since before time.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Matthew 24:35
Resisting the Enemy
Regarding your spiritual armour, it is imperative to comprehend the whole outfit of the believer is one of defence, except for the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit, or Word of God, is the only offensive weapon entrusted to the believer. Christians must fathom that finding yourself in a defensive position without ever engaging in an offensive by using the Word through faith, believers are bound to stray. But this offensive refers to resisting the Enemy and does not refer to rebuking the powers and principalities of darkness. Nowhere in Scripture is the believer ever commanded to engage in or rebuke the principalities of darkness. To resist and rebuke are not two halves of the same truth. You are not in yourself able to overcome the enemy because your own power is no match for him. The children of Light see their own insignificance and weakness, whereas the deceived remain blinded by their own greatness and power.
Faith convicts you to hand problems, afflictions, trials and tribulations you may be going through to the Lord, Who in turn ensures the victory. It wasn’t Job nor Satan who determined the length of Job’s oppression, but God. And although the Bible does not reveal explicitly why Job was afflicted, you know the Lord was in absolute control of His plan and purpose the whole time. Unfortunately, many believe their victories and breakthroughs depend on their ability to challenge Satan, instead of submitting themselves to all the counsel in the Word. (The false belief that Christians need to rebuke Satan is discussed in another blog post entitled “A Mind At War”).
2 Chronicles 20:15 reminds the Christian the battle is the Lord’s. The believer never determines the solution to his own suffering but faith determines the ability to persevere. It is therefore imperative to perceive there is only one rendition of the truth enabling you to be victorious. For the enemy takes exceptional delight in the prideful and religious arrogance and ignorance of self - confessed Christians.
By denying counsel from the Word of God, you may reject His presence in your life. I am not disputing the importance of ordained counsellors, mentors and advisers. On the contrary. I am rejecting a situation where the influence people yield on your life, replaces God as your number one authority and provider. The more knowledge and wisdom you gain by yourself in the Word of God, the more steadfast your faith will be and the more difficult it will be to deceive and mislead you. But only through personal, undivided, alone time in God’s Word, will you succeed.
“So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”
2 Corinthians 2:11
The Importance of a Personal Relationship
Christians need to renew and strengthen their efforts in a personal relationship with Jesus by spending dedicated time in His presence. This is the way in which the words of wisdom in the Word of God is imparted. You need to embrace the simplicity in serving the Creator of the universe by spending time with Him and by getting familiar with the heart of the Father.
Since many believers do not put all their trust in God alone, they fail to put God first and the Adversary intercedes. The Enemy achieves victory through inactive, distant or defective relationships with Christ in which trust is placed in the world and not the Word. Many deem the world to be closer to confide and trust in and man can also be tempted to deliver supposedly “new revelations” which aim to sooth the soul because the gratification is instant.
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James 4:8
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom, but to understand and comprehend this principle you need to have knowledge and wisdom concerning His Word. This knowledge and wisdom pertaining to God’s Word can only be obtained by pursuing a personal relationship with Christ and a personal relationship is spending time alone in His presence.
The more time you spend immersed in His presence, the deeper and stronger this relationship will grow. This is important because to understand and comprehend God’s Word, the Holy Spirit needs to reveal the true and intended meanings and interpretations during this personal time when you meditate on the Word. But this journey requires faithful devotion as the relationship needs daily dedication. And if you are in a true and loving relationship with Christ, you will want to share your delight and gratitude with others. This means your relationship will be visible through the works displayed by the life you lead. And when you walk in His truth, you will reject what you want in favour of what He wants.
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Matthew 10:28
It was never the Lord’s intention you meditate on His Word without the Holy Spirit intervening because the Bible was never intended to be intellectually discerned. But people are often reluctant to spend time in the Word because they do not understand what they are reading due to a defective relationship. They use their busy schedules (not just their ignorance) as an excuse to justify the reason for this flawed personal relationship and turn to man when it is convenient for them to receive a message, or whenever desperation compels them to seek answers.
Not that listening to sermons by anointed pastors and preachers is of no importance. It is to say just like the personal relationship between parents and their children are dynamic and two-sided, so your Heavenly Father is also eager to engage and grow in a relationship with you. And all the same where in a natural family it takes effort and sincere dedication to maintain and ensure the relationships remain healthy, so it shall be with your relationship with Christ. Quoting verses from Scripture to validate your convictions is no proof of a healthy personal relationship. The Bible is a complete book and when you only focus on certain verses which may seem prevalent to your circumstances during a specific point in time, chances are you may be missing the bigger picture.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
Revelation 3:20
Problems will surface when there is a shortage of motivation and commitment by the believer concerning the importance of nurturing this personal relationship with the Lord. By “believer”, I am referring to those who believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for your sins, so you may have an expectation at eternal life. But believing this does not mean you live it. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 you read the lives of those who have come to Christ do not belong to them anymore, but to God. Your life was bought and paid for at a considerable cost and therefore you need to bring Him glory through your complete surrender and obedience. You also need to grasp if you persist on turning to the world, the broad road will eventually become to alluring to resist.
Hindrances in a Personal Relationship
Once you are regenerated and justified, salvation is guaranteed. Because you know from Philippians 1:6 God will finish the good work He started in you. However, the road to sanctification is still a lifelong process and requires your direct involvement, dedication and devotion. Sinners who were truly regenerated and justified by God’s grace through faith, will have an undeniable yearning to abstain from deliberate and wilful sin and to pursue holy living at all costs by submitting to the Saviour. Therefore, the fruit is evidenced in the way you lead your new life and not just in the way you proclaim your beliefs.
Salvation is based on the complete and finished work on the cross and therefore your daily dealings matter. True Christians who have not been deceived by a false conversion follow Christ all day every day and are not motivated by their circumstances. They remain content, even in their various afflictions, and dare not to look back to a time when they were slaves to the desires and pleasures of the flesh. To live to fulfill the desires of the flesh is not Christlike. And if things in your life such as children, religion, ambition or the need for success replaces Christ as the number one, deception has already infiltrated your way of living.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Matthew 6:24
Salvation is not achieved by professing your faith. It is also not achieved through baptisms, sacraments or any other work because it is not earned. It is a gift of grace from God and obtained by the intervention of the Holy Spirit upon being convicted by the message in the gospel of Jesus Christ. John 14:6 is clear that salvation is only through Christ. And even though you may be deceived into thinking there are many paths to salvation, only the narrow way leads to the Light. All the other paths are wide and easy but they lead to destruction and perpetual darkness. Christ demands sacrifice from His followers and warns in John 16:33 believers would have trouble in this world but also assures them He had overcome the world.
“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:27
When you favour a relationship with the Lord but want it to be conducted on your terms is when the relationship will become tainted. Like many, you may become convinced the basic satisfactory requirement for this relationship is to go to church once a week and pray whenever you need help or feel compelled. Because, through ignorant arrogance, it is easy to misinterpret God’s goodness and grace.
Only attending church will never ensure a healthy relationship although it does promote fellowship. It is also important to note that the Greek word “ekklesia”, from which the word “church” is derived, never referred to a building, a place or a denomination. The word “ekklesia” refers to an assembly of people for a specific purpose. This means the effectiveness is not in the legalistic adherence to duty but in the heartfelt fellowship with other believers.
Some Christians may justify their spiritual lives by proclaiming they spend their alone time frequently viewing evangelical tv channels because their argument is they understand what is being said. Other believers who are more motivated may even read books by "experts" in which someone gives them guidelines on how to become better Christians. To read books is not a problem, but if your knowledge concerning the kingdom of God is rooted in books other than the Bible, then it is a definite problem.
The Word of God must never be replaced as the primary mentor in your walk with the Lord because you know the Word is the only light that will identify Satan’s schemes without fail. All the answers you will ever need pertaining to your spiritual life is in the Word of God but you need the Holy Spirit to interpret the “language” the Lord is speaking to your heart. I am not saying you should not read other books, I say that no book should have preference over the Bible.
“Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.”
Romans 16:17
The biggest hindrance which may present itself if you do not embrace this personal relationship with God, is the knowledge and wisdom you gain elsewhere may not be grounded in Scripture and therefore it may be unbiblical. The Holy Spirit wants to guide you on your journey from regeneration, justification, sanctification and ultimately to glorification. But if you are spiritually absent, how will a one-sided relationship ever suffice?
The Bible warns many times against false teachers, unscriptural doctrines and erroneous interpretations of Scripture and if your spiritual maturity is not grounded in Scripture, how will you ever be able to test the spirits? You cannot rely on others to test the spirits on your behalf as it only emphasises the magnitude of your own blindness and opens the door to deception on an unprecedented scale.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
1 John 4:1
The Requirement for a Personal Relationship
The same Holy Spirit revealing the wisdom of the Word to a preacher or pastor, is the same Holy Spirit encouraging and inspiring you to trust and become familiar with Scripture. I am not saying it is not important for ordained spiritual leaders to receive proper training. I say no amount of formal training alone, will ever make up a personal relationship with the Lord.
A personal relationship with God is not academical, it is based on mutual love. The relationship you foster with your loved ones is found and built on your love for one another and the joy you experience by being in one another’s company. Not by accomplishing academical milestones or by providing in one another’s desires.
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognised that they had been with Jesus.”
Acts 4:13
It is clear from 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 that the elect are not necessarily wise by human standards, influential or of noble birth when they are called to Christ but God chooses the foolish to shame the wise. Therefore, you can find comfort in knowing the qualification for this personal relationship is not dependent on academical achievements, nor social standing. It is rooted in the sincere intention and uprightness of your heart.
And because the apostles had the enormous task of laying the foundation of the church of Christ, it is significant to note that Jesus chose and appointed them, based on their willingness and sincere hearts. Not their social status nor their intellectual abilities. Christ’s invitation in Matthew 11:28 is directed to the weak and burdened and not the strong and significant. A personal relationship with Christ is only sustainable if there is a sincere and continuous desire in the believer to be in His presence and a need to dwell in His Word.
“For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.”
2 Corinthians 8:12
The Dangers of Deception
The choices you make leading to repeated rejections of spiritual truths, will bring spiritual deception as a divine consequence. Because the “father of lies” who fronts as the “angel of light” persists to keep people in need of extra-biblical knowledge only to remain in the bondage of deception. The Enemy wants you to fall victim to spiritual deceptions to blind you from seeking the kingdom of God by keeping you in the world. And by keeping you in the world, he distances you from God.
He never relents on his aim to rob you of your eternal joy and peace in the presence of Jesus. This is plain through mankind’s utter dependence on the world around him and serves as irrefutable evidence of the present depths of deception.
A destructive problem surfacing in the church are the need for many Christians to “experience” or “feel” the Lord. It is a faith built on emotions and experiences and will lead to unbiblical practices by welcoming debilitating deceptions. The truth is this desire to experience the Lord supernaturally is caused by a detachment from God and not a closeness.
Many Christians are deceived into thinking the ones who seek “spiritual” experiences are closest to the Lord when they are in fact the furthest. The real Holy Spirit will always make it about Jesus, your only way to the Father. But the counterfeit spirits always make it about the experience. The question which always need to be asked is whether you are trying to please yourself and others, or God? Are you interested in the byproducts of faith (what you want) or are you focussed on Christ alone?
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Galatians 1:10
The Holy Spirit indwells every believer after conversion to convict you of sin and to illuminate Scripture. But when deceived or false believers hunger for a “move” or a “manifestation” of the Spirit they dabble in mysticism. It exists only to deceive the participant. Mysticism is the belief it is possible to achieve communion and fellowship with God through contemplation and self-surrender without involving human reasoning. When unknown knowledge of circumstances and supposed truths are obtained by any means other than the Bible, mysticism is at work. And when you walk by sight and have a desire to discern the Holy Spirit through emotions, feelings and signs, you are further from the Lord than you think.
This problem is exacerbated because the church is becoming more secular by embracing an easy-Christianity. One in which the desires and wishes of the congregants are adhered to, to keep everyone content and the numbers and subsequent revenue safe and growing. Even Church Growth as a movement has its critics because to some extent it supports an easy or comfort-Christianity in favour of numbers.
Mystical experiences with the Lord should never be the measure nor the aim of your spiritual life because it is not how the Lord designed things. However, the “angel of light” will gladly supply you with abundant mystical experiences if Scripture is insufficient for you. This is when you confirm the Lord speaks to you through His Word but you have a desire for more.
Too many people are convinced the “angel of light”, from whom they receive “new revelations”, interpretations and instruction, is the Holy Spirit. And this is the most devastating deception of all. To think your relationship with the Lord is so deep and supernatural He takes it upon Himself to communicate directly with you by revealing extra-biblical revelations. And usually this deception is so powerful only the Holy Spirit is able to persuade the deceived of their error.
“And no wonder for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”
2 Corinthians 11:14-15
If love is the greatest and most powerful gift of all as stated in 1 Corinthians 12:31 and 1 Corinthians 13:13 why is there such a desperate dependence and an emphasis on attaining other gifts and the gathering of extra-biblical knowledge? If God is love, which is clear from 1 John 4:8, why do believers have such an urge to pursue anything other than first trying to excel in that which is most important to the Creator of the universe? To love Him and to love one another. The answer to this question hides in many being deceived into thinking their walk with the Lord should be evidenced by feelings and emotions which also brings about an unhealthy reliance on the supernatural. Focus is taken off the Lord and fixed upon self.
Remember, Scripture declares in Matthew 16:4 a wicked and adulterous generation seeks after signs and wonders. Scripture is here referring to miracle-seekers whose faith and hope is not grounded in the unseen but in the things seen. This is where faith depends on the supernatural and is not anchored in a sincere love for the Saviour and His Word. Your love and trust in Christ should first rest on who He is and what he did for you on the cross and not on what He can do for you today.
The Dangers of Ignorance
Due to a lack of knowledge concerning the Word of God, many of the Lord’s children are deceived and led astray by false doctrines and teachings and become entangled due to their blindness. There is a vast increase and awareness of self-appointed apostles and prophets and they declare and proclaim new revelations and prophecies in the name of the Lord as if an Omniscient God neglected to include this information in the Bible. And because unsuspecting people are incapable of testing the spirits, the blind are leading the blind with devastating popularity. This also begs the question that if the appointed apostles and prophets were instrumental in laying the foundation of the church, does their presence today mean the foundation is still being laid?
I am not saying God cannot speak directly to His children as He is the Sovereign God and can do whatever He pleases. I say you need to consider the canon of the Bible is complete as is clear from Revelation 22:18-20. There is a colossal difference to being exhorted by a fellow Christian and having your fortune or future foretold.
When you give attention to revelations from man, it may also point to a reluctance to accept the Bible as the all-sufficient, all-complete and infallible Word of God, which may lead to an unhealthy dependence on extra-biblical revelations and hidden knowledge.
“Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
Matthew 15:14
The tremendous religious legalism that have been prevalent in the church for centuries aggravated this situation. But the lack of knowledge pertaining to the Bible must receive most of the blame. When it becomes easier and more comfortable for Christians to get a revelation from the Lord due to their alleged direct access in the spiritual realm, rather than seeking answers from the Word of God, they in fact risk colluding with the “angel of light” and his minions without being aware of the immense dangers. The only way to detect the deception is to test whatever is revealed against Scripture. However, if your knowledge on Scripture is insufficient, the deception is profoundly more effective. And by reinterpreting Scripture and by quoting single verses to suit your needs and circumstances, sufficient knowledge on the Word is not at all present.
“They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.”
Ephesians 4:18
The reason the Lord wants His children to remain only in His Word is to protect them from the gross deception they will encounter when engaging an unseen spiritual realm. In this realm the issue is not if they will be deceived but rather when. Many Christians believe it safe to engage in the spiritual realm and are oblivious to the risk. They are ignorant to the fact it is where Satan and his dominions roam and they believe proclaiming the name of Christ prevents the Enemy from deceiving them.
They believe their level of faith is such they will always be able to distinguish between the voices of darkness and the voice of Light. But is it even possible for the Holy Spirit and the “angel of light” to operate effectively in the same believer? Foolishly, they reject the reality that the second most powerful being in the universe can deceive them and probably have already. This is the true effectiveness of deception, in that the deceived is unable to comprehend they have already been deceived.
Another popular practice is the acquirement of hidden knowledge through self-appointed prophets and reminds one of the divination spoken of in Deuteronomy 18:9-14. These self-proclaimed prophets will always seek a platform to expand their extra-biblical views through a need to receive recognition and sees the Lord as a means to an end. They also depend on the power of self and create havoc by causing the uninformed to depend on this supposed "gift" they possess.
The word divination comes from the Latin word divinare and means “to foresee”. Likewise. the word occult comes from a Latin word meaning “hidden”. Biblically, it is the belief and practice by which man obtains hidden knowledge, power and abilities from the spiritual realm supernaturally. Yet, a Christian’s wisdom and knowledge is supposed to be encapsulated in the Word of God and not in the spiritual realm.
That which is hidden and appropriating it, appeals to many because it is a reality that works. It is not wishful thinking nor is it the result of a vivid imagination. It is real, and it is effective. However, you will be deceived and not if, but when. But not all the revelations from false prophets are obtained from the spiritual realm. Much of their lies and deceit is crafted from a vivid imagination that is powered by a lust for recognition, significance, honour and pride.
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
2 Peter 2:1-3
The realm where the self-appointed prophets gather their hidden knowledge is also the realm where Satan and his forces of darkness roam. It is therefore more treacherous than mere human understanding allows and that is why it is forbidden. Not that God has a problem with you possessing knowledge, it is that God has a problem with you putting your hopes and trust in a lie.
You deem His Word to be insufficient and that is the root of the problem. The Lord is not in the business of hiding information from you. He is in the business of protecting you so you may attain eternal life. If a self-appointed prophet shares hidden knowledge with you regarding your life and future and masquerades it as a prophetic gift it is nothing other than fortune telling or soothsaying. And that the fortune telling did not occur in a caravan by looking into a crystal ball does not make it anymore divine prophecy.
It is preposterous to think people are revered as godly appointed prophets just because they have hidden knowledge concerning the life of some individual and have obtained such, either from a forbidden realm or a very convincing imagination. As if the dominions of darkness do not have access to such knowledge.
By taking to heart all the prophecies the self-appointed prophet declares over you, you risk putting your hope and trust in extra-biblical knowledge. The strategy is to keep you from putting all your trust and hope in the Lord and His Word by creating a desperate environment in which you succumb under the pressure to rely on man. And it is working with devastating effectiveness. The Lord used prophets in biblical times to authenticate the message and the messenger as being sent forth from Him. Now that His message is complete and captured in the Bible, why would He still need to authenticate new messages?
“And the Lord said to me: ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.”
Jeremiah 14:14
Somewhere along the way many followers of Christ have become convinced it is much more complex to serve and worship God than they expected. They are accepting the lie that there are countless strategies and tactics to ensure victory. From the supposed power in anointing oil to the power to bind Satan. Not to mention the nonstop floods of “new revelations” and ways to receive deliverance. Unenlightened Christians are kept in this delusion because their blindness causes them to believe there are Christians who have more effective and direct access to Christ.
Any Christian can fall prey to religious deception when they have a lack of knowledge regarding the Word of God and this is possible when the personal relationship with the Lord is weakened because there is no regular engagement in collaboration with the Holy Spirit. It also does not help that these alleged gifts of prophecy are esteemed much higher in a growing part of the church than knowledge of the Word. Most probably because of the false prestige and recognition which accompanies this “gift”.
It seems almost human nature to give significance and importance onto other’s who can answer your cries of desperation through a “gifted” means, regardless whether these answers are not from God or unscriptural to begin with. But for a Christian to receive false or hidden information and to believe and depend on it, is not a gift, it is a curse.
“Satan is the counterfeiter and has a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-9), which is preached by false ministers (2 Corinthians 11:12-13) producing false Christians (2 Corintians 11:26). He plants counterfeits wherever God plants true believers (Matthew 13:38)
- Warren Wiersbe
God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and the same revelations that applied in the days of the real appointed apostles and prophets, applies now, and will continue to do so, until His Kingdom comes. It is absurd to think God has now not only revealed additional information to a select few but also added information or supposed knowledge which stand outside His Word. But it is even more senseless to see the multitudes accepting these ideas. If you neglect to become familiar with the will and ways of Almighty God through His Word, to what extent can you blame the deceived for also deceiving you?
Practical Examples of Deception
“Since Satan is primarily disguised as an “angel of light” and his ministers are also disguised as “angels of light”, the place where they want to apply their trade most adeptly is in religion and in the church. Therefore, you never try to identify with certain aspects of false, distorted and deceived teachings for the sake of brotherly love and fellowship. Rather, you confront it in its entirety. Because if you confront it openly, honestly, biblically, guided by the power of the Spirit of God and the truth in the Scriptures, it will indeed collapse.”
- Dr John MacArthur
Because of new revelations and erroneous interpretations of Scripture, plenty of cults and movements have been able to ascend from humble beginnings to worldwide recognised movements with enormous influence in a short span of time. New revelations and doctrines are introduced to the unsuspecting and ignorant believers and the validity of such revelations are further enhanced by proclaiming they were received from the Lord Himself. This ensures that no revelation can be challenged or tested since they are from the Lord Himself. Other times new theologies or ideas are developed and imposed on ignorant believers, based on a single text from Scripture quoted out of context to suit the conviction.
Although there are hundreds of examples of Christian cults and movements that have grown rapidly in the last 200 years, I want to summarise the aberrant teachings and beliefs of the following well-known ones for this article: The Church of the Latter-day Saints (Mormonism), Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, Oneness Pentecostalism, Christian Science, Religious Science, New Thought Movement, New Apostolic Reformation and the Word of Faith Movement. The proponents of these cults and movements are convinced that their popularity is a sure sign they are true, chosen and blessed. But the Lord says in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 He is allowing these strong delusions because they did not receive the truth that they might be saved. Here follows a summary on what these cults and movements are about to illustrate the devastating effects and outcomes of biblical ignorance.
The Church of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism)
The Mormon religion was founded by Joseph Smith in the 19th-century after he claimed to have had a personal visit from God the Father and Jesus Christ who apparently told him all churches and their creeds were an abomination and that he needed to “restore true Christianity”. Mormons or Latter-day Saints believe there are four sources of divinely inspired words and not just the Bible. They are the Bible, The Book of Mormon, a writing called Doctrines and Covenants and a writing called The Pearl of Great Price. Mormons believe God has not always been the Supreme Being, and that He attained His divinity through effort and righteous living. They also hold that God has a physical body of flesh and blood and that He is not only a spiritual being.
Mormons believe in different levels in the afterlife. The celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, the telestial kingdom and the outer darkness. In other words there is not just a heaven and a hell and your works determine to which kingdom you go upon death. They teach that Jesus’ incarnation was the result of a physical relationship between God and Mary and salvation is possible through a combination of faith and good works. They believe that although Jesus is God, man also has the possibility to become a god. This "little god" idea is heavily preached in the Charismatic movement today.
Jehovah’s Witnesses
They believe Jesus is the archangel Michael and salvation is obtained through faith, works and obedience. They reject the nature of the Godhead by believing Jesus is a created being and hold on to a theory that Jesus’ death was a ransom payment for Adam’s sin and not a substitutionary atonement.
Seventh - day Adventists
This sect of Christianity was founded on the premise of extra-biblical “prophetic” revelation. In the 19th-century a false prophet by the name of William Miller predicted the imminent advent of Christ but when this prediction did not realise, the movement disbanded into what became known as “the Great Disappointment”. However, a number of his followers, most notably Ellen G. White, claimed to have visions to account for the failed prophecy and the movement was resurrected. During Ellen G. White’s tenure as the spiritual guide for this religious group she was reported to have had more than 2000 visions and wrote over 10 000 pages of prophetic material. The Adventists teach that Satan will bear believers’ sins and that Jesus is the archangel Michael. Their teaching of Sabbath keeping as a primary doctrine also goes against what Scripture teaches.
Oneness Pentecostalism
This is also known as the “Jesus Only Movement”. They teach there is only one God but deny the distinct persons of the Godhead. This means they believe Jesus is the Father and also the Spirit. In other words there is one God who reveals Himself in different forms. This teaching has been around for centuries in the form of modalism and the belief is that God operates in different modes at different times. But just because the concept of a tri-une God is hard for the finite mind to grasp does not mean we need to adapt Scripture to our level of understanding. The famous American Pastor T.D Jakes is a follower of this movement.
Christian Science
Mary Baker Eddy conceived this movement in the 19th century and pioneered new ideas and beliefs concerning spirituality and health. However, this religious group is neither Christian nor is it scientific. It is based on a mystical, new-age spirituality which they allege is the answer for all physical and spiritual healing.
Religious Science
Religious Science started in 1927 when Ernest Holmes organised a group to study his teachings on metaphysical spirituality. He took from the teachings of Christian Science, Eastern mysticism, Hinduism, Unity and transcendentalism to formulate his own belief system. They deny the deity of Christ and teach works-based salvation. More alarming is that every belief held by Religious Science is in direct opposition to Scripture and there is not one biblical doctrine which they believe is true. They believe salvation comes from the realisation you are part of God and by becoming “pure” through the practice of scientific and philosophical principles.
New Thought
This movement is based on the teachings of Phineas Quimby in the 19th-century and is regarded as the predominant influence of the Word of Faith movement. Quimby was a self-proclaimed healer and mesmerist and held to the belief illness in the body originated in the mind and could therefore be overcome by the “truth”. His writings are known as the “law of attraction” and is the belief that your thoughts can bring things into existence. In other words by thinking you are rich you will become rich or by thinking you are healthy you will be healed.
The New Thought movement derived its doctrinal sources from the four Gospels, transcendentalism, idealism, spiritism, evolutionism and Hinduism. It holds to the belief that infinite Intelligence is everywhere, every person is divine and thought is a force for all you desire that is good. And because sickness originates in the mind the mind can therefore cure all sickness. The major problem with New Thought is that it proclaims that man is divine and can also be like God. Also, sickness and disease is not as a result of incorrect thinking. It is as a result of sin. Hope is not supposed to be settled on the power of the mind but rather in God’s promise of redemption through Jesus Christ.
New Apostolic Reformation
The New Apostolic Reformation is a title originally used by C. Peter Wagner to describe a movement within Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. The group originated from the Third Wave or Latter Rain movement and teach that God’s intended form of church governance is done through apostles and prophets who hold leadership over evangelists, pastors and teachers. They proclaim God is busy restoring the lost offices of apostle and prophet and conclude that these leaders alone, have the power and authority to execute God’s plans and purposes on earth. They also believe they are called to lay the foundations for a global church governed by them.
Their thinking is that Jesus’ crucifixion not only paid for all sins but it also empowered Christians to retake control of the earth by dominating in the following seven spheres: governance, religion, finances, family, education, media and arts. They approach spiritual warfare to resolve worldly concerns and have an unhealthy interest in cultural and political control.
The New Apostolic Reformation place a greater emphasis on dreams, visions and other extra-biblical revelations than on the Bible, as most of their revelations are “direct”. Also, their various other beliefs and practices make their doctrine one that promotes salvation based on works and not just through grace by faith. And because they are not centrally controlled, many of the followers won’t recognise the name or even realise they are part of this movement.
Yet, today this movement comprises millions of followers and supporters across the globe. Popular teachers of this movement is Mike Bickle, Kim Clement, Lou Engle, Bill Johnson, Rick Joyner, Chuck Pierce, Sid Roth, Ed Silvoso, John Wimber, Bob Jones, Cindy Jacobs, Dutch Sheets and Bill Hamon.
Word of Faith
It is widely believed this movement originated from the ideas and teachings of Essek William Kenyon in the 19th-century as the modern “positive confession” belief was developed by him. “Positive Confession” is the belief you have what you confess because the words you speak are containers of faith. Kenyon’s views were heavily influenced by the New Thought movement of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby and he mixed cultic teachings on laws of faith with Orthodox Christian doctrine. This false doctrine is very deeply ingrained into the very fibre of the Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations and with over 500 million followers worldwide it is a force to be reckoned with.
The main problem with this false teaching is that Christians can make God do anything they desire through faith. It demotes God and promotes man to be a “little god” which is what Satan did in the Garden when he said Adam and Eve would be like God. Supporters of this false doctrine believe because they are created in God’s image they should also consider themselves to be gods. It humanises God and deifies man. Word of Faith preachers teach you gave up your opportunity to live as sovereign beings after the rebellion against God in the Garden when man took on Satan’s nature. They proclaim this is why Jesus had to become a man, die spiritually, take on Satan’s nature, go to hell, be born again and rise from the dead with God’s nature. And after all of this the Holy Spirit was sent so the incarnation could be duplicated in all believers.
This movement teaches your faith is a “force” and the words you speak have the power to create something new. Another explanation is the belief words can manipulate the “force of faith” to create believing what Scripture promises. It is the belief the supposed laws that govern the “faith-force” operates independently from God’s sovereignty as God Himself is subject to these laws. Proponents believe you can get health, wealth, success and more, if you have enough faith. Because through faith you can get anything you want as long as you remember the force which accomplishes your desires is released through the spoken word. As you speak the words of faith, the power releases through which your desires are realised.
One of the many problems with this movement is that faith is based on experiences and feelings rather than upon the inspired Word of God and the belief that any calamity or suffering in an individual’s life is the result of a lack of faith. Word of Faith entails that you need to know what you want, believe you will receive it, visualise the appearance, and then speak it into existence. It is the essence of this whole teaching and relies heavily on revelation knowledge, making man equal to God. It does not focus on God but rather focusses on self and the world and proclaims the redemption restored the dominion of man.
Another division in this movement is called “Kingdom Now” or “Dominion” theology and proposes that God lost control over the world to Satan when Adam and Eve sinned and since then He has been trying to re-establish control over the world through a special group of believers. It is the belief it is the duty of the church to bring the political systems in the world under God’s laws and this will be executed through this special group which are called “overcomers” or “covenant people”.
Proponents believe this age will end with a great revival which will see Christianity triumph globally. They also believe the prophecies relating to the restoration of Israel in fact refers to the church because the church replaced Israel as the “New Israel”. During this time of revival ordinary Christians will receive supernatural powers, the forces of evil will be overcome, and all nations will reach out to God. Only after this great revival will Jesus be able to return when Earth has been cleansed of all the evil influence by submitting all His enemies under the feet of the church. These believers are convinced they are instrumental in preparing the earth for His second coming.
Sadly, many of today’s famous TV evangelists are avid supporters of this way of thinking as is seen through the popularity of the prosperity gospel. This movement is oblivious to the fact that the gospel does not promise what the sinner naturally wants like health, wealth, significance and success. And conveniently avoids what the sinner naturally doesn’t want like righteousness, holiness, forgiveness and fullness in Christ. You may find this incredulous, yet Word of Faith is the fastest growing segment in Christianity today. Well-known preachers of the Word of Faith is Kenneth Hagin, John Hagee, Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen, Jesse Duplantis, Benny Hinn, Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Jerry Savelle, Joseph Prince, T.D Jakes, Creflo Dollar, Heidi Baker, Jim Bakker, Reinhard Bonnke, Juanita Byanum, Paul Crouch (TBN), Steven Furtick, Bill Hybels, Kathryn Kuhlman, Aimee Semple McPherson, Beth Moore, Myles Munroe, Rod Parsley, Oral Roberts, Sarah Young, Rodney Howard Brown and many more.
The deception in all these movements are possible because followers are more committed to church than to Scripture and because Christ becomes so familiar to them that no holy reverence is present. This summary shows the idea of "new revelations" run contrary to a faith delivered once and for all to mankind as stated in Jude 1:3.
Closing Statement
Even though much of what these movements teach is based on Scripture, albeit incorrectly interpreted, you know mixing truth and error is an effective tactic from the enemy as it becomes downright harder to recognise error. Satan’s whole strategy is to convince you to believe the lie, and he knows he will not succeed by making the lie obvious. Therefore, there will always be truth mixed with error leading to the wavering. And when you look at the zealous fervour with which these cults commit to religious activity, it becomes strikingly clear that religious activity in itself do not point to a healthy spiritual life.
Jesus Himself said His kingdom was not of this world. So proclaiming this can be your best life now goes against what Scripture teaches. Jesus was not crucified so you could have your best life now, he came to free you from sin so you could have an expectation of the best life in the eternal life to come.
“So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 2:5
True and courageous Christians will always be prepared to bring correction by exposing false teachings and doctrines in meekness, humility and love, even if such correction may cause the deceived to take offence. They are the Christians who would rather speak and proclaim the truth than hide behind the comfort to accept the lies and deception in silence. Because they grasp the importance of the need to unite as a community of saints behind true and sound doctrine.
May you remember the Word, live the Word and persist in the Word. And may you be watchful to never selectively apply the Scriptures to convince others of your own flawed beliefs and convictions. Always apply the whole Word as the only infallible and irrefutable truth and will of a Sovereign God and be ever watchful where you receive your teachings, interpretations and revelations from. And remember, the Lord’s truth never needs to change nor develop. Because since the days of the early church, it was never incomplete to begin with.
“So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”
Ephesians 4:14