According to Merriam-webster, deception is “the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid. My easy way of saying that is believing a lie for truth.
The bible gives a warning again deception:
I Corinthians 6:9-10
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived:neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Paul, in writing the Corinthian Church questions if they know the unrighteous are not going to heaven. He then stated don’t be deceived. We can take this to mean that there are some who are deceived, believe a lie for the truth, that the unrighteous still are going to heaven.
He then goes on to list various sins which exclude someone from heaven. Listed are sexual activity before marriage, worship of something more than worship of God, adultery, homosexuality, theft, coveting, drunkenness, abusers, etc.
Today, we see various religious groups not preaching against various sins which were just listed in the preceding scripture. We will see people who live together or have sexual relations before marriage believing they are saved and going to heaven. We have other Churches which are ordaining homosexuals as Pastors. Yet other Churches, during their church picnics or other celebrations serve alcohol while others promote idolatry in sports and entertainment.
This is deception. There are no if’s and’s or but’s about it. What are we doing to guard ourselves from being deceived?
Just recently someone was telling me about a play they went to at a local school. It was to raise money for a various children’s activities in the community. The Pastor they grew up with at their Church was in charge of the play. They then went on to say how guys came out dressed as women prostitutes and ran among the audience. The audience then stuffed money down their shirts. His questions were how a Pastor could be fine with this. The answer is simple for those who don’t want to be deceived: you shall know them by their fruit.
There is vast deception going on, not just in the overall world, but with in modern day Christianity. Are you in one of the sins listed in Corinthians? Don’t be deceived, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God, yet there is hope.
I Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
That is the good news! If you are partaking in one of those sins listed in Corinthians, you can be changed, just like they were. How can you be changed? In being obedient to the born-again experience and being washed (baptism) and filled with the Spirit of God. In being born of water and Spirit, you become a new creation.
It’s time to leave deception and serve God in Spirit and in Truth.
