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“…Take heed that no man deceive you.” Institute of Biblical Discipleship New Testament Commands of Christ Jesus: Bible study # 74 by Nolan McFadden Α Bible text: Matthew 24:4-5 “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” (Matthew 24:4-5)
In the context of the conditions and signs which will occur just prior to the second coming of Christ Jesus recorded in Matthew 24:3-29, our Lord commanded His disciples saying, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Our Savior knew beforehand the sinful condition of the hearts of the people who will live on planet earth in “the last days” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Subsequently, Christ warned His disciples to not allow others to deceive them. As twenty-first century followers of Jesus, this command and warning is also very relevant for us as we wait for our Lord’s return. Using the Scriptures as our textbook, let’s consider how not to be deceived. I. Let us not be deceived by liars (Matthew 24:4-5, John 8:42-44, Acts 5:1-11). A. We are currently living in an age of lies and liars. We are lied to by many of our government leaders and professional politicians. In fact, we live in a time in which those who can deceive citizens the most effectively are placed in the highest offices. We are lied to by socialist leaders and “progressive” professors in the universities. We are also lied to by the leftist dominated news media. We are given deceptive, “politically correct,” “selective” news by means of internet, television and radio. Meanwhile, important news which will impact us the most is often not shared. Likewise, in most cases, we do not receive news reports of persecutions and massacres of Christians being carried out by Marxist/Socialist/Communist regimes and Islamists in many nations today. News reports are frequently one-sided and misleading. Often the news presented includes half-truths and distortions. This results in viewers developing a false perspective of current events and issues. Yet, news that is not accurate, truthful and objective is nothing more than false propaganda. It is the creation of a lie. See Romans 1:18-32 and 3:10-26. B. Moreover, in the realm of religion many lies, false teachings and false teachers are found. It is difficult for the truth seeker to discern between truth and falsehood among the world religions since most include false teachings and historical lies. Because there is presently a multitude of false doctrines and false philosophies being propagated by false teachers, it is much easier to hear and believe a lie than to receive and believe the truth. Whereas, Jesus said, “And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” (John 8:45-47) In contrast to the false
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prophets, false teachers and false doctrines found in the world’s false religions and false ideologies, Jesus always spoke the truth. The teachings of Jesus are truth. They are trustworthy. They will not mislead us or deceive us. Our Savior prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) Christ Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) C. The apostle Paul warned believers about the era of deception that would emerge in the last days. In 2 Timothy 3:13 he wrote, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” D. In Proverbs 14:15 we read, “The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.” II. Let us not be deceived by false philosophies (Colossians 2:8-10). A. In Colossians 2:8-10 the apostle Paul warned, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:…” B. Concerning the false wisdom of this world, Paul declared, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;…” (1 Corinthians 3:19-21) The wisdom of humanity is a blend of truth and falsehood. It is corrupted by sinful desires and sinful motives. Unlike God’s true and righteous counsel in the Holy Bible, the wisdom of this world is not trustworthy. III. Let us not be deceived by false teachers (1 Timothy 4:1-6, 2 Timothy 4:1-4, 2 Peter 2:1-3). A. The apostle Paul wrote concerning the apostasy that would be widespread in the last days. He proclaimed, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” (1 Timothy 4:1-6) B. Likewise, Paul exhorted, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
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teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:1-4) C. Regarding false teachers, the apostle Peter warned, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” (2 Peter 2:1-3) IV. Let us not be deceived by false prophets (Deuteronomy 18:20-22, Matthew 24:11, 24-26). A. In Deuteronomy 18:20-22 the LORD God of Israel gave us His counsel in how to identify a false prophet. He said, “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? when a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” B. Regarding how many people will be deceived by false prophets before His second coming, Jesus said, “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” (Matthew 24:11) C. In like manner, concerning this age of deception Christ Jesus warned, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” (Matthew 24:24-26) D. The apostle John taught Christians to test the spirits and doctrines of religious leaders. John instructed, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:1-6)
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V. Let us not be deceived by the antichrist or his servants (1 John 2:21-23). A. The apostle John warned, “I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son [Jesus], the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.” (1 John 2:21-23) B. In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8 the apostle Paul wrote, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away [apostasy] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 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. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” In conclusion, in the first century our Lord Jesus promised his followers, “…If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32) Notice that Jesus did not say “If ye continue in philosophy, psychology or occult experiences…ye shall know the truth…” Rather, Christ taught that it is “my word” (the teachings of Jesus) in which we must continue. “The words” of Jesus Christ were taught to His first century disciples during His time of ministry with them. Shortly thereafter, these words and teachings were recorded in the New Testament Scriptures (Luke 1:1-4, John 17:6-8; 10:35). Jesus Himself declared that God’s word “is truth.” (John 17:17) Therefore, if we continue to believe and obey the teachings of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament Scriptures, we will demonstrate that we are truly the disciples of Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century. In addition, by means of these Scriptures of truth we will “know the truth” and the truth will
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make us “free.” May our witness for Christ Jesus be consistent with the testimony of the psalmist who declared, “I have chosen the way of truth:…” (Psalm 119:30) May your heart and mind be enlightened by the Spirit of truth in the Scriptures of truth (Psalm 119:130-173, John 16:13). Ω © 2017, Nolan McFadden copies by permission