Biblical principles can help you avoid being misled! One of Scripture's clearest warnings concerns the danger of religious deception. Jesus said: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ' [I am a Christian, or a minister of Christ], and will deceive many" (Matthew 24:4–5). The Apostle Paul warned that, before Christ's return, there will be a great falling away and many will be deluded because they did not love the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 10–11). Paul also wrote that the time will come when people will "turn their ears away from the truth" and will believe fables (2 Timothy 4:3–4). The Apostle Peter warned, "there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly [subtly] bring in destructive heresies… and many will follow their destructive ways… [and] deceptive words" (2 Peter 2:1–3). These prophetic warnings have become a sobering reality!
The biggest dilemma for many of God's people today is trying to determine where God is working. Who is preaching the truth? Whom do you believe? In recent years, more than 300 splinter groups have emerged from the Worldwide Church of God. Add this to the more than 600 denominations spawned by the Protestant Reformation that shattered the Roman Catholic Church. All these groups claim to be of God, teaching divine truth. But can all these groups, which disagree about so many doctrines, be right? The Bible tells us that Christ is not divided, and that true Christians should "all speak the same thing" and "be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Corinthians 1:10). The spiritual chaos of our age indicates that many are obviously deceived. But how can you know who is right and who is wrong? How can you avoid being deceived? How can you navigate through the perilous waters of deceptive religious ideas that may appear to be based on the Bible? Why has God allowed such confusion to exist?
A Fundamental Deception
One of the greatest deceptions among professing Christians today is that you are saved if you simply believe in Jesus. This idea is based on a faulty understanding of both God and Scripture. Many "believe" in Jesus but neither understand the Bible nor keep God's commandments. The Bible reveals that only those whom God calls will understand Scripture and the plan of God (John 6:44, 65). We are also told that God is not calling large numbers today (1 Corinthians 1:26–27) and that, of those called, only a few will be chosen (Matthew 20:16). Those chosen to be among the firstfruits in the Kingdom of God must be faithful (Revelation 17:14). They must avoid being deceived, and must endure to the end (Matthew 24:11–13). They must overcome obstacles, and must persevere during trials (Revelation 3:10–12). They must remain on course and finish the race (1 Corinthians 9:24–27). If we are deceived, or if we consistently fail to overcome the tests and trials we encounter, we will not receive a reward. The Bible reveals that there is more to Christianity than simply believing in Jesus! We need to understand how God works in the lives of those He is calling.
God Tests Those Whom He Calls!
When God called Abraham, He challenged him to "walk before Me and be perfect [blameless]" (Genesis 17:1). Abraham's challenge was to learn to live by God's instructions and to make godly decisions. Jesus gave His disciples the same instruction (Matthew 5:48). God tested Abraham in a variety of circumstances (Genesis 22:2, 12). Through this testing, God was able to discern Abraham's character and true priorities (Genesis 18:19). God was preparing Abraham for a big responsibility—to become the Father of a nation God wanted to use as an example for all mankind (Genesis 12:1–3; Deuteronomy 4:1–10). Before giving Abraham this incredible opportunity, God had to know that he would make the right decisions.
God dealt with ancient Israel in a similar manner. He tested the Israelites over the issue of the Sabbath— whether they would observe it according to His instructions (Exodus 16:4). He tested Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12), the leaders closest to Moses. He tested the entire congregation of Israel (Numbers 14), and the leaders under Moses (Numbers 16), to see whether they would follow God's appointed governmental structure. In each case, many failed their tests, losing their lives and their rewards because they were deceived. God also warned the Israelites that they would have to recognize false teachers and reject those teachers' misleading ideas (Deuteronomy 13:1–4). We must learn the same lessons. This is part of God's purpose for mankind (Deuteronomy 30:15–20). God desires that we develop wisdom and character, so we will be qualified to reign with Jesus Christ. Future leaders in the kingdom of God must pass crucial tests (1 Peter 4:12–19). We cannot afford to be deceived!
The Bible reveals several aspects of God's testing program. God tests us by watching how we react in real-life situations, and by examining the decisions we will make when faced with a choice. We must also examine ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:28–32). This is a vital lesson of the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. By taking time to compare our thoughts, attitudes, ideas, motives and priorities with the standards God has outlined in the Bible, we can develop more of God's mind. Without regularly examining ourselves in the light of God's word, we can deceive ourselves. To avoid being misled, we must also learn to evaluate ideas that we receive from others. Paul admonished Christians to "test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). John cautioned that Christians should "not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). The early Church had to distinguish between authentic apostles and frauds (Revelation 2:2). We face the same situation today. You cannot afford to be deceived by impostors parading as apostles, prophets and ministers of God. But how can you make such decisions? What guidelines should you use? Thankfully, the Bible gives us plenty of advice!
Focus on Truth
Jesus explained that a house built on solid rock will withstand trials, but a house built on sand will be swept away (Matthew 7:24–29). His point was that if we base our beliefs solidly on Scripture, we will prevail, but we will be deceived if we trust in our own ideas. Jesus said, "Your Word is truth" (John 17:17). Paul reminded us: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). Even so, many of today's professing Christians doubt the authenticity and authority of the Bible, because of the influence of skeptics in our secular society. People today feel free to discount and discard Bible passages if they do not agree with their own opinions. This leads to much confusion about religious ideas. Radio, television and the Internet have become a supermarket for self-proclaimed religious teachers. We, however, can avoid being deceived by professing Christianity if we ask simple but pointed questions, and compare the world's answers with what we find in our Bibles.
Does the Bible command us to observe Christmas and Easter, or are these pagan practices to be avoided? See Jeremiah 10:1–4. Did Jesus and the Apostles observe the Sabbath and Holy Days, or did they observe Sunday? See Luke 4:16, Acts 17:2 and 1 Corinthians 5:7–8. Was Jesus' gospel about the coming kingdom of God or just about His life, death and resurrection? See Mark 1:14–15. Did the Apostles preach the same gospel as Jesus, or a different one? See Acts 8:12 and Acts 28:23, 31. Do Christians go to heaven when they die? See Acts 2:34 and 13:36. Do human beings have immortal souls? See Ezekiel 18:4, 20. Are sinners tormented forever, or are they burned up and extinguished? See Malachi 4:1–3. Is the Holy Spirit the power of God, or a person? See Acts 8:18–19. Do all professing Christians receive the Holy Spirit, or is it only given to those who obey God's instructions upon repentance, baptism and the laying on of hands? See Acts 2:38, Acts 5:32 and Acts 8:14–19. Do God's people need a ministry today, or is everyone a minister? See Titus 1:5–11, 1 Timothy 3 and James 3:1. Do we need government in God's Church? See Acts 15. Is it scriptural for churches to select their own leaders by popular vote, or does God provide other means? See Acts 6:1–4 (compare Exodus 18:17–26), Galatians 1:15–16 and Galatians 2:7–8. Is it important to know the identities of the Israelite nations? See Genesis 48–49, Ezekiel 3 and Ezekiel 33. Is this knowledge important to the New Testament Church? See Matthew 10:6. What is the real purpose for human life? See Romans 8:14–18 and 1 John 3:1–3. The list could go on.
From Scripture, we can prove the truth about all these issues! We need not be deceived by any of the conflicting ideas that we hear. Each of us must ask where we first learned the truth, and who is still teaching that truth plainly and powerfully? Can you recognize who has begun to compromise, change and discard the truth? If you follow such individuals or organizations, you will be deceived! Jesus told His disciples: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). We can avoid being deceived if we focus on the truth, prove the truth and hold on to the truth. God's truth does not change—it is the solid rock on which we must build!
Define the Mission
Many today, even in God's Church, do not fully understand why we are called and what we are to be doing. Individually, we are called to learn to live "by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). We are to be "lights" to a darkened world, showing humanity the proper way to live (Matthew 5:14). As Christians, we must "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Our challenge is to learn to think and act in any situation as Jesus would—to develop the very mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5). Jesus did not argue with God or try to reason around the clear intent of Scripture; He obeyed His Father's instructions (Philippians 2:8) because He knew that was best (Deuteronomy 4:40; Proverbs 3:1–2). Many people today have been deceived into believing that they can disregard God's instructions in Scripture as long as they continue to pray, go to church and be "nice" to other people. The Bible calls this attitude hypocrisy (Romans 2:17–24; James 2:10)! We must avoid it.
The Bible clearly states the Church's mission: to proclaim the good news of Christ's sacrifice for our sins (Matthew 1:21) and preach the gospel of the coming kingdom of God (Mark 1:14–15; 16:15; Acts 8:12). The gospel is to be preached as a witness—to let the world know what is coming—even though many will not believe what they hear (Matthew 24:14). The Church also has the responsibility of feeding the flock—teaching those who are called how to live by every word of God (John 21:15–17). Another aspect of the Church's mission is to warn the world of the sobering events that will soon mark the end of this age and the return of Christ (see Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21). This is a major task of God's end-time Work (see Ezekiel 3; 33). Neighborly acts of kindness and charitable actions in the community may be good, but even the greatest act of physical kindness or charity cannot be a substitute for the clearly stated mission of God's Church! Those who presume that we can pick and choose elements from Christ's biblically defined mission are promoting deception. We need to ask ourselves: What is the group I am part of doing to carry out Christ's mission? What am I doing? Are we focused on the mission God outlined, or are we misled, busily doing our own thing?
Know Your Enemy!
The Bible reveals that Satan is the predominating influence in this world who blinds, deludes, divides and deceives whomever he can (2 Corinthians 4:4). Many Christians today seem to think they are immune to Satan's influence because they have been "called" into the Church, yet Peter warned us to "be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Peter was speaking from experience, because he had been deceived several times by his own ideas, and by listening to others' misguided ideas (see Matthew 16:21–23; Galatians 2:11–14). Paul warned the Church that "savage wolves will come in among you… speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves" (Acts 20:29–30). Paul was concerned that people would be deceived by false doctrines spread by false teachers who claimed to be ministers of Jesus Christ, but were in reality agents of the devil (2 Corinthians 11:1–15). Satan's efforts and activities spawn confusion and deception (1 Corinthians 14:33).
When we consider the doctrinal confusion that pervades the Church and the world today, it should be obvious who is causing the problems! Even within God's Church, some of the deceptive ideas circulating include:
- The Work is over; only Mr. Armstrong was commissioned to preach the gospel.
- We do not need a ministry or government in the church. Since we are all ministers, we can select our own leaders—we do not need to let God make those selections.
- The world is full of "Christians" who do not fully understand the Bible or keep the commandments.
- God's people need not agree on basic doctrines, and individuals can decide doctrine for themselves based on their own feelings.
- We do not need to keep the Passover on Nisan 14 even though the Bible specifies that date.
- We can decide what calendar to follow based on our own reasoning.
- There will be no place of safety during the tribulation.
- The United States is not Manasseh in end-time prophecy, and the British-descended nations are not Ephraim.
- Understanding the modern identity of biblical nations is not relevant for understanding end-time prophecy.
The list could go on, but this should illustrate what can happen when people are deceived into ignoring what the Bible plainly states. To avoid being deceived, we must be able to recognize the fruits of deception, and be able to recognize who is promoting these deceptive ideas (1 Peter 5:9; Ephesians 6:11). Jesus said that we should recognize false teachers by their fruits. He warned that many who call themselves Christians are actually deceived because they do not recognize their enemy or his methods (Matthew 7:15–23)!
Think Critically
Many assume that Christianity is only about loving, trusting, believing and having faith and hope. Yet Jesus warned His disciples to "be wise as serpents and harmless as doves," because they would need to deal with "wolves" intent on their deception and destruction (Matthew 10:16). As Christians, we must learn to think—and to think critically! In Proverbs, we are told "the first person to plead his cause seems right"—until he is cross-examined (Proverbs 18:17). It is risky to believe the first idea that you hear, or the first book that you read! We should always ask: Who are these people promoting a novel idea? From where do they get their authority? What is their track record? How has God used them over time?
Many of Jesus' listeners were familiar with His background (Mark 6:3). Peter and Paul openly revealed their names and their personal histories for all to judge (see Galatians 1:11–24). If you are going to follow some group, you had better know something about it and where it got it ideas, or you risk being deceived!
The Bible also states that "in a multitude of counselors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14). If you seek advice and check appropriate sources before jumping to a conclusion, you can avoid being deceived. Do not just believe the latest idea you hear or see in print. Check out what critics have to say before you buy! Determine what is valid and what is not. Recognize that our vanity prompts us to think that we do not need any help, and that we can figure everything out on our own. This is a prescription for failure, which only fools choose to follow (Proverbs 12:1, 15). Paul advised Christians to evaluate everything carefully—he did not say "just believe" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Peter warned that ignorant and unstable individuals would twist Paul's writings out of context (2 Peter 3:16). It is instructive that people who want to do away with the Sabbath, the Holy Days, the dietary laws and various other doctrines commonly use Paul's writings to try to prove their points, in spite of Peter's clear warning! We need to be alert to this. To avoid being deceived, we must learn to think critically. This is part of a Christian's responsibility.
God has warned His people that Satan has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9). Satan deceived Eve, and led Adam to shirk his leadership responsibilities. He misled Peter, and deceived Paul before his calling. Satan prompted Ananias and Sapphira to lie and lose their reward (Acts 5:1–11). He sowed discord between Paul and Barnabas in an attempt to disrupt preaching the gospel (Acts 15:36–41). Satan, along with those he has influenced, has wreaked havoc on true Christians down through the ages. As Christians, we must be able to recognize and resist Satan's deceptive methods. That is why God provides clear warnings and helpful principles in Scripture. Our challenge is to use this information so we can avoid being deceived!