By Joe Slater
Of all the ungodly things one might do to me, I consider deceiving me to be among the least tolerable. I simply detest being lied to! In Scripture, words like deceive, deceit, deceitful, etc., are used at least fifty times and mean to give a false impression, to misrepresent, to ensnare or trap, or to lead astray.
Revelation 12:9 speaks of Satan as the one who “deceives the whole world.” When we first see Satan in the Bible, he is lying to Eve about eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:1-5). No wonder Jesus said, “When he (Satan) speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).
Paul told the brethren in Corinth (and, by extension, told us) “I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). Satan doesn’t appear to us in physical form as he did to Eve, but he is still in business and has assistants galore! False teachers plagued the church at Corinth, and their spiritual descendants remain today. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
Brethren, we are not immune from deception! Satan his had thousands of years to perfect his technique. Let us heed the Bible’s repeated admonition, “Be not deceived!” (Luke 21:8; 1 Corinthians 6:9 & 15:33; Galatians 6:7). “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Of all the ungodly things one might do to me, I consider deceiving me to be among the least tolerable. I simply detest being lied to! In Scripture, words like deceive, deceit, deceitful, etc., are used at least fifty times and mean to give a false impression, to misrepresent, to ensnare or trap, or to lead astray.
Revelation 12:9 speaks of Satan as the one who “deceives the whole world.” When we first see Satan in the Bible, he is lying to Eve about eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:1-5). No wonder Jesus said, “When he (Satan) speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).
Paul told the brethren in Corinth (and, by extension, told us) “I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). Satan doesn’t appear to us in physical form as he did to Eve, but he is still in business and has assistants galore! False teachers plagued the church at Corinth, and their spiritual descendants remain today. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
Brethren, we are not immune from deception! Satan his had thousands of years to perfect his technique. Let us heed the Bible’s repeated admonition, “Be not deceived!” (Luke 21:8; 1 Corinthians 6:9 & 15:33; Galatians 6:7). “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
- Joe Slater serves as minister of the Church of Christ in Justin,
TX. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com
No comments:
Post a Comment