If someone would call you a liar and dishonest, would you get angry and defend yourself and try to prove how honest you are? If we take a closer look at our world, we do not find much honesty. Much of the business world is based on deceit. Merchandise is made to look as good as possible on the outside, while on the inside, the most important part, it may be of poor quality. When buying a car, house, or any other item, we can be deceived.
How many lies are spoken to our friends, excuses that are not valid, while the real reason is not mentioned? Even children soon learn to speak lies because they believe that they gain by it.
All deceptions come from Satan; he is the father of lies. Satan was perfect in wisdom and well doing, but he did not safeguard himself from deception. “Thou art the anointed cherub, that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.” Ezekiel 28:14–15, 17
Satan was deceived by his beauty and his wisdom. Adam and Eve were deceived by him. If they had seen our world as it is today, they would not have disobeyed God. In the time of Noah, people were deceived and would not enter into the ark to save themselves. If they would have seen the flood, they all would have gone into the ark. But they did not believe the truth that Noah spoke to them.
Are we safe from the deceptions in the world that are existing today?
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it.” Jeremiah 17:9
Today we have nearly 4,000 Christian churches, and they all teach different doctrines. Yet, God has only one church which is teaching the truth that is in the Bible.
Paul was sure that he was right, and that the Christians were wrong, therefore he persecuted them. Later he called himself the chief of sinners, because he had persecuted the true Christians in the past.
People seek happiness, peace, security, comforts, joy, and a good life, by any means, even by lies and deceit, but how disappointing it is. “Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.” Proverbs 20:17
Judas was deceived by the love of money, but his enjoyment was very short. Many think that all is well, they will be saved in heaven, but they are deceived.
“Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21–23
Many think that they are rich and have need of nothing, but the truth is that they are poor, and in need of everything. “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17
The Jewish people thought themselves to be holy and righteous, and looked down on others outside of their faith. Yet they were so deceived that they crucified the Son of God, and persecuted His followers. Did they understand the reality of what they were doing? No! Did Pilate understand what he was doing? No! Did Judas understand what he was doing? No, he did not. Do we know what we are doing? Anyone who commits sin does not truly know what he is doing.
Would you drink poison if you knew that it was poison? Sin is poison; it kills. Peter had been with Jesus for three and a half years, and learned of Him, yet what do we read of him? “Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee. But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” Matthew 16:22–23
Do not trust man. Do not trust even your best friend. Satan is deceiving the Christians by telling them that there is much time yet to enjoy life, and the fun of the world. “I saw that as the Jews crucified Jesus, so the nominal churches had crucified these messages, and therefore they have no knowledge of the way into the most holy, and they cannot be benefitted by the intercession of Jesus there. Like the Jews, who offered up their useless sacrifices, they offer up their useless prayers to the apartment which Jesus has left; and Satan, pleased with the deception, assumes a religious character, and leads the minds of those professed Christians to himself, working with his power, his signs and lying wonders, to fasten them in his snare. Some he deceives in one way, and some in another. He has different delusions prepared to affect different minds. Some look with horror upon one deception, while they readily receive another. Satan deceives some with Spiritualism. He also comes as an angel of light and spreads his influence over the land by means of false reformations. The churches are elated, and consider that God is working marvelously for them, when it is the work of another spirit. The excitement will die away and leave the world and the church in a worse condition than before.” –Early Writings, p. 260
Satan is trying to deceive everyone, even professed Christians, and he has been successful. He knows that if he can make us commit even the smallest sin or neglect our duties, we will lose our salvation.
We read in the last chapter of the Bible, “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14. The truth is to do all that God has spoken; one thing neglected will make it a falsehood. Ninety-nine percent of true knowledge is not truth; it must be one-hundred percent from the Bible, then it is truth.
Truth and error often look alike because the differences may be very little. Without the power of God, and without the Holy Spirit, our religion will not save us. The truth is where there is Christ’s righteousness, humility, and obedience to God’s commandments.
If we do not love the truth, it will be removed from us. “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 will 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.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12. How many brothers and sisters have we seen believing a lie, and leaving the church? What was clear to them once, now is taken away, and they believe a strong delusion.
Where is the only place where we can find the truth clearly taught? l It is in the church of God. When King Saul did not receive an answer from God, because of his disobedience, he decided to go to a woman who had a familiar spirit. “And when Saul enquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.” 1 Samuel 28:6–7
This can happen also today, that God will not answer some prayers. “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins had hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” Isaiah 59:1–2. We must be willing to give up all our cherished sins, and then God will hear us and answer our prayers.
The truth is not alone, it is united with mercy. “All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.” Psalm 25:10. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10. “Justice and judgment are the habitation of Thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before Thy face.” Psalm 89:14
Some people are seeking for mercy and forgiveness and try to separate them from the truth. They will be disappointed, because these cannot be separated. Without obedience to the truth, there is no mercy for the sinner. “He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Psalm 91:4
No evil can happen to us as long as we abide in the truth. The Spirit of God will lead us into all the truth, which is Jesus Christ.
Pilate asked, “what is truth”? The truth of God stood before him, but he was blinded, and could not see what the disciples saw. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
Can we see in Him, His glory, full of grace and truth? We need to walk in truth; when we walk in Christ, then we know what is truth.
The disciples understood the truth finally, after the crucifixion of Jesus. Then also the power of the Holy Spirit was given to them. We must learn to know the truth and obey it before it is too late; then the truth (Jesus) will save us and make us free. Amen.
Timo Martin