Warnings against False Teachers

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. ² These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.

³ They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. ⁴ Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. ⁵ For we know it is made acceptable^[b] by the word of God and prayer.

The Word tell us that it is the Holy Spirit that reveals this, it is NOT Paul who writes it but God himself. This section of scripture’s heading is “warnings against false teachers” and his very first words are “the Holy Spirit tells us……”

In the last times, or last days there will be great deception taking place, even the strongest of the strongest are able to be deceived. Wrong will seem right and right will seem wrong…. here is how it plays out in todays world…. politically correctness!! There are so many issues in this world and for the most part if you do not bend with them the world will think you are narrow minded and closed minded. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTED.

How do you explain the morals of the world from the Cleavers to Modern Family in 40 year span? It’s not just homosexual issues which rules the frontline of everything right now, but just plain morals…. the way we talk, the attitudes, the language we use, abortion, sexual perversions, pornography, and the list goes on and on. The Bible says that they a deceived by demons! Does it mean everyone is inhabited by demons? NO it does not!! It’s a spirit in the world, that slowly moves until the attitude of the world shifts…. personally I believe the shift began in the early 60’s with drugs and the sexual revolution. I was right in the center f it!! But the reality was even then I had NO CLUE what I thought of believed, I had no foundation and I rode the movement just like millions of others.

As time passes by in this world deception will become greater and greater, even the STRONGEST will be deceived. The reason for this is in the end times Satan will try to turn as many away from Jesus as possible through deception…..”surely you won’t die if you eat the apple, God knows that your eyes will be open as soon as you eat it and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil” This was the same lie we are told today!!!

I could go on for days on this subject, you see I’m to the belief that all this is real, that there really is a heaven and a hell, that there really is God and Satan… I know many do not, they think that I’m a fool, that if that is true we are some type of ponds that they use to fight their war. How can a nation turn Godless? One that is a “Christian nation” to a “godless nation”? Is it really that we are becoming more educated? We have more knowledge? Or is it because deception is great over this world?

OK, now for me and how this section of Scripture applies to me. This is a tough one, I have all this knowledge and all these beliefs about this and yet I did what I did in the midst of it all. I was preaching HARD in the book of revelation about how deception will be in the end times, how we better be ready, we better know the Word, we better be in love with Jesus, and so on ……I was pounding into the congregations heads…..well a part of me was trying to pound it into my head….I believe what I preached but was not living it!! My hope and my prayer was that I would be out of this tangled up sin and walking strong before it’s too late for me. I was deceive into believing that I could get away with it!! I was deceived into believing that God would turn his head if I would just stop, I was deceived into believing that God was patient and did not want to all so many lives to be ruined because of my sin, and so He was patiently waiting for me to get out of this mess and move on.

What a FOOL!!! God cared more about my heart and Spirit than he does about my reputation and his reputation. HE IS GOD!! Even if I had stopped it would not have solved anything, it would not have “let me get away with it” HE KNEW and I had to be accountable, I was his chosen vessel as pastor of that church, I was the man chosen to be husband to my wife, father to my children, grandfather and the list goes on. I WAS TOTALLY exposed and I’m so thankful now….I WAS DECIEVED!!! The sad part is the pain it cost so many others, so many in the church and the people that trusted me, followed me, listened to me….. my wife and children who counted on me and trusted me!! I let downs hundreds, I did great damage to the kingdom, and yet God would rather expose, deal with it, forgive and restore…. I WAS DECIEVED!!!

Everybody has beliefs, but what are they based on? Some will say well the Bible says this and I believe this….. I had a conversation with a man yesterday talking about him living with a woman. He is a Christian and he is now married but he was telling me his father is the strongest Christian man he knows and when he lived with this woman his father would point his finger at him and say “you know if you die today you’re going to hell” – he would respond back “you have NO RIGHT to judge me” and they ended up not talking at all for a couple years. Went on to say “well I believe that it’s ok, it’s different days today than it was back then, God does not expect us to live without sex, and it’s better to live together and find out if we get along rather than getting married and ending in divorce” I asked him what he bases this belief on? The answer…..”it’s what I feel”

VERY DANGEROUS — I’m not one to throw judgment, and I don’t know where the line is for God when it comes to our salvation…..but I am learning go to the WORD and see what it says…..out feelings are NOT TO BE TRUSTED.

BOTTOM LINE of this Post: We must hear the Spirit, our teacher, our comforter, the one who guides us in TRUTH, the one who reveals the Word to us, the One who reveals the heart of the Father to us. It is now our feelings, thoughts, or others thoughts that should direct our lives but it is God who does and should!