By: Steve Wilmot
Edgerton, Ohio
True followers of Jesus run minimal risk of rejecting their faith and walking away from their devotion to Jesus out of the blue.
They’ve been radically changed. Brought from death to life, and darkness to light. They’ve experienced joy in sorrow, peace in troubled times, and hope when rescue delays.
They’ve seen too much of the goodness, generosity, and grace of God to throw it all away. But that doesn’t mean we who are believers can let down our guard against drifting away from God.
In fact, everyone reading this column knows someone who once had a solid, growing relationship with Jesus but now is either merely going through the motions or has spurned what they used to believe.
It doesn’t happen overnight or suddenly. No, slowly, little by little, day after day they drifted away. Without meaning to, they gradually fell because they allowed themselves to be deceived.
We scratch our heads at their “sudden” loss of faithfulness to God. But it was the inevitable result of a process started with half-truths that gradually turned their faith to doubt, and from doubt to embracing a whole new perspective on life.
Deception is one of Satan’s most effective weapons because a lie is so subtle it’s not detected until it’s too late.
A blatant falsehood is easily recognized. If I was talking to you and insisted I went deep sea diving when I was in junior high school and saw the Titanic, you’d know in an instant I was lying to you. That’s why Satan doesn’t tell us bald-faced lies.
But deception works because it sounds true. It makes enough sense it could be true. It tricks you and misleads you into error and away from the truth. That’s why it’s such an efficient weapon in the hands of Satan and frauds he speaks through.
Jesus said deception is like a sheep that wanders off (Matthew 18.12-13). It doesn’t spontaneously run away from the shepherd and its flock. It just doesn’t pay attention and before you know it, it’s wandered off into danger.
That’s why sheep need a shepherd. And that’s why we need the Good Shepherd. It’s why Jesus and the writers of the New Testament warned believers to guard themselves against being deceived.
“Watch out that no one deceives you” (Matthew 24.4). “Many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people” (Matthew 24.10-11).
“False prophets and teachers will appear… to deceive even the elect” (Matthew 24.24). “Do not be deceived, my brothers and sisters” (James 1.16). “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray” (1 John 3.7).
This is serious stuff, my Christian brothers and sisters. Since Satan can’t prevent you from going to heaven, he wants you living like an unbeliever.
Compromising. Uncommitted. Deciding for yourself what is right and wrong. Hiding your light under a basket.
Keeping your mouth shut instead of exposing lies and half-truths that have trapped others in the net of deception. Going through the motions of an ongoing relationship with Jesus.
Allowing your passion and love for Jesus to cool. Settling for being a “good person.” We would do well to heed Jesus’ warning, or we’ll become victims of deceit ourselves and suffer the consequences.
Jesus not only warned us to guard against deception, he also told us how to detect words and thoughts targeted to deceive us with lies and partial truths.
“You are in error — the same Greek word translated “deceived” in other verses of Scripture — because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matthew 22.29).
To ward off every attempt to trick you, you must know what the Word of God proclaims, and who God really is. All successful deception sneaks past those who don’t know the Word or its Author.
Show me someone who is drifting further from God, and I’ll show you someone who is not reading their Bible. Your most potent safeguard against deception is an increasing knowledge of the Truth that’s revealed in the Word of God.
Want to know the only guaranteed way you won’t be deceived and drift away from the Lord? Know the Word. Believe the Word. Don’t be swayed from the truth revealed in the Word.
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Steve Wilmot is a former Edgerton, Ohio area pastor who now seeks “to still bear fruit in old age” through writing. He is the author of seven books designed to assist believers to make steady progress on their spiritual journey.