Love Of The Truth

I want to share something that has been nagging me at the back of my mind lately.  I often ponder what would be so deceptive as to deceive the whole world?  As I watch the world implode around me with increasing velocity, certain scriptures keep coming to mind over and over.  I want to share some of those today.  This is a long one, so get comfortable, put on your tin-foil hat and join me, won't you?

The Bible tells us that before Jesus returns, all of humanity will be deceived:  "All who dwell on the earth will worship the beast, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain." (Rev 13:8)

The Apostle Paul tells us why all of humanity will be deceived:  "..the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness." (2 Thess 2:9-12)

So, the first question we should ask ourselves is, "What is the truth?"  Well, for starters, if it's in the Bible, it's true.  A lot of us need to move past that point as Christians.  If you consider yourself a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, you must necessarily believe that the Book He has given to us to reveal Himself and the plan for salvation, and to serve as our universal and unequivocal standard of measurement is trustworthy and reliable.  The end. 

The next truth is that Jesus Christ is the creator of all things seen and unseen and He created it exactly the way the Bible tells us He did.  There is no mystery to Gen 1 & 2, it is what it is and, for all intents and purposes, can be taken at face value.  "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him." (Col 1:16)

And the most important truth of all is that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation and eternal life.  There is no other way:

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

"For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus," (1 Tim 2:5)

"For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor 3:11)

"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6)

"For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2:9-11)

Yet the Bible clearly warns us that there will come a time where every person on this earth will be deceived, even those in Christ Jesus if it were possible: 

"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance." (Matt 24:24,25)

"And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world;" (Rev 12:9)

Satan's strategy is the same today as it was from the very beginning when he first deceived Eve in the Garden:  "The serpent said to the woman, 'You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,'" (Gen 3:4,5).

"You surely will not die!"-- she could have eternal life without God

"..you will be like God."-- she could evolve

What greater way to deceive human beings than to convince them that they are part of an evolutionary process that will progress them into higher states of being?

A massive portion of humanity has already fallen for the groundwork for this sort of great deception through the acceptance of evolution as an observable science, rather than a false hypothetical theory.  What greater way to deceive human beings than for one of these "evolved beings" to present itself to mankind, show signs and wonders through superior technology and convince the world that they must evolve because "You surely will not die!....you will be like God."  After all, we were made in His image weren't we?  Shouldn't we be like Him?  If this happened tomorrow, how many people on earth would fall for it hook, line and sinker? 

Yes, we were made in God's image, but God doesn't evolve and neither do we.  Scripture says, "Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings.." (Heb 13:8)

I can't tell you how many Christians I know that either believe in evolution or have tried to marry it with the Genesis account of creation.  I used to be one of them.  The black-and-white issue is that God expects us to believe His word.  Period.  When we try to approach His word through our own reasoning, we traverse into the area of building our house on the sand.  And sandy foundations will bring you neck-deep in deception.

Scripture says the beast who is coming is, "in accord with the activity of Satan" (2 Thess 2:9).  Something we need to keep in mind is that the devil isn't stupid and he's had thousands of years to orchestrate his magnum opus of deception to be carried out the last 3 1/2 years before Christ returns.  Two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul said, "the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way." (2 Thess 2:7).

So, is this how it's all going to play out?  I honestly have no idea.  The sole point I'm trying to make here, is that disregarding God's word is to set yourself up for deception.  God has given us His word so that we would not be deceived.  The problem is, most Christians do not take the time to read it.  I cannot stress to you how important it is for today's lukewarm Laodicean Christians to make up their minds whom they will serve, "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve." (Joshua 24:15).  

One thing I do know, is that the days ahead of us will only grow in deception.  The only hope we have against that deception is the love of truth in Jesus Christ.  If you haven't yet, please make up your mind today, right now, whom you will serve.  Make up your mind to love the truth that has been revealed to us by the Holy Spirit through God's word.  Repent of any double-mindedness.  Repent of holding back areas of your life from Christ's Lordship.  Submit to God, allowing His grace to pour out into every area of your life, making a wholesale change in your mind and your heart, resulting in a changed lifestyle that glorifies our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 

"..they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness." (2 Thess 2:10,11)