deception in the bible

When a person’s external actions are inconsistent with his inner motives, he is being deceptive. If they’re on your heart, you take them often before God’s throne of grace, asking Him to keep them from the many snares of this world and to help them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. At some point in our lives we have all be tricked by others [and probably done some fooling ourselves]. What Was The Purpose? Something like this had never happened before. This has created generations of pastors who in turn teach from the corrupt texts, which misleads the masses of Christians. And so a major theme throughout the entire New Testament, including John’s epistles, is that God’s people need to develop discernment so that they can avoid spiritual deception. To test them to see if they had changed from the cruel, selfish men who had sold him into slavery. Rebecca's brother was Laban the Aramean, and she was the granddaughter of Milcah and Nahor, the brother of Abraham. Yes, for 14 years, then it was exposed. God never directly rebuked Abram for his actions, but He did rescue him. Sometimes the innocent suffer. "You are to go throughout the earth," he commanded, "and I want you to deceive as many people as you possibly can, causing them to be lost. Disguised as a prostitute she allowed her father-in-law to have sex with her. To be forewarned was to be forearmed. - Jacob pretended to be Esau, the eldest son. Method Of Deception? . Because the corrupt Greek Bibles and modern Bible versions, like the NIV and ESV, are both missing words and verses, most Pastors don’t notice the deception. Pharaoh had lust in his heart for beautiful women and wanted them for his own. It never entered their minds that Joseph could be alive and certainly they could not conceive of him as a ruler in Egypt. Likewise, one who deceives others convinces them to accept, as truth, something false. When I first came here 23 years ago, one of the elders told me that I was arrogant because I had titled one of my sermons, “What the Bible Says About Abortion.” When I asked him to explain, he said, “You can’t be dogmatic. So we could develop these verses along the lines of some vital principles for ministry: (1) Heartfelt love and concern for the spiritual well-being of the church (including these people whom he had never met); (2) prayer (“struggle”) undergirding everything; (3) a strong emphasis on teaching the truth along with loving relationships; (4) being Christ-centered and Christ-exalting in such teaching; (5) warning newer believers about the danger of being carried away by false teachers who like to prey on the flock; (6) encouraging others to be disciplined and stand firm in Christ. It can split the family apart and drive a wedge between the husband and wife. Pharaoh gave Abram wealth because of Sarai. For example, the midwives who were charged with caring for the infant Moses carried out an elaborate deception in order to safeguard the life and well-being of Moses, hiding his Hebrew origins and leading the Pharaoh to believe that he was actually one of his own sons (Exodus 2:1-10). In a genuinely loving church, you will receive sound teaching, both from the pulpit and from mature believers. Jacob acted out of fear. For more information about Glenn Davis see our About Glenn page and/or his Author's Page. God did not judge Abraham and Sarah for their deception. To protect his own life. But it is an essential quality. 94-95) explains, “Living in a loving and forgiving community will assist growth in understanding, and vice versa, as truth is confirmed in practice and practice enables truth to be seen in action and so to be fully grasped.” Our text implies three qualities of a loving church: Although it’s not directly stated, most commentators think that Paul’s great “struggle” for these believers whom he had not met was his struggle in prayer. Deception is taking place on a massive scale. There are other areas of doctrine and practice where godly people differ. When Paul says that Christ is God’s “mystery,” and that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are “hidden” in Him, he does not mean that these things are reserved for an elite, insider few. You can only state your opinion, but be open to other views.”. Love seeks the highest good of others, which is, that the person knows Christ in a saving way and that he or she is growing in Christ. They use the Bible and claim to believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord. Abimelech maintained his innocence and returned Sarah to Abraham along with a good deal of wealth. In essence, Saul’s root character flaw is self-exaltation and self-deception. He never saw his mother again. Destroying others brings destruction back on ourselves. It’s amazing how many different false teachings and teachers continue to prey on the Lord’s flock in our day. The Old Testament points ahead to Jesus. 7:15). The Lord intervened to protect Sarai by bringing serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household. Over 40 years ago, Marla and I were mugged at gunpoint as we walked from our car to our apartment in Dallas, Texas. God will protect His own. Wounded pride can be a powerful motive for revenge and injustice. And, for a fee, they will provide a year’s worth of “tech support.” (These statistics and examples are from an AARP email, 12/23/15. The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. I encourage you to pray through our church directory. Warning the Corinthians about not receiving a false Jesus or a different gospel, the apostle Paul wrote (2 Cor. There are core biblical truths that we must understand clearly and be willing to fight for and, if necessary, divide over or even die for. Daily devotional with John Piper. The men of the city saw the advantage of increased trade and profit. She was not a good companion for Jacob even though she was the focus of his love. From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. Beyond that, the cults are as active as ever, going door-to-door in our neighborhoods and recruiting people by appealing to their “strong family emphasis.” Among professing evangelicals, there are “churches” that gather in bars and sip cocktails while they discuss the Bible and current topics of interest. Cain's "means" were wrong and he suffered judgment. God can use the heathen to "straighten us out" if He desires. Follow us on the social media MeWe for daily Scripture comments and more. ), While these schemes can cost people financially, spiritual deception can result in a person’s eternal ruin. Lessons:  Do not misuse power or influence. There are numerous warnings in the Bible concerning deceit, … When Joseph was gone so was his reason for living. Many have simply stopped watching and listening to the major news networks. What Was The Purpose? But these wolves were mingling among the flock, so Paul was concerned. Shechem could then marry Dinah. Shechem wanted Dinah for his wife. He believed his daughter's lie. To have children for her dead husband. It was powerful and could not be given twice. If we’re oblivious to these and many other deceptive schemes of the devil, we’re more likely to fall prey to them. We have to be careful to consider the effects of our actions and not place our own safety or priorities above the welfare of others. Sometimes, sound teaching will confront where your life is not in line with God’s revealed will. (Read More...) Proverbs 12:22 - Lying lips [are] abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly [are] his delight. To get revenge [justice?] He feared Laban more than he trusted God. He strutted and boasted and flung insults at Israel, sure that his great size and physical strength would ensure victory against the much smaller and weaker David. They claimed to have a deeper philosophy than the simple gospel of faith in Christ. If you take advantage of people under your influence you may lose them and end up hurting yourself. Method Of Deception? People do not always keep their word - even relatives. We cannot be blind to the true character of those we love, nor can we support them in their ungodly actions. The first two children were removed from Adam and Eve's family. God is in control even of heathen kings. Why Was Abel Deceived? Rachel was bold and sneaky and willing to risk her life for her gods. He took Isaac at his word. True Christianity is a matter of the heart or inward person. His servants are not outwardly, obviously evil. Ignorance is no excuse - judgment was upon Abimelech even before he know what he had done was wrong. Why Was Lot Deceived? Lessons:  Hidden agendas can be even in our closest family members. Result:  Sarah was taken by Abimelech. He thought this deception was necessary to save his life. causes more harm than good. The cults draw people in by showing them “love.” Perhaps the most egregious example was the Children of God cult, where the women used sex to lure unsuspecting men into the group. Note: This was before the Mosaic laws against sexual relations with close relatives. Lying - He said that Rebekah was his sister not his wife. Lessons:  The desire to correct injustice or get revenge runs deep and may make hidden agendas. Some of the most scary, confusing and flat out ignored passages in the Bible are the ones talking about the coming Great Deception that will occur in the End Times. Rather, he is countering the false teachers, who appealed to people with their inside secrets. He uses the verb related to that noun when he refers (Col. 4:12) to Epaphras, who is “always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers.” We get our word “agonizing” from this Greek word. He may have been able to get away with such actions in his own city and culture, but he was dealing with people of a different culture. Below we will look at the best deceptions in the Book of Genesis, how they were worked, the victims of deception and some quick thoughts on what we can learn for our own lives. Result:  Jacob deeply mourned Joseph's supposed death. They rescued their sister. He lustfully desired to possess beautiful women. We must be wise in our actions and minimize risk where possible. If Cain had obeyed God in the first place, none of this would have happened. But they were promoting a message that appealed to the flesh. God's blessing is powerful and overflows to all around. We may be sorry for what we have done, but our restitution may not be accepted. It is possible to have 2-way communication with God in dreams. Her father-in-law acknowledged that she was more righteous than he was. Someone that deceives is a scammer. Another popular scam consists of people posing as employees of tech companies who tell you that your computer has a virus. Before we explore Paul’s counsel, I mention that these verses could be expounded in a different direction. Method Of Deception? After that traumatic event, I never made that short walk without looking around for potential danger. The Old Testament promised the coming Redeemer and King, but the specifics were blurry until Jesus came on the scene, much like we’re fuzzy on the details about end time prophecies that have not yet been fulfilled. What Was The Purpose? The rich can be bored and seek immoral avenues to find "entertainment." Is it just "Mother Nature" or is there an underlying reason? He thought he had control over Jacob and did not see or, at least, consider the dissatisfaction and frustration of Jacob. Although her plan was risky, she took what safety precautions she could. God appeared to Abimelech in a dream to defend Sarah. Our selfishness brings pain to others. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power. There are some sorrows too deep to be comforted. Why Was Judah deceived? He believed his sons and the evidence that was presented. Satan, the Father of Lies, practiced the art of deception first on Eve in the Garden of Eden. Sam Storms (samstorms.com) writes: The word translated “good order” points to the well-ordered behavior of the Colossians. So to avoid spiritual deception, be aware of the danger. The Bible and the Bible-based publications of “the faithful and discreet slave” clearly expose the Devil’s evil methods. John Piper @JohnPiper. Casting doubt on the Word of God followed by direct contradiction of the Word of God. To soothe her wounded pride, to get revenge on Joseph for rejecting her. We’re on a mission to change that. Method Of Deception? As you can see, Satan has been very effective. Our actions of self-preservation can bring harm to others. Jacob had made a "god" out of Joseph. It is never wise to have favourites in a family. Yahweh (2:17) Yahweh may in fact be the archetypal liar in the Hebrew Bible. 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