Doctrine #29: Deception

Deception is not easily spotted, unless you know the definition of the word.

Deception is a physically attractive woman who lies to your face.
Deception is a body builder who never takes emotional risks.
Deception is a marriage where the goal is to stay together, regardless of the cost.




DOCTRINE #29: DECEPTION
Deception is a Right WHAT with a Wrong HOW/WHY. This includes a Right WHAT with no HOW/WHY. Deception is a fact that destroys. Deception is a fact that is evil.


Question: Do you believe you can distinguish between truth and deception?



Next Doctrine: Doctrine #30

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If you need it, here is the support from the Word of God...

SCRIPTURE
"⁵ And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
⁷ but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:5-8)

(Saying that we have fellowship with God is a Right WHAT, but if we walk in darkness it is a Wrong HOW/WHY. Without the causes (how/why) it is deception, NOT truth. If we have no sin, then we have no need for Jesus.)

"⁵ For this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
⁶ Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.
⁷ Be not ye therefore partakers with them;
⁸ For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light
⁹ (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
¹⁰ proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord;
¹¹ and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them;
¹² for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of." (Ephesians 5:5-12)

(Deception occurs with empty. An empty word is a word that sounds Right but has the Wrong HOW/WHY. Whenever satan speaks, this is how he does it. Satan said to Eve that she wouldn't die when she ate of the tree, but God was talking about death as being separated from our purpose in Him, not physical death. Satan deceived Eve by using a different definition for "death" than God! If your words are right and your actions are unfruitful (wrong) that is when deception occurs. The effects of light are goodness, righteousness, and truth. Walking (DO) in the light is the cause.)

"¹⁵ Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.
¹⁶ But shun profane babblings: for they will proceed further in ungodliness,
¹⁷ and their word will eat as doth a gangrene: or whom is Hymenaeus an Philetus;
¹⁸ men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some." (2 Timothy 2:15-18)

(We learned in Doctrine #14: HOW/WHY vs. WHAT that a "workman" is someone who toils with words, in order to cut logos (understanding) with rhema (wisdom, the sword). These people handle aright the word of truth. Profane babblings are right words with wrong definitions, which is deception, and the opposite of truth. Profane babblings are words that are used to "walk on" people, to tear them down.)

"¹³ till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
¹⁴ that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
¹⁵ but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ;" (Ephesians 4:13-15)

(This was the MEANING OF LIFE verse. We will spend eternity speaking (words!) the truth in love, and the result (effect) is that we will grow unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. That is something that will not happen immediately! Doctrine is a What. The deceptive doctrine is by the sleight of men and the HOW is craftiness and introducing doctrine that is in error.)

"²⁸ Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips." (Proverbs 24:28)

(If you were to be a witness against someone without a cause, that is the definition of deception. If something is without a cause it has NO HOW/WHY! Being a "witness" is a Right What. We can be a witness for Jesus, we can be a witness in court. WHY/HOW we witness is what makes our witness TRUE!)

"²² Do they not err that devise evil? But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good." (Proverbs 14:22)

"¹⁴ A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth; And the doings of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.
¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; But he that is wise hearkeneth unto counsel.
¹⁶ A fool's vexation is presently known; But a prudent man concealeth shame.
¹⁷ He that uttereth truth showeth forth righteousness; But a false witness, deceit." (Proverbs 12:14-17)

(Good is a Right WHAT with a right HOW, which is righteousness from truth. Deceit is saying the right thing but doing something else that has to be concealed.)

"¹ Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:
² but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish:
⁴ in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them." (2 Corinthians 4:1-4)

(Again, deceit is handling the word of God with hidden things (veiled) and craftiness. We have heard about these people in the mystery and gnostic sections. The truth is manifest, the HOW/WHY is apparent to all, so that no one has an excuse not to know the truth. If the gospel is hidden from you, you are an unbeliever. We are to believe and understand because we have the mind of Christ within us.)

"¹⁷ Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them.
¹⁸ For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.
¹⁹ For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil." (Romans 16:17-19)

(Smooth and fair speech is attractive. It has the ability to draw people in, because words can be soothing and wooing just like music can be. If words are used to beguile, then it is deceit. In other words, it would be Right Words, with the Wrong actions/ Wrong HOW (this is the definition of hypocrisy). Our obedience to Christ is a Right HOW and it is apparent to all men and results in good: something is created.)

"¹⁵ And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you;
¹⁶ as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
¹⁷ Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness." (2 Peter 3:15-17)

(Peter stated Paul's writing were hard to understand. The writings of Paul caused people to turn from the truth because people chose to be ignorant and not steadfast. These people treated the other scriptures the same way, they would turn away because they chose to not understand. However, not understanding the WHY will lead to destruction. If your beliefs are based on a series of WHAT's you have never actually built a foundation with a HOW/WHY.)

"¹⁰ But these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed.
¹¹ Woe unto them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.
¹² These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
¹³ Wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved forever." (Jude 1:10-13)

(This passage is a perfect example of animal thinking. Animal thinking is without understanding and leads to destruction. We talked about man's WHY being the way that he naturally thinks, which is short term and driven by self justification. Cain, Balaam, and Korah had a Right WHAT with a Wrong HOW/WHY. Jude said the people who are deceptive are hidden among you. The deception will come from the very people who look like they are believers. They have a Right WHAT (they feast with you, they are shepherds, clouds, and autumn leaves) but they have a Wrong HOW/WHY (they hide rocks at feasts, they feed themselves, do not have water, without fruit, twice dead). Clearly not everyone makes it to heaven because blackness and darkness hath been reserved for these people forever.)

"¹ Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;
² to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand;
³ let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
⁴ he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.
⁵ Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
⁶ And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.
⁸ And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;
⁹ even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
¹⁰ and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2 Thessalonians 2:1-10)

(Paul warned not to be beguiled by words. Words are powerful, do you believe this yet?! He gives How we would be beguiled and Why we would be beguiled. Then the antichrist's coming is with power, signs and lying wonders, all things that people would desire to worship in someone else. These things are Right WHAT's, but Wrong HOW/WHY.)

"¹ But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come.
² For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
³ without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,
⁴ traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
⁵ holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power therefore. From these also turn away.
⁶ For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts,
⁷ ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

(A "form of godliness" is a Right WHAT. We can all have God flowing through us in a Right and Just way, which is Holy and godly. But, these people will deceive because they deny the power of God which is a Wrong HOW/WHY. Again, this deception comes from those who look like believers. These deceiver will be ever learning which is knowledge/facts/WHAT's, but never able to get to the knowledge of the HOW/WHY (the causes)... the knowledge of the truth!)

"¹ And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and trying him asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
² But he answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the heaven is red.
³ And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the heaven is red and lowering. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot discern the signs of the times.
⁴ An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and departed." (Matthew 16:1-4)

(Discernment is knowing the HOW/WHY. Jesus' example showed the Pharisees and Sadducees they knew the HOW/WHY of the physical world, yet didn't know the HOW/WHY of the spiritual world. Asking for a sign (Right WHAT) as a cause in order to have faith, however, faith is belief without seeing. So, the request sounded right, however, the HOW/WHY were wrong, so they didn't have discernment and they were evil. If a person says "God is truth", that is a Right WHAT. If they don't give a HOW/WHY, then it is actually deception.)

"¹ Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
² When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.
³ But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
⁴ that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.
⁵ And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.
⁶ But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee." (Matthew 6:1-6)

(Jesus showed a Right WHAT with a Wrong HOW/WHY next to the same Right WHAT with a Right HOW/WHY. Jesus called the people who do a Right WHAT with a Wrong How/WHY: hypocrites. These people have a Right SAY with a Wrong DO. Their actions prove what they believe and they are Hypocrites because they want justice to be evened out NOW. These people do not believe that God is Just, because they seek reward on this earth before men. Surely, they have their reward. God cares more about the HOW/WHY than the WHAT, and our reward is based on that point. Imagine if Jesus just told us to give money to our church because you ought to. That would give room for people to make up their own HOW/WHY and it would be justifiable. What if your pastor did that? What if he told you to give without a HOW/WHY? He could be opening his congregation up to acting apart from the Word of God.)

Truth is a Right WHAT with a Right HOW/WHY
Deception is a Right WHAT with a Wrong/No HOW/WHY

Let's say you have two WHAT's in front of you and both look right. Let's say you didn't have a whole slew of information in front of you. What if two pastors presented totally opposite information, but both seemed right? How would you be able to differentiate between which is right and which is actually wrong? We will learn about the tool that will help us in the next Doctrine!