Deception

2 Tim. 4:3-4 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

These verses say that as the return of the Lord draws near Christians will turn away from the word of God. They will seek out teachers and preachers who will teach and preach things that will agree with them living a life of sin.

That brings up a question that is asked by many today, is it necessary to obey God’s Word if you are a Christian? If a person calls themselves a Christian, you would hope that obeying God’s Word is not up for debate. Here is a fact about God, He says what He means, and He means what He says. Yes, we do have a freedom of choice to obey or disobey and if you are a true Christian you will want to obey Him.

But more and more Christians choose to go against His Word if it doesn’t line up with what they want to do. The great deception is this: if I repent of my sins I can keep doing what I did before I accepted Christ.

1 Cor. 6:9-11 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

This verse lists some of the sins that will send a person to hell. But notice what verse 11 says after these sins are listed, Paul says, “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Notice he says that’s the way you lived before salvation, but now that you have been saved you are no longer that way. We are to leave the sinful lifestyle.

Are we perfect? No, we will make mistakes. Will we sin occasionally? Yes. But when this happens we should feel conviction for the wrong we did, and we should cry out to God to forgive us and ask Him to give us the strength not to give into temptation again. Here is the biggest danger in all of this, knowing what the Bible says and knowing something is a sin and staying in that sin.

So, what must we do?

Romans 13:11-12 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

It’s time for us to examine our hearts and repent of our sins and strive to live right. Live a life that is holy and pleasing to God.