The fourth vital truth to avoid being or becoming a victim of deception

 

1.      The truth about Satan's impersonation of Christ

The fourth vital truth to avoid being or becoming a victim of deception is to be able to make a clear distinction between what is genuine and what is counterfeited, because Satan has a counterfeit to everything that the Lord has established especially with regards to worship. The apostle Paul expressed deep concern with regards to this situation by stating; “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted --- you may well put up with it!”

He further said; “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11: 3-4, 13-15).

We therefore have been forewarned saying; “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.”

The stark reality is, both Satan and his ministers transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, and therefore, “the coming of the lawless one to whom Satan the dragon gave his power, his throne, and great authority will be according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

To avoid being or becoming a victim of deception one has to begin with the root cause of the problem which began with the first Adam whom the Lord God took and placed in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it, and the Lord commanded him saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

Therefore to avoid being or becoming victims of deception, we must know, understand, believe and practice the truth and take no pleasure in unrighteousness, because God from the beginning chose us for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called us by His glorious gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now there is only one truth, and that is Jesus Christ Who is the Word of God. Therefore, whatever the Lord has spoken or written, whether it is in the Old or the New Testament, they remain in force forever, unless an amendment, alteration, or a reformation has been made or instructed by the Lord Himself. Any other teachings regardless how sensible one might think they may be, are all blatant lies.

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them, for truly, these times of ignorance God has overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/145385777X    

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1466328568

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077M5T68T

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ

The third vital truth to avoid being or becoming a victim of deception

 

1.      The truth about Jesus Christ coming in the flesh

 

Knowing, understanding and believing the truth about Jesus Christ coming in the flesh is imperative to avoid being or becoming a victim of deception, because the apostle John said quite distinctly; “This is love that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 6-7).

The words that were told from the beginning simply state that; " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," it says also that; “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Now the truth about the Word becoming flesh, which we are to know, understand, believe and put into practice is knowing and believing the rationale and objective for which the Word became flesh, and applying whatever is required of us; What is clearly stated concerning the Word becoming flesh is:-

·         “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil."

·         "To release those who through fear of death were their entire lifetime subject to bondage."

·         "For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham."

·       "Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people."

·       "For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."

·    "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

·      "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 2:14-18, 4:15-16). "

We can summarize the truth about Christ coming in the flesh by stating that; He experienced life like any human being so that He could die to pay the penalty of sin in man's stead, for as God alone He could not die. He also set us an example that we should follow His steps, to this end we are told; “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6).

He left us a perfect offering which He as High priest offers to the Father, so that we can come boldly to the throne of grace, in order to obtain mercy and find grace in time of need. And therefore have been admonished saying, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22).

And leaving us His flesh to eat, and His blood to drink in order to have life: For thus says the Lord; “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

Despite the disapproval from the Jews who said; "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" And the withdrawals of many of His own disciples who followed Him no more and said; “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" Jesus Christ remained quite adamant and endorsed what He said previously and reiterated it by saying; “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is (real) food indeed, and My blood is (real) drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me”  This is the bread which came down from heaven --- not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever" (John 6:53-58).

This is how knowledge, understanding and belief in Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh is demonstrated and is an integral truth to avoid being or becoming a victim of deception.

To be continued

https://www.amazon.com/dp/145385777X    

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

The second vital truth one should know in order to avoid being or becoming a victim of deception

 

1.      The truth about Jesus is the Christ

It is imperative that one should know, understand and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God in order to avoid becoming a victim of deception, as stated by the apostle John who wrote; “I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us --- eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you” (1John 2:21-26).

To avoid being deceived we are to abide in what we have heard from the beginning which is; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” And; “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17).

Now if we know and believe that it is by Him all things were created, and He said to the Jews; “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:37-39).

One has to conclude therefore that, all the directives and instructions that were given to Moses, such as;

·         “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.

·      'Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

·     "These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times.”

·       “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, 'My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.”

·      " I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.' (Leviticus 23:2-4; Numbers 28:2l Ezekiel 20:20).

All these directives and instructions were given by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and are all directed towards Him. For according to the apostle Paul; “For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live:  However, there is not in everyone that knowledge” (1Corinthians 8:6-7).

The irony of truth is the Lord God of the Old Testament is Jesus Christ, Who is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the One who said; “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ' I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. Therefore, when He came into the world as the Son of Man He said; “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." (Isaiah 44:6, Mark 2:2-28).

Now if we know and believe this aspect of the truth, the way we demonstrate our belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God is by ascribing to Him the glory due to His name. “For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him all the earth' (Psalms 96:4-9; 1Chronicles 16:27-30).

Worshiping the Lord and not adhering to the basic principles and protocol of worship and instead following the customs and traditions of men is clearly a definite sign of being a victim of deception.

To be continued

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/145385777X   

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077M5T68T

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

Knowing the truth about the commandments is a sure way of avoiding deception

 To be stable and well-grounded in the truth and avoid being deceived one has to take literally the transformation of the life in the Spirit as we have been duly admonished saying; “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, (according to the laws of God) and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5: 16-18).

To live and walk in the Spirit simply means to live and walk in accordance to the word of God (Jesus Christ who stated plainly that; “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” And according to the apostle Paul; “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (John 6:63; Galatians5:25).

Therefore, to live contrary to what is inscribed in the laws of God, is to live in accordance to the flesh, where, everyman does what seems right in his/her own eyes, and walk according to one’s own imagination which unfortunately, is the major cause for the massive confusion that exists in the world, especially in the Christian religion, man has blatantly rejected the laws of God the way by which man should live and holding tenaciously to the customs and traditions of men: Now, where so ever a problem exists, the most effective way to deal with it, is by attacking it from its roots and not simply dealing with the effects.

Now the root cause of our problem is that one is either spiritual or carnal. With the spiritually minded the righteous requirement of the law is being fulfilled in those who do not walk according to the flesh but is walking according to the Spirit. Whereas, the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God: For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:4-5,7).

Now, not only are we to know, understand and believe the truth about the commandments of the Lord in order to avoid being or becoming a victim of deception, but we also have to demonstrate our belief by putting them into practice. For according to the apostle James; “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.'

^“But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe --- and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:15-20).

So the way one demonstrates his/her knowledge and belief in the truth about God's commandments is by obeying them. For it is written; “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” And Jesus said quite emphatically, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (1John 2:3-5; John 14:15).

Furthermore, one should take into consideration the fact that; “sin is not imputed when there is no law and if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us: If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him (God) a liar, and His word is not in us” (Romans 4:15; 5:13; 1John 1:8, 10).

Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 7:12; 3:20).

The conclusion therefore is, no one is saved or justified by keeping the law however, it is what defines sin as verified by the apostle Paul who wrote; “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet" (Romans 7:7).

Therefore, knowing the truth about the commandments of God and being subjective to it is a sure way of avoiding being a victim of deception.

To be continued

https://www.amazon.com/dp/145385777X

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

            

Vital truth to avoid deception

 

1.      The truth about the commandments of God

The first vital truth that one should apply in order to avoid deception is to know, understand, believe and practice the truth about the commandments of God which is the manual and standard guide book ordained by God, on how man should live. For thus says the Lord; “And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them' (Ezekiel 20:11).

It is a proven fact that, no one is justified by keeping the law, for it is stated that, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." We are also instructed saying; “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (Galatians 3:10-12; James 2:10).

Nevertheless, not being justified by keeping the law does not nullify it and makes it obsolete. On the contrary according to the apostle Paul; “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” He said again; “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." ...'Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Galatians 3:31; Romans 7:7, 12).

Therefore it is preposterous for anyone to believe, or assume that the commandments of God are no longer in force. Anyone who believes or are in the assumption that the commandments of God are not in force, are under a huge cloud of deception. For Jesus Christ said categorically: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” He went on to validate the certainty of the commandments by saying; “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19).

Therefore, although without a shadow of doubt, it is by grace we have been saved through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast, we nevertheless are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them are all inscribed in His laws, the manual and guide book given to man in order for man to know how to live in the Spirit. The irony of truth is, there is a life which is in accordance to the laws of God, or in the Spirit, and there is a life which is in accordance to the flesh, or in accordance to the customs and traditions of men.

Now the one which is in accordance to the laws of God or in accordance to the Spirit, is a straight gate and a narrow way and only a few people will find it, but the way which is in accordance to the flesh, and traditions and customs of men, is wide and broad, and each one does what seems right in his/her own eyes, and walking after the imagination of their own hearts, and although it leads to destruction, unfortunately, there are many who goes through it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/145385777X

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph