October 21 | Overcoming Deception
2 Corinthians 11:3, “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
Do you think people who are deceived know that they are deceived? Mostly likely they don’t see they are deceived because of the fact they are deceived. Do most Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Scientologists and Muslims act like they are deceived? No. Why not? Because they believe they are right and they think that those who don’t believe what they believe are the ones who are really deceived.
Consequently, how can anyone really know if what they believe is actually true or false? The only way someone can truly discover whether or not they are deceived is by examining the truth with an open mind. If the earth is truly round then all open-minded people searching for truth should come to that conclusion. If someone examines the evidence for the shape of the earth and still believes the earth is flat, the problem is not with the truth, but with the person.
Consider if a person was taught by their parents to believe the earth is flat. They may refuse to change their belief because they feel it will dishonor their family. Also, they may have been taught to distrust scientists because they were taught that they were evil. So they would rather trust their own experience and family upbringing. They might say after examining all the evidence, “As far as I can see the earth is flat and everyone I trust told me it was that way too; so I still believe the earth is not round but flat.” However, the flat-earther’s belief doesn’t change the fact that the earth is round.
Deception is only deceiving to those who don’t have the truth.
Now consider the Bible and the Christian faith. I believe that it is as true as the fact that the earth is round. I don’t believe it because my parents taught it to me but because I have gained the truth from a personal experience with God that is confirmed by evidence. Because of God’s truth in the Bible I can understand all of creation, including myself. For Christians faith and reason are not opposed to each other but rather they are complimentary. Like Anselm said, “Credo ut intelligam,” which is Latin for, “I believe to understand.”
Therefore, if someone rejects the clear and plain teachings of the Bible it is because they are refusing to see the truth. Often times people will leave the church and stop believing in Jesus because of what a person in the church did or because their family and friends believe something else. Even still, they might have learned something on the internet that seems to disprove the Bible. However, they haven’t really disproved anything, they just have let their minds be deceived by the devil’s cunning work like Paul mentioned in today’s passage. As a result, if you ever find yourself being led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ, stop running away and examine the truth again with an open mind.
I believe if you do, you will not only see and understand the truth of the Bible but you’ll experience the power of God personally. When it comes to religions there are many to choose from, but only one way leads to God (John 14:6). Christianity offers you salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of the Son of God. In other words, because of what Jesus did you can have a meaningful and personal relationship with God the Father.
So before a person becomes deceived, they should consider what Jesus said and did according to the Bible. And if you doubt the validity of the Bible, see how it answers the big questions of life compared to all other worldviews. I know you will discover once again that Jesus is truly the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no one can come to the Father but by Him (John 14:6).
Do you struggle with believing in Jesus and discerning truth from error? Then pray this out loud, “Father, please forgive me for allowing my doubts to cover your truth. I come to you with an open mind and humble heart, please reveal yourself to me through the Bible. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Reflection
Are you battling religious deception?
Action
- Repent if you have allowed Satan to trick you, like he did Eve, with his cunning lies.
- Read and study the Bible with a trusted leader to help answer your questions.
- Ask God to fill you with His love and power by the Holy Spirit. One moment with God can last a lifetime!