(ThyBlackMan.com)
Deception is here
Christ warns us in the Scriptures of the coming age of deception. He says in Matthew 24:4-5 “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many.” This post won’t be an effort to prove that we are in a time of deception; that’s a subject suitable for later. However, suffice it to say that we live in a time of confusion and misleading that can potentially harm the Body of Christ. How do we deal with this deception? Better yet, how do we arm ourselves against the barrage of false truth in today’s society?
Develop Discernment
The Hebrews writer deals with immature believers who allow themselves to remain in a babe-like state and exhorts them to grow in the things of God. In their current condition, they require milk because they are inexperienced in handling the message of righteousness though enough time had elapsed when they could’ve become teachers. Nevertheless, he points out a few attributes that characterize their lack of adulthood and determines that those who can only handle milk are unprepared to discern between good and evil or truth and deception. Hebrews 5:14 says, “But solid food is for the mature – for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.”
To illustrate, a baby is typically susceptible to danger because it has not developed the awareness of peril that an older man has. Even small children, usually seen frolicking around, are oblivious to any threats to their safety. It is often the “grown-up,” the mature and watchful adult who is conscious of lurking hazards and examines the surroundings for probable harm. What is the difference between the two? The difference is that the adult has had enough experience with real or plausible danger to recognize what is imperceptible to the child. Their ability to survey and evaluate possible endangerment is what the immature child lacks, and this applies to Christians who lack the skill to determine deception or truth.
Discernment Distinguishes
Therefore, maturity is seen or observed in the scrutiny. That is, the ability to scrutinize and examine to discover the truth or discern between good and evil is the mark of growth in the Christian. As babes in Christ, our immediate encounters with truth occur by being told or guided as to what truth is. Often we’re not unlike the Ethiopian eunuch who could not perceive what he read without some man guiding him or showing him the way. As new saints, we must be shown how to follow Christ and observe His commandments to lead a life unto His pleasing. However, there also should come a time in our growing in grace that we become mature enough to know or discover how to orient our lives in a way that pleases God.
As we grow as Christians, the training wheels are removed, the walking aids are discarded, and the attractions of strangers don’t sway us. This maturing and ability to distinguish right and wrong come from acquaintance and familiarity with Christ and His word. Because I’ve spent time with Christ, I’m familiar with His voice and His leading. Even amid a thousand would-be Christs, I’m aware of the true Christ because of my close association with Him. Therein is the formula for safeguarding against deception and being led astray: training in recognizing the truth that develops into an intimate acquaintance with Christ leads to the ability to scrutinize anything that may claim to be Christ.
Exercise Your Discernment
This is the mature Christian, the Christian who knows how to be still and know God. This is the Christian that will ask questions to discover the intent behind the content; that will lend itself to study to sharpen better his reasoning and skill in determining truth. This is the Christian that we should aspire to be if we do as Christ commands, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me.”
Dear Christian, be resolved not to be led astray by every wind and doctrine by drawing closer to the Lord Jesus Christ so that you may know His voice in the confusion and cacophony of voices that would pretend to be His. Get involved in a Christian community where you can be trained and strengthened in learning who Christ is so that a wolf in sheep’s clothing doesn’t fool you. And finally, I end with the appeal of the Apostle Paul in 2 Tim 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Staff Writer; C. E. Davis
This man of God can also be found online over at; InfiniteTruth Devotion.
One may also drop an email: CEDavis@ThyBlackMan.com.