Don't Be Deceived!

⁵And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: ⁶For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

-Mark 13:5-6 (KJV)

Jesus was teaching His disciples about the end times, about our time right now. He was warning them about false teachers. I think are more false teachers today than there has ever been. I belong to several Christian groups on Facebook, and one thing I see that is becoming more and more common in these groups are the influence of Islamic teaching on Christian boards. And the worst part: Christians are embracing this teaching. Friends, many are being deceived. The Gospel has been so watered down, that many don't even know why Christians are Christians. Let's look at the warning Jesus has given.

Verse 5 says, "And Jesus answering them began to say, 'Take heed lest any man deceive you:" Take heed, in other words, Be careful, take caution. This is a warning. Watch what's happening around you, otherwise, you may be deceived, you may be led astray. Jesus has invested time in these men, teaching them the things of the Kingdom. Of all the people who followed Jesus through the years, they should be the last ones that would be led astray. Look at verse 6, "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Even today, many people come claiming Christ, but their message is far from the truth. And many people are following their teaching, forsaking the true Word of God, because they don't know the true Word of God. 

Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 "¹Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, ²That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. ³Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;" The church at Thessalonica was deceived by a false teacher that the rapture had already occurred. They were fearful that they missed it.The teaching of that false teacher caused them to stumble in their walk.  Look at what Paul said to them. "That ye be not so soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." Their faith was shaken at the false teaching, they were led astray by false teaching. In verse 3 Paul states, "Let no man deceive you by any means:" Again, we must not be led astray by false teaching. How can we determine what is a true and a false teaching?

We read in John 4:1-6, "¹Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. ²Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: ³And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. ⁴Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. ⁵They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. ⁶We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." We must test the spirits, we must test what these false teachers are teaching. Does it coincide with what the Bible says? If not, then we must stay away from their teaching. But, we must know what is found in the Bible. We must know what the Word of God says. If you don't spend time in the Word, studying it, reading it, then how will you be able to stand up against the false teaching? When was the last time you actually read the Bible on your own? Think About It.