Posted on 03/29/2009 1:32:24 AM PDT by guitarplayer1953
Can You Be Deceived? By John Schmoyer It was Pilate who made famous the question “What is truth?” So often in our world the truth is hard to come by, and sometimes what masquerades as truth is nothing more than a clever deception. Wouldn’t it be nice if we as Christians were somehow exempt from being deceived? A number of years ago I read an article written by a man who is the leader of a church group. In his article he claimed that there is a subset within the greater Church of God – a sort of superior breed of Christian if you will – that he calls the “very elect”. These very elect, he wrote, believes these “very elect” can only be found in his particular church. To support his assertions he referred to a verse in Matthew 24. So let’s spend some time in Matthew 24, and let’s see what Jesus Christ says about the “very elect” and whether or not they can be deceived. Let’s begin in Matthew 24:23. I’m going to quote this from the King James Version because it uses the words “very elect”. 23 not. great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Verse 24 mentions “the very elect”. In the article I read by this man (who also claims to be a prophet), he seized upon this phrase and repeatedly used it to prove there is a select group within the Christian church that is superior to others. But is that really true? Is that what this verse is really saying? This phrase “very elect” is found only in the King James Version, and only in this one verse. The King James Version was produced in the year 1611. This phrase – the very elect – is an old English phrase that means “even the elect”. All other translations that I consulted properly render this “even the elect” (I consulted the New King James version, the Amplified, the New International Version, the New Revised Standard Version, the New American Standard, and the New Living Translation). The New King James renders verse 24 as follows: 24 wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Even the elect, not the “very elect”. There is really nothing in this verse that suggests that Christ is referring to only a subset of the church – a very elect. We, the entire church, are the elect of God. There are many scriptures in the New Testament that mention the elect; you might want to refer to a concordance and read about the elect some time. For example Colossians 3:12 says: 12 kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering We, the followers of Jesus Christ, are the elect of God. We are one body, one church (albeit in many different organizations), united by the Holy Spirit within us. The writer of I Can You Be Deceived? Page 2 of 3 the article I read misused 1611 English to convey an idea that is simply not supported by the actual text and meaning of Matthew 24:24. But what about being deceived? Does this verse say anything about it not being possible for the elect to be deceived? Well, let’s take another look at what Christ said. “For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” False Christs - those claiming to false prophets - those who claim to have revelation from God - these will arise in the time just before the return of Jesus. They will “show great signs and wonders”. But Jesus warns his church beforehand not to be taken in by these fellows – don’t be deceived – they are “another beast” who “spoke like a dragon”, it says: He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast. Great, awesome, astounding miracles will be performed. Why? To dwell on the earth. And according to Jesus’ statements in Matthew 24, the primary purpose of these signs and wonders is to Because Satan assist Jesus in administering the righteous government of God on Earth. Revelation 12:9 tells us that Satan has deceived the the world, not just most of the world, but the whole world. These signs and wonders will further deceive the world, but the world is fact a last ditch effort to deceive, if at all possible, the people of God. If there is any way, any room for him to plant a seed of doubt, he wants to do it. And these wonders will be very convincing - designed to deceive even the people of God, not just the rest of the world that is already deceived. Let’s return to Matthew 24 and read a few more verses: 3 saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” The disciples asked Jesus questions about when the temple of their day would be destroyed, and also about the end of the age. These disciples are the ones who became apostles; men such as Peter, John, and James. How did Jesus answer their question? Notice the first thing – 4 you. deceive many. Can You Be Deceived? Page 3 of 3 The very deceives you. Does that sound like they We’ll return to Matthew 24 in just a moment, but let’s take a quick look at 2 Thessalonians 2:1. Here the apostle Paul wrote: 1 gathering together to Him, we ask you, troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition Paul warned the first century Christians “let no one deceive you by any means”. If the elect were somehow exempt from being deceived, Paul would not have had to write this. But he did write it because some of them were in fact being deceived. So you see, Jesus has given his Church a heads up – a powerful deception that is coming. It will be far more powerful than anything the world has ever seen. We need to heed that warning and be prepared. We can take comfort in knowing that with Christ in us we can do all things (Phil. 4:13). If we do our part by studying the Bible, praying daily as we should and seeking to draw close to God, then we will not be deceived by the lying signs and wonders that are coming. We also need to do what the apostle Paul told the Thessalonians to do, and that is to prove all things; hold fast that which is good (I Thes. 5:21). P what people tell you with what the Bible says. And don’t be fooled by the signs and wonders and the smooth speech. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Let’s conclude by returning to Matthew 24 and reading verses 30 and 31: 30 tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. We are the elect. We have been called to be there when Christ returns to end the deception and to put away the arch deceiver. Let us hold on to and take comfort in the truth. Let us live the way of truth every day. If we do that, with Christ living in us through the spirit, we won’t be deceived. This article may be freely copied and distributed, but only in its entirety. Edited reproduction is strictly prohibited. Copyright © 2007 John Schmoyer. All Rights Reserved.
Bump for later!
Pride goeth before a fall.
in that verse... the very elect does not mean degrees or levels ( for example .... the soup is i.e cold, more cold, or very cold ) .... it is more of a singling out, a distinction, .... as compared to those who are not the elect or just religious....
As an ordained Minister in the Church of the Future tm.
I am one of the “Exempt”.
That however doesn’t mean I can’t be hoodwinked,especially
by a cute girl with a hood. I do however know the secret
meaning of , “a hand shake and a piece of pie”.
Church of the Future Tm.
Wasteing the present, expanding on the past,
into the future.
Try our sacred wafers, they’re trippy.
Sounds to me like we're gonna be vaporized, or living in cloud cities.
Maybe, depends upon ones beliefs on the 2nd coming.
That’s easy. Going to church does not equate to having a personal relationship with Christ. Jesus was hardest on those who were the most “religious”. Going to church is part of being a Christian, but communion with Christ, moment by moment is the foundation. Lordship and obedience, submission to His will.
1Tm:3:15: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Jn:17: 17 Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth.
Jn:17:19: And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
2Tm:4:3: For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears.
If I pinch myself and it still hurts, the second coming hasn’t happened yet.
Simple as that.
1. I believe the verse indicates by inference that God will insure that those who put Him first; love Him foremost will not be deceived. Holy Spirit will insure their being alert to deceptive stuff because the individuals have learned to hear and walk in Holy Spirit’s guidance, Christ’s voice guiding them.
2. It doesn’t make sense for God to have an elect, a BRIDE WITHOUT SPOT OR WRINKLE only for them to be sabotaged, trashed by falling prey to deception at a critical time.
3. Luke-warm pseudo believers and certainly out-right pagans are likely to be deceived. We see evidence of such deception on the Religion forum 24/7.
4. Scripture exhorts all believers to let the one who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.
5. God also affirms that life nor death nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come . . . nothing shall be able to remove those who Love God from God’s Love and hand.
Agreed.
Worthy points.
For this to be interpreted this way, I could assume that:
A- The believer can be decieved, but will be given steady guidance at this time. or
B- The elect believer will not be present for this deception {rapture} or
C- True believers are not subject to deception. {from my own self-examination, I suspect that C is a false assumption - or I am not a true believer}
ping for later
One question if the elect can not be deceived why the warning of the mark? I believe that as the deceptions increase it will be harder and harder to decern the voice of the Shepherd from the angel of light. The angel will be very convincing preforming many signs and wonders. Is it my hope that we be deceived? Do I sit in glee with this thought? NO! We as a body must be watchmen blowing the horn on the wall it is our jobs to blow the horn we can not make them listen to the horn but still we must blow it.
Tet offensive 68?
Yes. a most exciting time.
Is that the reason for so much levity in your posts?
I can’t say for sure, I think I get it from HH the dali Lama, He has a great sense of humor. Certainly there is
already enough sorrow in the world.
T.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.