Doctrine #29: Deception

Doctrine: God does not have any evil causes within His Nature.

This was the main point: God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. God is Holy: always completely Right and always completely Just. It is impossible for God to do anything wrong and unjust because He does not possess the necessary evil causes within His Nature to be wrong and unjust and God has no other nature besides Right and Just to act in.

Verses 6-10: each "if"/then statements.

If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness (contradiction), we lie and do not the truth:

• "If we say that we have fellowship with him" was a declaration. Our actions will prove whether what we say is a lie or factual.
• Walking in darkness did not mean making a mistake. It meant intentionally making progress away from God.
• If we have said we are in fellowship with God but are intentionally moving away from God, we are liars and "do not the truth".
• Truth was the measurement of whether or not we were in fellowship with God. The measurement for truth was not lack of contradiction because we may not have all the facts. The measurement for lying (lack of truth) was contradiction.

Walking in the light was intentionally making progress towards God. If we have fellowship with God, as Jesus did, we would have fellowship with each other. The effect of having fellowship with God was that Jesus' Blood would cleanse us from all sin.

This verse was presented the way things ought to be. We need to keep "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" in context with the rest of this verse and not add to the context an outside source.

Saying we have no sin was deception. This was the right WHAT but with the wrong HOW/WHY. The wrong HOW/WHY behind having no sin was doing it in our own strength. This was the Law: "I won't do this, that, etc." The right HOW/WHY behind having no sin was being in fellowship with God (by grace through faith). These were principles, things we ought to focus on, not things we do not do. A person truly in fellowship with God would not say "I have no sin." Truth was the measurement. Notice, Salvation is not based on never sinning. We have all sinned, yet people do receive Salvation. Salvation must depend on something more...

Deception is a right WHAT with a wrong or no HOW/WHY. "Empty words" have a wrong or no HOW/WHY, they are words that either have a wrong definition or have not been defined. Paul blatantly stated these actions that prevented people from attaining Salvation brought the wrath of God.

Our actions ("walk") prove whether or not we are believers, whether we are "children of the light." Verse 11 was the example Jesus set for us: having no fellowship with unprofitable works, but exposing them with light.

Let's look at the key words in this sentence:

• "present" (Strong's #3936) paristēmi - "to bring into one's fellowship or intimacy, exhibit whom you covenant with"
• "workman" (Strong's #2040) ergatēs - "to toil with works of words as a teacher"
• "needeth not to be ashamed" (Strong's #422) anepaischyntos - "unable to be of equal value by scriptural support"
• "handling aright" (Strong's #3718) orthotomeō - "make a straight cut, a precise singular surgical cut that is perpendicular to the horizon, to make a cut from above, which is God's view: straight down."

We ought to show whether we are in covenant with God or not by our ability to toil with works of words by our ability to have God's view on God's Word.

Key words:

• "profane" (Strong's #952) bebēlos - "counterfeit the threshold (entry) in order to misdirect the dwellers"
• "babblings" (Strong's #2757) kenophōnia - "fruitless discussions, empty sounds [from artificial illumination and tones], fake fire [visual fire with no warmth], to think words that have a different meaning but same sound as true thought and words."

We ought to shun words that have the same sound but different meanings than the truth because it will lead to misdirecting us and to growing in ungodliness.

Paul named two men who had put stumblingblocks in the paths of believers to the point that they had overthrown the faith of some.

Key words:

• "erred" (Strong's #795) astocheō - "swerve, deviate [miss target by having crooked sights - eye is misdirected]"
• "overthrow" (Strong's #396) anatrepō - "change straight path into a figure eight, the wrong path leads to a wrong place."

False words can cause people to be misdirected into taking a wrong path leading to a wrong place.

We need these gifts until the Church is unified, fully matured in knowledge until we are equal to Christ! This was a tough verse until one remembered that if Christ is going to marry the Bride, why would Christ marry someone who was not His equal? This was a general measure from Paul, however, Paul continued to give specific measures.

We will need these gifts until we are no longer acting like children who are unstable when it comes to Doctrine and interactions with deceivers. Verses 13 and 14 were examples of "1" - the individual.

Verse 15 began with our job description in eternity: speaking truth in love.

• First, "speaking" meant words. Words are important.
• Second, truth is a right WHAT with a right HOW/WHY...which creates.
• Third, love is an exchange that is the ultimate in profitability.

Paul went into detail about the importance of love leading to profitability in 1 Corinthians 13. We will spend eternity speaking truth in love to each other. This is the ultimate example of "2" - the fellowship (exchange in love) between two individuals according to their uniqueness. The goal is for all of us growing up into Jesus who is the Head of the Body (Church). Again, this was an example of "3" - the community as a whole.

Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Doing led to profit while saying without doing led to penury. "Penury" meant "need." This meant that if you said you would do something but you did not do it, it led to unprofitability.

A fool was right in his own eyes (pride) but he that listened to counsel (humble) was wise.

When we spoke truth (right WHAT with a right HOW/WHY) we showed righteousness.

Paul's ministry was preaching the Gospel to the lost, specifically to the Gentiles.

This verse continued to provide the context to the concluding verse of the previous chapter. Believers' unveiling is towards each other so that the manifestation of the truth occurs through each believer by the Holy Spirit and this is commended to every man's conscience, to every one we are unveiled towards! Fellowship with other believers ought to lead to the glory of God manifesting itself.

If the Gospel was veiled (hidden), it was hidden to those who would perish (unbelievers). Paul continued the theme from the previous chapter: contrasting the previous dispensation with the current dispensation.

The god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that the light of the Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, would shine on them (unbelievers). The work Satan has done has caused people not to think.

This last chapter was Paul greeting specific people within the Roman church.

Doctrine: "Mark" and "turn away" from those that cause divisions and occasions of stumbling that contradict the Apostles' Doctrine.

Those who should be marked served themselves at the expense of others. They were also deceivers by their smooth and fair speech.

Timothy was with Paul when Paul wrote this letter.

Peter was aware that Paul wrote epistles to the people whom Peter was writing: Jews. This may have been what we know as the Book of Hebrews. Peter was aware of other epistles and even said that some of Paul's writings were hard to understand. This was not a reason to not try to understand because the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth.

If grace meant "unmerited favor," how would I "grow in grace"? I would need to increase the amount of areas in my life where I could be considered "unmerited"! This means I would have to get worse and progressively live unjustly, in order for me to grow in grace!

"Grace" is "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life." Growing in grace does mean that I increase in my ability to hear God's Voice and allow that Voice to come through in my words/actions.

This was the same as what was stated in 2 Peter 2:12-13. These people did not have faith because all they could believe was what they understood naturally, what could be seen. Animals do not have faith. Also, animals do not have understanding/reason. Likewise, Jude stated the intentional deceivers were people who lacked understanding/reason, they lacked a right WHY. Deception is a right WHAT with a wrong or no HOW/WHY. Jude gave three specific examples that illustrated HOW/WHY these intentional deceivers were destructive:

Peter also mentioned Balaam in 2 Peter 2:15. Let's look at each example separately:

• Cain (Genesis 4) - Cain gave an offering (right WHAT) but got upset when he saw Abel's offering get respect from God (wrong WHY). Cain wanted to feel good about himself at Abel's expense, so Cain murdered Abel (wrong HOW). Cain did not have faith. He could only believe in what he could see.
• Balaam (Numbers 22-24) - God told Balaam (the right) WHAT to say. Balaam was told by God to deal with Balak in one way (right HOW), yet Balaam wanted a reward from Balak (wrong WHY), so Balaam did it his way (wrong HOW). Balaam did not have faith. He could only believe in what he could see.
• Korah (Numbers 16) - Korah rallied a group of 250 leaders against Moses (and Aaron) in order to take over. Korah got these 250 leaders to stand up against Moses and Aaron (wrong HOW) so that 250 vs. 2 would cause Moses and Aaron to appear to be wrong (wrong WHY). However, God had all 250 killed. Korah did not have faith. Korah could only believe in what he could see, and tried to get the people to be like him.

Cain wanted God's blessing. Balaam wanted money. Korah wanted power. The issue was WHY and HOW each of these three went about getting these three WHAT's.

Notice, the examples all had a right WHAT (appearance), yet they did not have the right HOW/WHY which would lead to profitability:

• Shepherds, that feed themselves.
• Clouds, without water.
• Leaves at harvest time, with no fruit.

Jude's measure (and God's) was profitability.

These people would experience eternal punishment.

Paul dealt directly with the false teachers who claimed Paul said the Day of the Lord had already happened.

Verse 3 covered two events that will precede Christ's spiritual coming to Rapture His Church:

1. There will be a falling away.

2. Then, the man of sin (Antichrist) will be revealed.

Doctrine: The Antichrist will oppose and exalt himself against God. He will sit in the temple and claim to be God. We covered this in 1 Thessalonians: Jesus' spiritual coming for His Church will end our current dispensation with the pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church, which was known as the "Day of the Lord."

The Tribulation is a seven year period that concludes the previous dispensation (the Law) that is re-established and was also known as the "Seventieth Week of Daniel" (Daniel 9:24-27). The first three and a half years of the Tribulation will be a time of peace and safety with the Jews worshipping God in His temple. Halfway through the Tribulation, the Antichrist will declare himself as God and set up an idol (known as "the abomination of desolation") in the temple and cause people to worship it or be killed. Jesus stated (Matthew 24) that Jews who see this event ought to immediately flee in hiding so they would make it through to the end of the Tribulation.

At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus Raptures those who became believers during the Tribulation and returns with all the believers at the battle of Armageddon. This physical return to the earth when Jesus will put His Foot on the Mount of Olives was also known as the "Day of the Lord." Verse 4 showed Paul was speaking of the Antichrist at the midpoint of the Tribulation.

This was the only question in this letter, and it was rhetorical. Paul spoke about these events when he was present with them. Notice, Paul did cover "end times" Doctrine with new believers.

Paul referenced that someone was currently restraining the Antichrist so that the Antichrist would be revealed at the right time. Paul stated this to prove that the Day of the Lord had not occurred yet. Notice, the spiritual Day of the Lord will occur just before the Antichrist is revealed and the physical Day of the Lord will occur to defeat the Antichrist.

Paul stated that the One currently restraining the Antichrist will eventually be taken out of the way. Notice, the One restraining was referred to as a HE.

Doctrine: The Antichrist will be revealed after HE that restraineth is taken out of the way. The Lord Jesus will slay the Antichrist, at the end of the Tribulation, with the "breath of his mouth"…with His words.

Remember, the Church is the Bride, a she. The One that restraineth, the only One on earth during our dispensation able to restrain the Antichrist, is the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is removed from this earth, then the Antichrist will be revealed. Our dispensation is characterized by the Holy Spirit being upon all flesh and within all believers. When the believers are Raptured prior to the beginning of the Tribulation, the Holy Spirit will leave this earth with the believers. Not only does that conclude our dispensation of personal grace via the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it re-establishes the previous dispensation (the Law) during which the Holy Spirit only dwelt within the prophets. Without the Holy Spirit upon all flesh and within believers during the Tribulation, the only way people can be approached will be logically, like they were during the Old Testament through the Law. The Book of Revelation was written for people who would be on earth during the Tribulation, and the explanation was logical and objective, right down to the number of days between key events. Also, the fact that believers will be missing from the earth and the revelation/influence from the Holy Spirit will also be missing will create an environment where unrighteousness will rule.

Doctrine: People chose not to love the truth, which caused them to not attain Salvation. Everything necessary for Salvation has been provided by God, however, it is the responsibility of the individual to choose to receive it. Paul stated the Antichrist's coming will involve all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceit of unrighteousness. Notice, these signs will not happen until the Church along with the Holy Spirit has been removed.

In the last days, grievous times will come. "Grievous" meant "hard to do, to take, to approach, hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, savage."

Verses 2-7: signs of the end times.

The form of godliness but denying the power of God: wolves in sheep's clothing. All of these unprofitable attributes were deceptive: they could appear to be a right WHAT, but the HOW/WHY was wrong.

Ever learning (gaining knowledge; a right WHAT) but never able to come to truth (a right WHAT with a right HOW/WHY). Again, this was an example of deception.

Again, the religious leaders of that time initiated an interaction with Jesus. The Pharisees and Sadducees tempted (tried/tested) Jesus by asking for a sign. They wanted a miracle as a cause. We have seen throughout the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus did miracles as an effect, that is, in response to a need. Doing a sign as a cause would be a false sign.

Jesus said to them that they could discern the signs of the weather but not of the times. The question that was implied was: how could they understand physical things, yet not understand spiritual things? Spiritual things are supernatural, they are based on the natural and something more. If a person can't understand the natural, they cannot understand the spiritual.

Again, Jesus stated they would only be given the sign of Jonah as He did in Matthew 12:40.

The "Sermon on the Mount" continued. In this chapter, Jesus got more specific as to how to intentionally gain Reward.

Notice, the "reward" Jesus spoke of could not be Salvation. If it was, then "giving in front of others" would cause you to lose your Salvation. When Jesus spoke of "reward," He was speaking of spiritual value/treasure, which we will refer to as Reward.

Revelation 20:12-15 stated there will be two judgments. One will be a Salvation Judgment and will be done according to Righteousness (grace) with one book: the Book of Life. The other judgment will be a Reward Judgment and will be done according to Justice with books. This chapter from Matthew dealt exclusively with the actions that impact the Reward Judgment. Notice the emphasis of Justice throughout this chapter.

The first example Jesus gave to intentionally gain Reward was to give to the poor. Giving to the poor was a right WHAT. Jesus then explained the wrong HOW (in public) and wrong WHY (have glory from men). Jesus said the result was they get their Reward now. Notice, this was not a sin. It was the same as when Cain gave his offering to God in Genesis 4.

Notice, this was the same right WHAT: giving to the poor. However, Jesus gave the right HOW/WHY to give to the poor: do it in secret so you can be rewarded by God. This was the same as when Abel gave his offering to God in Genesis 4.

The next example Jesus gave to intentionally gain Reward was prayer. Right WHAT: pray. Wrong HOW and wrong WHY: in public to be seen of men.

Jesus gave the same right WHAT (pray) with a right HOW/WHY: in secret to be rewarded by God. Notice, entering the inner chamber and shutting the door was analogous to being buried: being out of sight. Jesus' burial allowed us to gain Reward.