Discerning Deception in the Name of Christ – Matthew Chapter 24:2 Timothy Chapters 2-3

Matthew 24:4-5: “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

Consider that Jesus is speaking in the first person here. He is evidently warning that the most dangerous deception in His name will come from those who say that He (that is, Jesus of Nazareth) is the Messiah.

Some say things like “don’t be deceived”- yet they don’t elaborate. In this case, all we have to do is keep reading through this discourse in Matthew chapter 24 to know what Jesus is talking about. He is talking about deception in relation to things along the lines of committing lawlessness, being lukewarm towards God’s righteous commandments, being unfaithful in God’s worship and service, etc. which will shut a person out of His kingdom and send them to the everlasting fire of hell. When these things, as His Word defines them, are the product of heeding doctrines and/or examples of those who come in His name, then it is proper to label those people as deceivers promoting deception. Matthew chapter 24 goes on to prove this in verses 9 to 13 and verses 45 to 51.

We also see a corresponding warning from the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy.

2 Timothy 2:19: “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Then very shortly afterwards we read in 2 Timothy 3:1-5: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times (that is, spiritually furious times) shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud (that is, haughty, arrogant), blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection (note that would include those who support abortion), trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent (that is, without self-control), fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady (that is, rash; reckless), highminded (that is, puffed up with haughtiness; blinded by their own conceit- Bible colleges and seminaries produce a lot of people like this), lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

“Having a form of godliness” here = a shape of godliness. They have a semblance of Christianity though they don’t depart from iniquity (that is, lawlessness; unrighteousness) but rather display ungodly character and do unlawful deeds before God. When those like this are numerous, false Christianity seems to be normal Christianity. Even certain wicked false Christians then seem righteous compared to others. The same can be said of false Christian teachers. That is what makes these perilous times which are incredibly difficult to navigate walking in the narrow to life in Jesus Christ in the midst of.

The word for “power” in 2 Timothy 3:5 is dynamis (doo-na-mis) in the Greek text (where we get our word “dynamite” from). These spoken of here profess faith in Jesus yet they don’t surrender to Him to overcome the power of sin and walk in truth as His true grace empowers those under it to do. These should be shunned or avoided- at least in terms of Christian fellowship and spiritual influence.

This immense deception has occurred and these perilous times have come about very much through those trained at the devil’s well funded Bible colleges and seminaries which he has infiltrated with at least one brand of his many poisonous corruptions of Christianity. In relation, see our recent message “Humanistic Compromise and Falsehood Are Woven into the Fabric of Most Churches.”