The Coming Deception - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Would you please meet me in the book of first Timothy? The book of first Timothy chapter four as we continue in our series in this precious book. First Timothy chapter four. The bible is a book that not only speaks of events concerning the past, though it is absolutely vital. We look back to the cross, do we not, for our salvation.

Nor is it a book that is limited in giving us consolation and instruction for the present, though that is equally as important. The bible is a window into the future. It is a window into the events to come. And the reason why we have insights into what is to come is because the author of this book sits above the timeline of history and inhabits eternity. Therefore, he knows the past, the present, and the future.

And that is important for us because God's foreknowledge in this book is displayed in order to prove that he alone is God. And his foreknowledge is as precise as determining the rise and the fall of nations and their rulers, even by name, some. The predictions of what? The birth, the life, the death, and the resurrection of the Messiah. The destruction of the city of Jerusalem, the regathering of the nation of Israel, and much more.

And his foreknowledge, his ability to to give us the details of the future is his own apologetic to call the skeptic and the pagan to humble themselves and to acknowledge that he alone is God. Now listen to this verse. In Isaiah forty six nine down to 10, remember the former things of old, for I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is none like me. Why?

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, things not yet done. Who's like me? Who can determine? Who can declare what is to come before it even happens? Only God, and I am that God.

And we think as we read, is this the only reason why we have these predictions and these prophecies to to just be shown that God is able to do so? No. There's much more to that. Are we not comforted to know that though our paths ahead are unknown, we serve a God that is not taken by surprise? Are we not encouraged to know that down the line, though the church may go through dark chapters, Christ will reign and his people will be victorious.

And on top of all of that, if there's any grace that's imparted to us by understanding God's foreknowledge, surely it is this, that we are called to be prepared and strengthened for what? The world that we are racing into. And that's exactly what this text in first Timothy four is all about. We are about to receive a prophetic word by the apostle Paul concerning the latter times, concerning the days that are ahead. And if there's one way of describing it, of summarizing it, what we are anticipating, what we are in currently to some degree, and what we will see magnified is a growing deception and a growing apostasy, a turning away from the faith because of false teachings of different kinds.

And if there's any way we can break down these few verses this morning, we will do it in the frame of these titles, I guess you can say, or subtitles. Number one, the nature of false teaching. Number two, the vessels of false teaching. Number three, the content of false teaching. And number four, the response to false teaching.

The nature of false teaching. Let's read together. Paul says, now this spirit in verse one, expressly says that in later times, some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons. Now before anything, before Paul continues, the first thing that he does is he establishes his authority, and he says, Listen. The Spirit says It's not saying Paul said.

It's not saying Peter said. It's not saying John the beloved said. He's saying, No. No. No.

No. No. I want you to understand before we get into the subject matter that it is the spirit of the living God who is speaking now. Now why is that interesting? As Christians, we believe what?

That all of the word of God is inspired and authored by who? The spirit. So this shouldn't come to us as a surprise, nor should it be something that makes it interesting really because we believe that about the entirety of the word of God. But it should interest us. It should grab at our attention because though we do believe that all of scripture, every verse is inspired by the breath of God, the spirit wants to make sure that you understand that it's him who's speaking about this right now.

It's as though there is an underlying, there's a bold, there's a there's a a call to really grasp what's about to be said here. This is a vital importance to the Spirit of God. And so the Holy Spirit is telling Paul, make sure that you tell them that it's me who's speaking now. Make sure that you inform them that it is me that's about to declare this very important truth about the days to come, the all knowing spirit. And we can't move on without acknowledging this, can we?

That we are being told here to some degree of the personality of the Holy Spirit. If you want a proof text of the triune God, at least the third person of the trinity in the triune God, here's one. He speaks. He has a mind of his own. He has a will of his own.

He has emotions of his own. And though he is independent, he is perfectly united and inseparable from the triune God. And so he's not an impersonal force. The Holy Spirit is not some kind of a, just a power that manifests God's will. No.

He's a person, and he's speaking now. And the Holy Spirit wants to say this, that in later times, there will be deception. And even those who profess Christ will even be led astray by these lies. Now we might be reading that saying, well, thank God that's in a distant future and we're not dealing with that right? No.

We are in the later times, brothers and sisters. We are in that season. And the scriptures throughout the New Testament gives us that hint. Here's one, in the beginning of Hebrews chapter one verse two. What are we told?

But in these last days, but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his son. What last days? It was the last days during the book of Hebrews, surely it's the last days now. Do you remember the first Christian sermon that was preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out? And people were wondering, are these men drunk?

What's going on? Why are they babbling with these different languages glorifying God all at the same time? And Peter quotes Joel two, and he says, this is the fulfillment what? Because Joel said, in the last days, God declares, I will pour out my spirit in all flesh. Wow.

The day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two was the last days. So we are in the last days. We are in that season. We've been in the last day since the ministry and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's why you read the authors of the New Testament writing with urgency and with the belief that he can return at any moment to establish his kingdom.

How much more now? And that's the understanding. So then what makes this prophetic? What makes what Paul is saying here by the Spirit so prophetic? Well, it's because the deception, the false teaching, and the apostasy will only intensify as the return of Christ is approaching.

As we come closer to the culmination of the age, you and I will see more and more of this. And that's exactly what is being said here. And as Timothy, who was a pastor, is receiving this letter. Right? Paul's writing to Timothy.

You wonder why is he being told this? Well, because Paul wanted to tell this pastor, swept away by the budding of deception in his day, or be overwhelmed by the discouragement of the abandonment of the faith by others in his lifetime. I want to tell you that the spirit of God predicted this. So you be careful, Timothy, and don't be overcome by what you see. By the Judas's of your day, by the Demas's of your day, be prepared that the spirit of God has already made this clear.

Isn't that something that we need to hear today? Absolutely. Just these past few short years alone, you and I have read articles, news articles, all these different things of what? Supposed Christian speakers, authors, worship leaders that have abandoned the faith to either liberal Christianity or atheism altogether. And it's increasing.

And the spirit of God says it's gonna be increasing. In fact, it will come to the point where we will see some people who seem so genuine and sincere turning away, and we will wonder how? Why? But it's not just so that we're not discouraged. It's not just so we don't lose our zeal when these news continue to break out.

So that you and I wouldn't be deceived. You and I would not be deceived by the explosion of deception that is on the horizon around the world. When Jesus, near the end of his earthly ministry, sat on the Mount Of Olives, near the end of the book of Matthew, specifically in chapter 24, we are told there that he sat down and his disciples came to him privately, and they asked him this question, what are the signs of the time and of the end of the age? And they all of that discourse, that long sequence of description of events that will describe the end times goes forth from there. But what was the first thing that Jesus said when those disciples of his asked them?

What are the signs of the end days? What is it? Jesus, tell us. What do we expect? What should we expect?

Do you remember? The first thing that came out of Jesus's mouth was in Matthew 24 verse four, and he said the following, see that no one leads you astray. That's the first thing he says. Mass deception, lies, trickery, false notions of God and of faith, and he gives it in the form of a warning. See that no one leads you astray.

And I challenge you to read his answer about the last days and notice how much is emphasized on deception. Deception. Deception. And so they heard this, and we wonder what's the cause of all of it? Where is this coming from?

Why are there gonna be millions of people that are deceived? Why are there millions of people deceived today believing different versions of Christianity and different faiths and different religion? Where is this all coming from? I'll tell you where it's coming from. The activity of demonic spirits and deceptive spirits in this world today.

Listen very carefully. All false teaching, no matter what culture it dominates, no matter what point of history it was founded, no matter how many people adhere to it, is rooted and inspired by satanic demonic spirits. Full stop. There is not one teaching that involves spirituality, and even beyond that. But specifically about spirituality, about faith, saving faith, true religion, that at the foundational understanding, at the core, is void of demonic influence.

There is a satanic creature that has his fingerprints all over any of these faiths that you hear of. Yes. They are Christ hating, they are soul damning, they are heartless fallen angels that create these things and inspire people to believe them. And that is not speculation, that is truth. From ancient times to New Testament times to today, we are told that behind every idol is a demon.

Here's proof in the Old Testament, in one of many scriptures, Psalm one zero six verse 36 to 37. Listen to these words. Psalm one zero six thirty six to 37. They serve their idols, speaking about the nation of Israel when they became apostate. They served their idols, which became a snare to them.

Verse 37. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to who? To the demons. Not to wooden structures, not to brass statues, No. Behind those things, there were demons that inspired these religions and these practices.

And whether they were aware of it or not, they were sacrificing to evil beings. Old testament. You see it in Deuteronomy, you see it in Leviticus, where he tells them not to sacrifice, to go demons, it's everywhere. New testament, Paul clarifies in first Corinthians ten twenty. He says, no I imply that what pagan sacrifice, they offer to demons.

First Corinthians ten twenty. They offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. These temples and these people that are feasting and celebrating to this god, to that god, no matter what kind of name is there, it's demonic. It's satanic.

From the beginning of time, demons have not just been busy roaming this earth, tormenting people physically, mentally, or emotionally. No, they've gone beyond that. They've also been busy at work making institutions based on delusions, and persuading people, and recruiting men to embrace those errors. You better believe that demons are not just destructive forces, they are very, very intelligent. And they know how to come up with arguments and reasonings for different things, and they've been successful to some measure.

And what is the goal of these demons? What are the goal of these evil spirits? To do everything in their power to make sure that people do not embrace the truth or remain in the faith. That's what Paul says. Right?

The Spirit expressly says that in later times, some will depart from the faith. The faith implying what? The exclusive truths that define Christianity that no other religion shares. The things that make a person saved. The essential elements of our doctrine that brings a person to saving knowledge in Jesus Christ.

Those things. And they are hard at work. And you might be sitting there thinking, really? Is it that big of a deal? Are they really that successful?

Is it is it really something to be concerned about? Well, let me just read these numbers to you. As of 2019, the Mormon church claims to have 16,100,000 members. They have a different Jesus. They're trying very hard to try to be defined under the banner of Christianity.

That's their goal really. 16,100,000 members. Jehovah's witnesses around the world, they claim, 2,019, 8,400,000 members. Muslims, 1,800,000,000. So let's just talk about all those souls, and think about it.

Right? Think about those statistics. Now think about the eternal destination. So we're talking about these numbers being what? Just people that have different opinions and grew up in a certain way?

No. Victims to evil spirits. That have been ensnared by these evil spirits, by these false doctrines with the hope that they will hold on to these false notions long enough until they pass on from this life and are damned for all of eternity, because they have not received or even heard the message of Jesus Christ. These are victims to demonic forces. If salvation comes by hearing the truth, and then understanding the truth, and then believing the truth, then damnation comes from confusing the truth and persuading people to believe a lie.

This is Satan's main method of warfare. Raise up various schools of thought, and the more the merrier so that we can drown out the truth from being heard loud and clear. This is the nature of false teaching. It is satanic. It is demonic.

It is energized by the forces of darkness. That should help us understand how to do warfare and realize that it's not people necessarily, though they are going to be held responsible. It is ultimately the kingdom of darkness that we are fighting against, even in our theological debates. This is the nature of false teaching, but what about the vessels of false teaching? How do these demons do it?

How do they do it? How do they advance their purposes and their messages in the world? We are told in verse two of first Timothy four, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared. People. People is how it's done, and this is how it is done.

History has proven a pattern that with every false school of thought or religion was a founder that originated it. And depending on where you're going and what you're studying, you will even see this pattern that many of the the great ones in terms of number and influence have admitted that the founder had some angelic visitation with an apparent message from God. Or others who claimed that out of their own discovery, that these revelations have come from what they've studied and what they've realized. No matter what point you're coming from, we already just heard that it's demonic. It's satanic because it's antichrist.

And from that place, those religions raise up teachers, evangelists, speakers, leaders, and they promote and continue to work down throughout history. How does God advance his gospel? By calling us his ambassadors to call men to be reconciled to God. How does Satan advance his false gospels? By the same means, human agency.

But not to reconcile men to God, to separate them from God. Do you wonder who Satan uses? Our number one requirement or inquiry should be about who God uses. I want to know what kind of man, what kind of woman does God look for to use to be a mighty agent of advancement for his kingdom. But for the sake of our text, who does satan use?

What kind of a person does he look for to recruit? Well, let's go back to the beginning in Genesis three to see his tactics. Turn with me to Genesis three, the beginning of the fall, and let's see what Satan has done from the beginning to understand his methods. And look at verse one of Genesis three. Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

The serpent. Was it not a serpent that approached Eve? Yes. And we are given a description of the serpent, and what we are told of the snake is that he was more crafty than any other animal in the garden. And as we read that, we might wonder why was it that the the serpent was more crafty?

What was it about the snake that was so clever? But let's not try to study animals here, and let's try to understand the principle. Satan uses clever means and clever people to advance his deception. That's what he does. And we must admit, we have to understand that this creature was not how people confess their relationship with today.

This was pre fall. Do you understand that? Because some of us think that the enemy used the serpent because it looks, it it just looks demonic. Right? You look at that snake, you think, that that's a creature from hell, you think.

And people are afraid of that. But this is pre fall. This is when harmony was 100% between animals and man. And so I would argue that not only was he innocent looking, but he was attractive. That serpent was pleasing to the eye, beautiful, maybe even playful.

Do you think the enemy who is a deceiver, the king of all lies, the father of lies, would use an intimidating creature to approach Eve? That's just nonsense. No. I'm sure he recruited a creature that was gorgeous and attractive, and inviting. So how could you make such a claim?

Are we not told in second Corinthians eleven fourteen that what? He masquerades, he appears as what? An angel of what? Light. Light, beauty, splendor, warm even.

I'm certain that there is something about that snake, beyond just his cleverness, that added to the recipe for deception. And so the snake approaches with the combination of who knows what, but we are told he was clever, to whisper lies into Eve's ear and bring total destruction to the human race. Do you know how so many professing Christians are being deceived? Do you know why you wanna know why so many are not holding to a 100% even commitment to Christ? I believe that they're being deceived by crafty means and don't even realize that Satan is behind it.

They don't even realize that Satan is behind that person. Think about false teachers, clever behind pulpits, clever behind their podcast, clever behind their books, and their blog post, and their political positions. Persuasive, kind, inviting, perhaps highly intelligent, well read, well spoken. Yet in the midst of all of those things, there's poison, there's deception, there's misleading truth. All the ones that hide behind the notion of love and justice, right?

When in the end, it really pulls people away from the true gospel. And people are eating this stuff up as though it was pure and healthy, when it's just cleverness. And do you know how people are driven away by clever false teachers? Clever authors? Clever celebrities?

Talented musicians? You know how many people are being indoctrinated by the filthy music that we're hearing today? It's clever. It's enjoyable. It seems harmless.

It's just the beat, bro. Oh, yeah. Because the enemy just wants you to hear the beat. And not the glorification of sex and drugs and suicide. It's clever.

And you wonder why you're depressed all the week. How are people led astray by cleverness? Because they live based on their emotions and their sensations rather than truth. That's why. If it feels good, if it looks good, if it seems good, if it's popular, if they seem nice, if they dress cool, that's enough for me.

And just like Eve, it looked good. It seemed tasteful and it seemed harmless. Right? All the while you're eating Satan's food. And soon enough you will be deceived.

Satan hires and recruits clever people and uses clever things, but we are also told here in number verse two here, through the insincerity of liars who whose consciences are seared. I'll tell you who else satan looks for, people who have seared their conscience. The conscience is God's given internal system that helps you determine what is right or wrong. The conscience is something that is within, that has been granted by God, It's one of God's restraints in this world that condemns you when you do wrong and praises you when you do right. It's one of God's restraints.

You realize that. Right? The church is a restraint. The government is a restraint. The family is a restraint.

The conscience is a restraint. And it is no wonder that what? This world and its educational system is trying to silence and sear the conscience. There's no right or wrong. Whatever is good for you, do it.

While the while All the while they're branding people's minds as young as possible. Who does Satan look for? People that don't care or have a gauge for right or wrong. That have no convictions. That are subjective in their reasoning of morality.

That do not care what their teachings promote and what direction they are bringing people to, whether in this life or in the life to come. And when Satan finds somebody who is so beaten and seared and burnt up their conscious to the point where it's shriveled up with no sensation, he finds a potential influencer for his deception. Now granted, there are some people who preach a different Christ, who preach a perverted version of Christianity, who preach different faiths, who genuinely believe what they're saying is true. But for many false teachers, they don't care about truth. In fact, whatever they are promoting is just a mask for them to serve their true God.

Who is their true God for false teachers? Would you like to know? Go to Philippians chapter three. And look at me with me here in verse 18 to verse 19. Philippians three eighteen to 19, we are told about the enemies of the cross of Christ.

For many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. And here's the description, their end is their destruction. Their god is who? Their bellies. Their god is their belly and they glory in their shame with minds set on earthly things.

Further proof, let's go to Romans 15. And let's see what Romans 15 says about false teachers. This is even more clear than Philippians. And look with me here in verse 17 of Romans 15. Excuse me, 16.

Romans sixteen seventeen, I appeal to you brothers to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you've been taught, avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. Philippians three, their god is their belly. Romans 16, they serve who? They teach a different doctrine.

But who are they ultimately serving? Their own appetites. And by smooth talk Oh, who does that sound like? A slithering snake from the garden. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the hearts of who?

The naive. We're gonna get into that. The naive. So we come back to Philippians, we are told throughout the New Testament, that false teachers, no matter what kind of name of a God they put forth, their true God is themselves. Their appetites, their sinful impulsions, they want to feed themselves.

And they have a goal, and they have a desire, and they will use whatever means, even deception to the masses. Even if they what they believe or they claim to believe, they don't really believe. There are people like that. I remember watching a documentary, a short documentary of a couple, a pastor and his wife who became atheist, but for the sake of just remaining in the church and not causing havoc and remaining with a safe income, they still preached. And they were total atheists.

And they went up there every day to preach the bible. They did not believe what they were preaching, and they admitted it. A person has told me that they had a conversation with a priest not too long ago. And when this person asked the priest, what was it that led them into the ministry, he was a young priest, he admitted, to be honest, I love the sense of power and authority I have because of my position. Translation, your god is your belly.

Your god is your belly. Prosperity preachers, no matter if they use the name of Jesus, who is their ultimate god? Their love for money, their appetites. Those who come forth and they try to declare some different god, though they might be sincere, who is their god? Some yearn for popularity.

Some yearn to remain praised by those that they've known their whole lives. Who are those that choose not to condemn certain sins when the Bible condemns those sins? Who is their god ultimately? The praise of man. What about those who know what they're saying is wrong, but cannot repent of it for the sake of fill in the blank?

Who is their god ultimately? Their pride. So when you really dig deep into many false teachers, their god is ultimately themselves. Now compare the type of person Satan uses to the type of person God uses in the same book. Look at Philippians two and look at verse 20 to 21.

Speaking about Timothy, look what Paul says about Timothy. Look what the Holy Spirit says about Timothy. In verse 19, we're told about Timothy, then we're told about Timothy in verse 20, for I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. Why? For they all seek their own interest, not those of Jesus Christ.

See, when you really love Christ, your interest will be proven to be for Christ and his desire and his pleasure and his truth, no matter what it costs you to pursue obedience to those interests. And the result of that is that you will genuinely care about the people that you are ministering to. That's who God looks for. Somebody that loves Christ and loves people. What is a false teacher?

Somebody who hates Christ because their god is their belly. And it doesn't matter who they destroy along the way to make sure that they fill that belly. Now we might read that in first Timothy four and say, wow, a seared conscience, insincerity of liars, hopeless case. Hopeless case. Those who sit under those false teachings and those false notions, perhaps there's hope for salvation for them, but those who are propagating it and teaching it and evangelizing it, there is no way.

They are too far in. How can you have a seared conscience and have any hope for redemption? But I wanna declare to you this morning that even for a person with a seared conscience who's been teaching lies their whole lives and has led many masses even to hell itself, there's still hope. There's still hope. You might disagree, but the bible agrees.

Not in first Timothy, but in second Timothy. Look at these precious awesome verses here concerning those who are opponents to the gospel. In second Timothy two twenty four to 25, let the Bible speak to our hearts this morning. And the Lord's servant, a minister specifically about any one of us, but specifically a minister. The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone, able to teach.

Haven't we been covering this over the past two weeks? Able to teach patiently enduring evil. Now look at this, verse 25. Correcting his opponents with gentleness. Who are opponents?

Opponents to the message of Christ, the gospel, the word of God. He is called to correct them. Realize this, that if you really wanna preach the gospel with your life, you really want to surrender your life to the ministry, you're not just teaching, you're not just preaching, you're also correcting. And not those in your church only, but opponents. Correcting his opponents with gentleness.

Why? God may perhaps grant them repentance. Leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will. Isn't the harmony of the bible amazing? I remember when I first got saved, someone told me, because of their own experience, brother, don't ever waste your time with cultists.

Don't ever waste your time with Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. They're just too far gone. I've sat with them. I've gone to the Greek with them, all these things. And I understood where it comes from because it's very difficult to deal with some people who believe different things.

But this verse says it's possible. It is possible. Or else what what are we supposed to do? Just just wave our hand to them and salute them and let them be damned? He says, no.

Correct them. Deliver truth in the package of gentleness, lest your approach would cause them to turn away, not even hear what you have to say. So in wisdom, know how to bring forth truth. And that truth is so powerful. That truth, those insights into what you believe and even what they believe, the inconsistencies and the contradictions, can actually bring forth such a miracle in their minds, in their hearts, where they've been intoxicated by the lies of Satan.

What? They lost their sensation. Haven't we been told that here? May come to their senses. They've they've lost their ability to be logical because their conscious are see they don't even make sense, but truth can bring an awakening to that.

And they can sober up and actually turn to Christ. Turn to Christ and be set free because what? What was the reasoning? Why are they opponents? They've been captured by the devil to do his will.

First Timothy four, what? What were we told here? Some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teaching of demons. This gives us hope to witness the Jehovah's witness, because we're the true Jehovah's witnesses. This is his hope to talk to the Mormon, to the Muslim, to anybody else who is a false form of Christianity.

Should we not have compassion on them? Should we not care about them? Do we eliminate them from the possibility of receiving grace? No. We have to trust that God can grant them repentance when we do our part and call them to repent by offering corrective truth delivered in a heart that truly loves.

These are the vessels of false teachers. But let's come to the content of false teaching in verse three of first Timothy four. What do they teach? What do they teach? After talking about mass deception and demonic spirits and evil creatures and all these things, talking about people departing from the faith, apostasy, you would think that when Paul is now going to clarify what it is that these false teachers think, it would be something blatantly blasphemous.

It would be something about Jesus not being God or certain sins not being condemned. What do we read in verse three? Who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. So he warns about false teachers. The spirit of God warns.

And then you're wondering, okay, what is it that they teach? And he goes, they forbid marriage and they tell you to abstain from certain foods. Okay. I mean, I can think of worse false teachings than forbidding marriage and fasting more, but isn't that how Satan works? He chips away at things that seem insignificant before he offers greater destructive heresies.

And this is the content of false teaching. If you wanna know what false teaching really looks like generally, it looks like this. Because these things have an element of truth in them. Paul did say that those who are single and choose not to be married have a greater devotional life to the Lord, in the sense that they have more time, they have more resources to give, they're not as distracted and divided. Right?

And there is some benefit of fasting, especially when it's coupled with prayer. But that's the content, that's the essence of false teaching. It's mingled with truth, but it's taken to one or another extreme. And here is the extreme. If you are truly spiritual, this is the false teaching in Paul's day in Ephesus.

If you are really spiritual, you will not get married and you won't eat these foods ever. Because there is a promotion of this doctrine that everything in the world that is material is what? Evil. Even the things of your flesh, the things that feel good, the things that satisfy you, if it has to do with the material world, it's evil. So you have to reject anything, including sexual union in marriage, and certain foods that make you dance on that table as you eat, because those things are wrong.

And if you show God that you abstain from pleasure, then you prove to God that he owes you something. It's a false view of extreme spirituality. And here is the best of that kind of teaching. The best of it, if you can say that, is that it promotes a type of spirituality and lifestyle that makes you seem more spiritual. Here's the potential damnation of it.

That these were things that were called for people to submit to in order to be saved. In order to be saved. You reject these things so that you can actually please God with your life, And so you have history that is proven, craziness being practiced by people, separating themselves from the world, sleeping on a sharp rock so they never actually fall asleep and get rest, fasting to the point of self destruction. All these different things. But what's the point?

Charles Spurgeon said this, discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. That should be easy. Discernment is knowing the difference between right and almost right. That's how you know you have discernment. Not when you see something completely contradicting truth, but when you see truth that has a little drop of falsehood in it, and you say, that's a false teaching.

That's discernment. And Spurgeon was right, because what Paul is saying here is, this false teaching that is so popular in your day, Timothy, this is what he's targeting. That was a threat to the church of Ephesus. It seems pious, it seems righteous, it seems attractive to those who want to pursue holiness, but it's damning. It's damning.

Now, what's the main concern here? This is interesting, because it can be damning. But is Paul's concern here that this false teaching is promoting an idea that would lead you to a false view of salvation? Let me tell you something. False teachings come in all shapes and sizes.

And there are some false teachings that damn your soul, and there are other false teachings that may not damn your soul, but they rob God of glory and of worship and of honor. What was Paul's concern here, his main concern about this teaching of forbidding marriage and abstaining from food? Let's read the second part of the verse. That God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. Do you see what he's saying?

It's quite amazing. You read this and you think, what in the world are satanic creatures and devils busying themselves with convincing people, don't get married and don't eat certain foods. And Paul says, it's because God has given these gifts to humanity as a means for him to be worshiped. God has given marriage, the sexual union between a man and a woman, the joys of pro creation. The building of a family.

The Thanksgiving dinners and the summer barbecues. God has given all those things as platforms for you to recognize them as what? The provider and giver, and then give him his due recognition. And this is how much Satan hates God, that even if he can convince a people to not embrace those gifts so that God gets less glory, he will waste his energy to do so. He'll waste his energy to do so.

I want to strip any possibility, any platform in your life where you don't give glory to God. Is that not the essence of false teaching? Ultimately robbing God and not seeing him fully for who he is, and not embracing all that he has given by believing a lie of the devil. You know, I read this and I thought to myself, wow. This is amazing.

We fight for the truths that obviously what? That damn a person's soul. That attack the essentials of the Christian faith. But we should go further than that. We should be a people that care about every detail of the word of God, And everything that is clear in scripture, that is being attacked for any reason, should concern us and we should fight for as long as it is clear in the word of God.

So then, a few weeks ago, we talked about woman in leadership, and the argument for those who don't want to have that kind of a discussion, or think that the the unity of the church is is at risk here of talking and preaching of such things. Here's how we respond, but the Bible is clear on it. And if it's clear in the Bible, then we wanna fight for it because it's clearly important to God, so it must be important to us. There is one scripture that Jesus said that shattered me in a good way, and I hope it shatters you this morning. It's in Matthew chapter five.

I pray that this changes your life. In Matthew five nineteen, he said there in the introduction to the Sermon of the Mount, one of the most profound things for those who would preach and teach, and to those who evangelize and disciple in their own lives. Look at verse 19. Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever teaches not to observe the least You know what least means? The less weightier matters of the bible. Things that don't deal with salvation and and being redeemed by Christ. Things that as people would say, are not as important. And this is what Jesus said.

This changed my life. If you're a person that doesn't think that the least of these commitments are important, and you teach others to believe the same, when when it comes to the kingdom of heaven, oh, you'll be saved, but you're gonna be called least in that kingdom. You're not gonna know full reward, you're not gonna know full recognition because you took my word and you determined that these things were not important and you told others the same. I trembled when I read this verse. I trembled.

Because in this world, if you do not emphasize or you do not teach on the least, you seem great in the kingdom of this world. Jesus is a different spectrum. I look at this and I thought, Lord, help me not be this way. Obviously, the dangers to emphasize on the minor things like the Pharisees did, and and tiding mint and cumin, and not worrying about the weightier things. But what did Jesus say even in that?

Don't neglect the weightier, but at the same time, don't neglect the least of these commandments either in your pursuit of the weightier matters. Read Matthew 23. He says that clearly. I read this and I thought, Lord, whatever is so clear in your word, help me be discerning to understand what it means, so that when it's taught, you will be pleased. I could care less what a person deems me in this world.

It doesn't matter how popular it is, it doesn't matter if you don't touch on these things so that more people can embrace you. If it's clear in the word, I want to pursue greatness in God's kingdom. Greatness in his kingdom. And he's determined this as a prerequisite. You wanna be great in my kingdom?

You want me to crown you with greatness as a reward, so that you would be blessed and praised for all eternity? Don't take my word and chop it up, and determine what is to be emphasized and what is to be relaxed. So I look at church practice, I look at everything in the scripture as much as I can by the grace of God saying, Lord, help me see it for what it is, and help me do it in my life first, and teach others to pursue it as well. I'm not talking about legalism here. I'm talking about the things in the word that are commandments and are clear and obvious.

Now we come to the last portion of our message. We talked about the content of false teaching. Let's go to the response to false teaching. That's found in verse four and five. How does Paul respond to this teaching that he just explained was false?

For everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is rejected, received rather with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. You know what Paul is doing here? He presents the false teaching and he sheds God's truth on it. How do you and I prepare ourselves for the deceptions that are here and that are going to increase, and as the holy spirit says, some will actually leave the faith, the faith that they profess to have to embrace these lies. How?

Look at the last three words of verse three. Know the truth. Know the truth. That's exactly what he's doing here. He's bringing the inside of God's word to show it is created by God.

He's going to Genesis. Everything created by God is good. It's good. And then he goes on to application. If it's received with thanksgiving, when you sanctify it and you dedicate it to God, it is something to be enjoyed and it's where God receives glory.

So he's giving light on the issue. To protect Timothy, to protect the church of Ephesus from deception. A preacher said something powerful, and I'm still meditating on it, and it's very harsh, but I see where he's coming from. He had said that if you own a bible, and you do not open that bible, and you do not read that bible, and you do not study that bible at all, you deserve to be deceived. You deserve to be deceived.

Not talking about you not having access to truth, you having versions, apps, the leather bound, everything, and you do not open the bible. You deserve to be deceived. I heard that and it shocked me at first, but I thought to myself, well, it's true in principle. Because the great protection against deception is to open this book, to not just read your verse of the day, but to be a master of the word of God. Not a theologian, not to get a seminary degree.

It's as easy as covering this book and reading it and understanding it in its context, and a lifelong journey pursuing truth and hungering for truth, you will never be deceived in your life. Here's proof of that. Our last text this morning, second Thessalonians chapter two verse nine and ten. Here is the the warning and the insight about when the ultimate deceiver comes to this world, the lawless one, the antichrist. He will come to this world, and when he comes to this world, what is going to happen?

Second Thessalonians two nine. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan. That's what we've been hearing all morning. With all power and false signs and wonders. Well, that just proves that if you're a person that seeks for miracles all the time and sensations and things like that, you're ripe for deception.

Not that God can't do those things, but if that's what you evaluate to be the means of truth, you're in danger. But it's not just that, and with all wicked deception. So the same way that in the end of Mark, God told the disciples, go forth and preach, and the Lord will work these signs, and they will follow them that believe. Satan is a copycat in so many ways, and even in how he promotes his message. He's going to send forth wicked deception, and he's gonna provide false signs and wonders to try to affirm and convince people of those messages.

Read Revelation and you'll see that there's a false trinity too, but that's gonna be for our study in Revelation. With all wicked deception, for those who are perishing because Now look at this. This is profound. Because they refused to love the truth, and so be saved. Who's gonna be deceived?

Who's gonna buy into the lies of the lawless one with all the false signs and wonders, and all the teachings that are gonna be there? Not those who didn't hear the truth. Not those who understood the truth. Those who didn't love it. Those who didn't love the truth are the ones who are gonna be open to deception.

So let me end it this way, when you love your feelings and your emotions more than truth, you are setting yourself up for deception. When you love your family, your school friends, your celebrities, your politicians more than the truth, you are ripe for deception. When you love what is popular, and what even the popular pastor that has a church, and has a title, and has a mass following, when you love that pastor, so much so that you do not examine what he has to say by the word of God and just eat it up, you're open for deception. I don't care if he's a pastor. But if you wanna be protected from any form of deception, from any vessel, any means, love the truth more than anything.

Line everything up to the word of God. Evaluate it. And when you do that, when you show God that you love truth, he will guard you from delusion, from fallacies, from inconsistencies, and he will protect you on that path as you pursue his truth. And not just the word of God, but the God of the word who embodies truth, the person of Jesus Christ. You will be safe.

This is our response to false teaching. As good brains, I love that text. Don't you? Paul comes to town and he preaches. If there's anybody that was holy, if there's anybody that came close to the person of Jesus Christ, it was the Apostle Paul.

Powerful signs. I mean, the guy had a handkerchief, and the miracle power was so on him that it was in the handkerchief, so people took his handkerchief and laid on the sick person. We can use a few of those handkerchiefs with this COVID. Right? And yet, when he comes to the Barayans, he comes with his message and they hear him gladly.

But when they heard him, it says they went to the scriptures to see if these things were so. Think about that. You think, oh, that's nice. They looked at their bibles. No, they didn't have bibles.

They didn't pull up their You version on their phone. They had to run to the local synagogue and they had to open those scrolls, without references, by the way, that came later in history, and they had to go through the prophecies and go through the text that Paul brought up to see, is this really true? Some of us, we can't even take our bible from our nightstand and open it on our laps. These guys went to the local synagogue. They took time out of their day and they spent who knows how much time opening scroll after scroll after scroll to see is what Paul is saying is true, because they loved the truth.

They loved the truth. You love truth, you will not be deceived. You hear truth, you even understand what's being said, but you don't love it, you can still be deceived, because you love something else more than truth. We are told, not those who hear, not those who even understand, to those who love it, and will embrace it at any cost, no matter what it costs in your life. Let's pray together.

Father, we thank you for this wonderful text. We thank you for warming our hearts even with a warning. Lord, we pray that we would be a people that would not just be safe from deceptions that are obvious, but even deceptions that might seem minor. Because Lord, like Paul, we wanna be concerned about worshiping you in every area of our lives. And we wanna compromise one means of giving you perpetual joyful praise.

And so Lord, give us the eyes to see truth. Give us the hearts to love truth. Lord, we pray for this church to be a church of brains. That will love the word of God and will examine even every message that is preached on Sunday and Friday by the word of God. Thank you for the gift of the scriptures.

Thank you that you've given us the fullness of revelation. Thank you that we can be assured to never be deceived and walk in the fullness of your light in all areas because if we love the truth, we will be protected. Lord, we worship you. We worship you and we praise you. Lord, give us a heart for those who are deceived.

Maybe family members that hold to a different faith. Maybe people that claim to be Christian, but they they sever the word of God by their lifestyle and by their beliefs. Give us the grace to be gentle and to see the satanic power behind it, and to be people who know the truth so that we can correct in love and see them escape his ensnarement. Lord, we love you and we trust you and we surrender to you and we rejoice in the truth this morning. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.