BE NOT DECEIVED - PART ONE Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama) April 13, 2017 Be Not Deceived - Part One Romans 16:18: For they (false teachers) that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts the simple. Ephesians 4:14: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Ephesians 5:6: Let no man deceive you with vain words: 2 Thessalonians 2:3: Let no man deceive you by any means: Titus1:10: For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 1John 3:7: Little children, let no man deceive you: 2 John1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Revelation 12:9: And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Throughout the New Testament, Christ and all of the Apostles warned us about being deceived. The word deceive means to mislead the mind; to cause to err; to cause to believe what is false, or disbelieve what is true; to delude, to beguile and to cheat. We are warned repeatedly about men who deceive, false prophets and false teachers who deceive, doctrines that deceive and miracles that deceive. Deception is something we must be on guard against at all times. During the time of the apostles many saints were deceived: ****Saints in Galatia - In Galatians 1:6 Paul said to the Galatian saints: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: They turned from the gospel of grace to a gospel of works. They fell from grace. This is what it means to fall from grace. ****Saints in Corinth - According to 1 Corinthians 15:12 some of the members of the church in Corinth became deceived about the resurrection of the dead; He wrote: Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? ****Saints in Asia - In 2 Timothy 1:15 he said about the saints in Asia: This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. There were a number of churches and saints in Asia who became deceived: ****Saints in Ephesus - Revelation 2:5: Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. ****Saints at Pergamos - Revelation 2:14-15: But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. ****Saints at Thyatira - Revelation 2:20: Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. Today the deception continues and in the last days it will increase and abound like never before. Mathew 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. Verse 11: And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. Verse 24: For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 1 Timothy 4:1: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 2 Timothy 3:1: This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 Timothy 3:13: Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2 Timothy 4:3-4: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Thessalonians 2:3: Let 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. A major falling away, which is apostasy, will precede the coming of Christ for the church. With every prediction of deception and apostasy there is a command to hold fast to the truth and sound doctrine. In 1 Timothy 4:1 he said some will depart from the faith and give heed to doctrines of devils, he also said in verse 13-16: Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. Salvation in this verse is from the apostasy and deception of the last days predicted in verse 1. In 2 Timothy 4 he said the time will come when men will no longer endure sound doctrine and will turn away their ears from the truth and choose fables instead, he also said: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. The cure for deception now and the coming apostasy is holding fast to sound doctrine; preaching the word in and out of season; reproving and rebuking and exposing those who teach false doctrine and warning those who fall away. There are a number of doctrinal deceptions God has singled out for us to be on guard against. In these studies they all begin with the letter “S”.