A Case of Deception

If someone is confident in information that they believe is true, yet the information is actually false.....how can they be corrected if they insist the lie is truth?

It's a question I found myself asking today when I took my daughter to a new homeschool class. The class was taught on a large property right up the road from us, and I was excited because it was to be a class on what they called "plant structure". It wound up being a class on plant identification, with the emphasis being on identifying certain plants that pertain to a certain criteria (in this case: leaves of three).

I have been foraging for almost 15 years, so learning to identify and utilize plants in nature is right up my alley. I signed my daughter up with the sole intention of her finding new friends, learning something new or being reminded of something already taught, and a potential chance of me finding a new friend that I can relate to and share knowledge with. 

Fast forward to the actual class and though I had very low expectations, because we're all just a bunch of nonprofessional homeschooling moms, I came intent on letting my daughter be involved while I stood like a fly on the wall in the background during the actual class. It quickly became apparent though, that maybe I should pay attention. 

It started out good, but then I quickly realized what was going on. The teacher incorrectly identified one of the plants (it was a tree). I didn't say anything, but was like - "She got the actual name right, but said it was a type of oak and it's not even closely related. Okay, I can overlook that." Then, the next thing she correctly identified, but incorrectly stated aspects of it. I thought, "Again, no big deal.... I'm just going to be quiet, overlook that too." There was a lull after this where she did indeed correctly identify a couple more plants and correctly described their attributes, but it was short lived before she incorrectly identified two more plants, the last one being way off. Way way off...

And these weren't overly difficult plants/trees to identify, but the common person probably would not have been educated on their identification. I was incredibly disappointed. Here was someone who wanted to share knowledge with other families, was confident in their knowledge, but were wrong in their knowledge. They themselves had been taught incorrectly I suppose. 

I purposely kept it to myself though, inwardly cringing, but seeing that it would not have been appropriate to correct the teacher during the class (or at any point that I could see). She was the teacher, not me. I was only accompanying the group because parents were required to stay with their children under the age of 12 (my daughter is 11). The lady was so confident that she was correct, and granted she did know a lot, she refreshed my memory with some things. But it was a huge let down for me, because in the world of foraging....correct plant identification is an absolute must for safety. None of the species she incorrectly identified would have hurt anyone in regards to the lesson at hand, but still....if she incorrectly identified those plants, how could I trust that she would correctly identify the ones that truly mattered?

I decided in the beginning when I started seeing the trend of misinformation, that I would only speak when asked or if I saw her struggling to answer a question about a particular plant or its properties. I am not a know-it-all, nor did I want pride to be anywhere near me. I wanted this mom to do what she was led to do, because it was for the kids. I did though, disclose to the teacher that I too was passionate about foraging, farming, etc... and tried to engage her in conversation regarding it. Sadly, she would only give me a blank look, ignore that I said something, and moved on. Throughout the rest of the class, it nagged at me about all these children (there were 9 total) potentially learning harmful information in the future should the lady continue with these classes. 

I came home afterwards and discussed it with my husband, in which he also agreed that it was best to not attend anymore of those classes. But then it hit me.... God was teaching me something here. Lately I have been struggling with how to share with people who I care about, that they are being led into deception or are being taught by their pastors false theology, doctrines, practices, etc....  

This morning before that class I saw not one, but two friends post on social media something that was not right. One posted something that sounded sweet and good, but was literally ancestor worship that elevated their deceased loved one above the God they claim to serve. Another friend shared a post from a known false prophet, that false prophet saying something that sounded true and good - saying "thus says the Lord", but considering they've already been proven false.... Distressed because I wanted to so badly confront these two friends in love, but afraid that it would come out tactless or accusing, I went out to my garden and brought it before the Lord. (My garden is like my prayer closet during the summer months...)

I asked the Lord to please show me what to do, what to say....then that homeschool class happened. Like with misidentifying beneficial native plants, we can unintentionally believe false doctrine. I know many brothers and sisters in Christ who insist that their denomination, their theology, their interpretation, or those of their pastor/mentors are legit, true, the real deal, the only deal, etc.... But, when you line it up with Scripture, God's Word, when you test the spirits so to speak, it points to a different theology, a false one. Does this mean that if they are deceived they are intentional with it? No, it means they are deceived and are just sharing the deception they claim is truth.

So how does one who reads Scripture, sees what it says, trusts in God's Word as true....correct those who are deceived with false doctrine? Especially when that person is confident that what they believe is true? If someone is taught that the berries on this vine are wild grapes, which are edible, but in reality they are moonseed berries, which are toxic, what will happen when that person goes and consumes them? They will get sick correct? Then they will be confused as to why they got sick, wild grapes are edible! But they weren't wild grapes were they? No, they weren't.

Likewise, it's no wonder that many people will face judgment or find themselves heartbroken because they thought they were right with their theology, but they weren't. They had been deceived. And even worse, if they themselves were a teacher, a pastor, or someone else with authority in a church, they would be responsible for deceiving others...especially if we are looking at a doctrine that is contrary to the Gospel. 

I'm not talking about differences of doctrines outside of the Gospel message, such as:  what women should wear, timing of the rapture, literal vs. symbolic interpretations of Psalms, order of the gifts, how to pray, etc.... I'm talking here about the Gospel:  God's Word being inerrant, Jesus being the only Son of God and having come in the flesh (fully God and fully man), Jesus' commands, His death/resurrection, the fate of sinners/righteous, what Scripture calls sin.....those things, the big things. 

With the homeschool class, if the lady had incorrectly identified a toxic plant as an edible plant, I would have corrected her (with tactfulness of course) because the safety of all the children would be at hand. Same with false doctrine, if someone is believing something that blatantly goes against God's Word and affects their salvation potentially....say something. More than just their physical body is at stake!

We are to rightly divide Scripture and the Apostle Paul commends the Berean church for diligently seeking out the Scriptures to determine if his message of Christ lined up. And we are to be united in one mind concerning Christ and His Word. No one is going to 100% agree with each other concerning lesser doctrine, of the non-salvation kind. But, we have to all 100% agree on Who Christ Jesus is and the Truth of His Word. 

Some things I can overlook, just like I have friends who attend a church that I personally would never join. I disagree with a lot of their denominational beliefs. But the differences aren't worth arguing over. They are lesser doctrines, that are open to debate depending on their personal interpretation of a single verse that does not affect salvation. It's a case of agree to disagree and we're still brothers and sisters in Christ.

However, there are things that I cannot overlook. I recently learned, much to my broken heart, that a dear lady I know, faithfully follows, believes, and supports Kenneth Copeland. Don't get me started on the viper, but he is indeed a viper to the inth degree. He teaches a false gospel (the prosperity gospel/word of faith movement) and is intentional with all of it. Leading many people to Hell because he teaches and worships another god, another Jesus, and openly blasphemes the One True God, the true Jesus.

Anyways, I found this out a couple of weeks ago and was devastated. Because I just could not let her be deceived to Hell, I took her aside and asked her if she would be okay if I sent her some links concerning K.C. Needless to say that after about five minutes of her thinking I wanted to send her something positive, only to realize that I was starting to quietly cry in complete heartbreak as she praised him up and down...she stopped mid-sentence (she was worshipping K.C.) and said, "You don't follow him do you?" 

I very meekly shook my head, trying hard to not break down sobbing and plead with her right then and there. She then got very firm, said some very foolish things, and essentially said have a nice day. The end. Neither confrontation nor debate is my strong suit in person, and I was heart broken. When she saw that I was wanting to discredit or in her mind, slander, her beloved pastor and what she believes....it was cold shoulder, have a nice day. Not once though, did I say my concerns about him. All I did was ask if I could send her something concerning him and his. She was confident in her deception, just like this homeschool mom teaching the plant identification class this morning was confident in her identifications of all the plants she pointed out. 

So what do we do when someone is fully convinced in their own mind that what is false is true? If it endangers their salvation, if it leads them into another Gospel or brings them to follow a different Christ.....if it allows sin and rebellion, or causes them to doubt the fundamentals of the Christian faith, doubting even God's own Word.... Warn. Warn them! Warn them in love, with tactfullness, and with the intent to restore them gently. 

However, if they reject it. If they reject the truth....don't take it personally, for it is not you they are rejecting...it is Christ. Don't ruin friendships over if women should wear dresses or pants for example, but if someone insists for example, that Jesus is an ascended master who allows us to co-create with Him using the energies of the universe....end that relationship if they reject the Truth. Do not sit at the table of demons, as hard as it may be to end that relationship or leave that church. 

The Lord is serious when it comes to deception and those who promote it! Those who believe in a false Gospel will go to Hell. Those who believe in a false Jesus will go to Hell. Those who believe in a false Bible (such as the Book of Mormon) will go to Hell. Why? It's not because God is cruel and unloving, unforgiving. No, it's because He has given us all the information, all the TRUTH that we need in order to be reconciled to Him, so that there is no excuse. None. That Truth is found in God's Word alone.

There is too much deception infiltrating the church today, but God's Word already told us that would happen. The question is, are you yourself deceived? To find the answer to that question you must read and study God's whole Word for yourself, with everything - from lesser doctrine to the major fundamentals. Don't just take a man's (or woman's) word for it, including mine! If you can't understand or interpret something, find someone who can, but test that person! Are they using Scripture to test Scripture?  Are they looking at the context? Have they done research on the original Greek/Hebrew translation of that verse/word? When asked or confronted, do they get angry and attack you or do they humbly and patiently answer?

Most importantly, remember that God's Word will never contradict itself. If it looks like it does, test it! Also, God does not give new revelations. His Word is complete, finished, and cursed are those who take away from His Word, twist His Word, or add to His Word. Anyone who is doing this should be avoided at all costs. Jesus didn't warn us and tell us that many legit prophets and teachers would be sent out in the latter days....no....he said many false prophets and false teachers would go out. 

Hell is not worth following a popular "prophet" or preacher over. I most definitely am not worth it! Which is why you will never see me put a title in front of or behind my name. I am not my gifting. Nor do I boast in anything I do for the Lord. I will be quick to say I could be completely wrong. Don't follow me, follow Christ! I am but a humble servant, once destined for Hell, but redeemed by the blood of the LAMB!

So friends, church, dear Body of Christ, I plead with you...as one servant of Christ to another, to please evaluate everything you believe to be true and test it according to God's Word! If that means you have to unfollow every preacher, church, prophet, who/whatever until you are confident, so be it! But what I want to challenge you with is this:  research NAR (New Apostolic Reformation)/ Dominionism, research the Word of Faith movement/Prosperity Gospel, research New Age in Christianity, research Christian Nationalism, research hyper charismatic churches (wherever that takes you), research Hebrew Roots/Torah Observant/Sacred Name....and then look at yourself, look at your church... Read the seven letters to the churches in Revelations 2 and 3. Have you been deceived?

There is no shame in realizing you have been deceived, but there is shame when you see the warnings and choose to ignore them out of your confidence and loyalty to a person, church denomination, or YouTube channel. This is important and serious. Seek the Lord and His Truth, using His Word. He will not forsake anyone to deception if in their heart they desire to know Him and His Truth. Heed the calls of warning and turn to Christ today, letting go of the traditions of man. Get up and leave that table of demons, flip it over! Follow Christ and His Word alone. 

"30 An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: 31 the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?"  - Jeremiah 5:30-31

13 Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Behold the prophets say to them, 'You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.'" 14 And the LORD said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. 15 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say. "Sword and famine shall not be in this land' - 'By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed!"   - Jeremiah 14:13-15

27 Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy the people, and to get dishonest gain. 28 Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them saying, 'Thus says the Lord God,' when the LORD had not spoken.  - Ezekiel 22:27-28

30 

15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  - Matthew 7:15-16

10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  - Matthew 24:10-11

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.  

- 2 Peter 2:1-3

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.  - 1 John 4:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  - John 1:1

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Jesus said to him, "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."  - John 14:6