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Deception in Dark Days
In these challenging times, the word that demands our attention more than any other is "deception." Deception surrounds us, making it critical to understand how to recognize truth from falsehood, especially in matters of faith and Biblical teaching.
Understanding False Teaching
Jesus warns us explicitly in Matthew 7:15-20: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."
The principle is straightforward - a good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. This metaphor directly represents prophets and teachings about God and His ways. Those who come as though they are Christian but inwardly are not are described as wolves in sheep's clothing.
Recognizing Bad Fruit
Recent examples of questionable teachings include:
- The Four Blood Moons prophecy (2014-2015)
- The Shemitah Week/Year of Jubilee predictions
- Various eclipse-related prophecies
When examining such teachings, we must evaluate whether they represent good or bad fruit. Many current theories about eclipses and end-times demonstrate how scripture can be misused through eisegesis (reading into the text) rather than proper exegesis (reading out of the text what the original authors meant to convey).
Is Jesus Enough?
One of the greatest weaknesses in authentic Christian faith is the desire for special revelation beyond scripture. This "Jesus-plus" mentality seeks additional signs or special gifting beyond what scripture provides. However, Jesus himself addressed this in Matthew 12:38-41 and Matthew 16:4, stating that "an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."
The Narrow Way
Matthew 7:21-23 delivers a sobering warning: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'"
The crucial question isn't whether we know Jesus - even demons know Him. The question is: Does Jesus know us?
Building on the Rock
Jesus teaches in Matthew 7:24-27 that those who hear His words and do them are like those who build their house on rock, while those who hear but don't act are building on sand. This isn't merely about claiming faith in Jesus - it's about hearing His words and putting them into practice.
Living in Light of Truth
Whether Christ returns tomorrow or years from now, our calling remains the same: to live faithfully, warn others, invite people to salvation through Jesus, and celebrate our salvation daily. The proper response to prophetic signs isn't to abandon daily faithfulness but to continue serving Jesus without fear, staying grafted into Him as described in John 15, recognizing that apart from Him we can do nothing.