Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Lord has placed it upon my heart to look at (examine) some of the lies, deceptions and misnomers that are common to our world and church and lives today, especially for the purpose of exposing those untruths, whether they come from intentional sources or they come from just what we’ve been taught and have grown to accept as truth, but may not be truth. Satan is the great deceiver. His goal is to deceive believers in Jesus Christ, and he’s good at it. That is why it is so important that we know the Word of God so that we can use our sword of the Spirit against those lies, and so we can put on the belt of truth.
I looked up the definitions of these three words, and I learned a lot about the differences among the definitions. The word “deception” in particularly really stood out to me, as I believe this is Satan’s greatest tool against believers in Jesus Christ. Lies may be obvious, but the very word deception has the connotation of making something to appear as one thing while it is something else entirely, and it is often a slow, gradual process, and it is subtle, so it works its way into our lives, minds and hearts oftentimes completely unnoticed. Satan is very good at blending the lies in with the truth in such a way that they appear like truth and soon they are accepted and believed to be truth.
Lie: “A lie (also called prevarication, falsehood) is a type of deception in the form of an untruthful statement, especially with the intention to deceive others, often with the further intention to maintain a secret or reputation, protect someone's feelings or to avoid a punishment or repercussion ...” http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie
Deception: “Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth (as in half-truths or omission). Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment. ...” http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deception
Misnomer: “A use of a term asserted to be misleading; A term asserted to be widely used incorrectly; A term whose sense in common usage conflicts with a technical sense; To use a misleading term; to misname.” – http://www.en.wiktionary.org/wiki/misnomer
Before I deal specifically with some of those lies, deceptions and misnomers, I want to set the stage for this by first of all looking at what God’s word has to say on this subject of lies, deceptions and misnomers.
1) Satan is the source of all lies, deceptions and misnomers (purposefully misleading)
John 8:42-47 says: Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
2) Satan uses men as his instruments to perpetuate his lies and deceptions
Matthew 24:24-25: For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.
Romans 16:17-19: I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
3) It is possible even for believers in Jesus Christ to be deceived – see verses above – so it is important that we “watch”, that we are discerning, and that we are wise
4) Satan’s goal is to devour us, so we must resist him, standing firm in our faith, i.e. we must identify his lies, we must reject his lies and then we must put on the truth
I Peter 5:8-9: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Ephesians 4:25: Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
5) We cannot fight Satan’s lies in our own strength nor is it enough just to fight off the lies. We must be in God’s word, in daily fellowship with the Lord, in prayer, walking in obedience, and doing his will for our lives
James 4:7-8: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The opposite of lies is truth, so I looked up the word “truth” in my concordance online, and there are 7 pages of Bible references for that word “truth.” The first five pages contained mainly quotes of Jesus where he said over and over and over again, “I tell you the truth.” Jesus always tells the truth, even when the truth hurts.
6) God – Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit – is truth
John 1:14: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 8:31-32: To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 14:6: Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 17:16-18: They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
The Lord has placed it upon my heart to look at (examine) some of the lies, deceptions and misnomers that are common to our world and church and lives today, especially for the purpose of exposing those untruths, whether they come from intentional sources or they come from just what we’ve been taught and have grown to accept as truth, but may not be truth. Satan is the great deceiver. His goal is to deceive believers in Jesus Christ, and he’s good at it. That is why it is so important that we know the Word of God so that we can use our sword of the Spirit against those lies, and so we can put on the belt of truth.
I looked up the definitions of these three words, and I learned a lot about the differences among the definitions. The word “deception” in particularly really stood out to me, as I believe this is Satan’s greatest tool against believers in Jesus Christ. Lies may be obvious, but the very word deception has the connotation of making something to appear as one thing while it is something else entirely, and it is often a slow, gradual process, and it is subtle, so it works its way into our lives, minds and hearts oftentimes completely unnoticed. Satan is very good at blending the lies in with the truth in such a way that they appear like truth and soon they are accepted and believed to be truth.
Lie: “A lie (also called prevarication, falsehood) is a type of deception in the form of an untruthful statement, especially with the intention to deceive others, often with the further intention to maintain a secret or reputation, protect someone's feelings or to avoid a punishment or repercussion ...” http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie
Deception: “Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth (as in half-truths or omission). Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment. ...” http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deception
Misnomer: “A use of a term asserted to be misleading; A term asserted to be widely used incorrectly; A term whose sense in common usage conflicts with a technical sense; To use a misleading term; to misname.” – http://www.en.wiktionary.org/wiki/misnomer
Before I deal specifically with some of those lies, deceptions and misnomers, I want to set the stage for this by first of all looking at what God’s word has to say on this subject of lies, deceptions and misnomers.
1) Satan is the source of all lies, deceptions and misnomers (purposefully misleading)
John 8:42-47 says: Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
2) Satan uses men as his instruments to perpetuate his lies and deceptions
Matthew 24:24-25: For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.
Romans 16:17-19: I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
3) It is possible even for believers in Jesus Christ to be deceived – see verses above – so it is important that we “watch”, that we are discerning, and that we are wise
4) Satan’s goal is to devour us, so we must resist him, standing firm in our faith, i.e. we must identify his lies, we must reject his lies and then we must put on the truth
I Peter 5:8-9: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Ephesians 4:25: Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
5) We cannot fight Satan’s lies in our own strength nor is it enough just to fight off the lies. We must be in God’s word, in daily fellowship with the Lord, in prayer, walking in obedience, and doing his will for our lives
James 4:7-8: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The opposite of lies is truth, so I looked up the word “truth” in my concordance online, and there are 7 pages of Bible references for that word “truth.” The first five pages contained mainly quotes of Jesus where he said over and over and over again, “I tell you the truth.” Jesus always tells the truth, even when the truth hurts.
6) God – Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit – is truth
John 1:14: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 8:31-32: To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 14:6: Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 17:16-18: They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
