Deception: A Device of Death Pt. 1

Dangerous and deadly is the diversion of minds from the truth. It is the antithesis of God’s word (John 17:17). It is the father of death and mother of the grave (John 8:44; 1 Corinthians 15:55). This turning of minds away from the truth is deception, and it is the primary device the devil deploys to rob humanity of life. Deception is a device of death.

Tuesday, October 19, 2021, Kevin O. Smith, pastor of the Pathways International Kingdom Restoration church in Montego Bay, summoned 144 members to come to church for “a Roman Catholic Sacrifice” saying “– it will have no survivors”. Two persons ended up being sacrificed before police arrived and killed a third person. Smith had purported to be God. In fact, in one Facebook post he described himself as: “Conqueror Lion of the Tribe of the Judah King of Kings and Lord of Lord Yesus Christos, the One True and living God.”

Saturday, November 18, 1978, James W. “Jim” Jones, pastor of the Peoples Temple in Guyana, summoned over 900 members to drink cyanide-laced fruit punch. Nine hundred eighteen people perished. Jones had purported to be God. In fact, as per Hue Fortson Jr., the associate pastor of the Peoples Temple in Los Angeles, Jones said: “…If you see me as your God, I’ll be your God.”

Nearly six thousand years ago, the Devil, deceiver of the whole world (Revelation 12:9), lured Eve into eating of the tree God forbade (Genesis 3:1-6). She then influenced Adam and he too ate (Genesis 3:6, 7). Numbers fails to quantify the generations of death following this act. The Devil purported that God was unfair. In fact, he reasoned: “God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).

Three times in Matthew 24, Jesus warns the disciples and His end time followers to stay clear of deception:

1. "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in [His] name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (vs. 4)
2. "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many" (vs. 11)
3. "Then if any man shall say unto, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 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" (vses. 23, 24)

Deception is the ubiquitous sign of the end. And the only way to divert deception is to know the truth.

So, what is truth?

Stay tuned for “Deception: A Device of Death Pt. 2” as we answer that question.

-Thank You Jesus!

-Amen!