Can the Body of Christ be deceived?

[PeterJens]

Imagine the idea. You are born again, into an eternal Kingdom. Love has been put into your heart and you are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus.

Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. Luke 21:8

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Matt 24:24

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Mark 13:22

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Matt 3:8

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matt 7:16-20

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matt 10:16

One of the tele-evangelists was written about by their sons friend. He had a safe full of jewels, fine art, rings, drugs, pornography, all the vices you can imagine. Rather than being free from sin they were bathing in it.

This is not the fruit of a victorious life or the fruit of repentance.
How many are divorced, or under fraud charges, or been involved in illicit relationships. These people claim authority, to be a good example, to be worthy of copying, and yet their fruit is the opposite.

So these verses say you will be deceived if you do not test the fruit, look for the reality, because the deception is very real, very pursuasive and evil.


Now think on the fruit in your own life, and if the fruit is not looking good, I think it is time to spend some more time honestly with God and having a heart of repentance.

 

[Yet]

The deception is even worse than that. I had a couple of sisters ask me what I thought of Hinn. We talked for 30 minutes. Told them about Hinn passing the water pipe to Brock... on video. Anyway after I was done informing them, they said 'oh well. We like him. We're going to go see him tonight anyhow.'

Is it any wonder why I can't even get a bible study started...after 40 years of waiting? The church is not ready YET for sound doctrine. That's my handle...YET. Their not even interested in our free full length motion picture..a christian movie about His love.
Got a prophesy in '77. ' the church is not ready for you YET'. Proven to be true. And they're still not ready for the truth.

I called the open 'Hinn' line about the drugs. The Spirit filled christian on the telethon line got madder than a wet hen at me. No pun there. See why I don't fit in. I Wouldn't have it any other way. See: Which pastor. Get a load of my world.

 

[crossnote]

The Church is not ready yet 4 YET...good one.
I hope not, but I hope and pray they are ready 4 Jesus Christ.

 

[Joidevivre]

I also trust the power of the Holy Spirit active in me to keep revealing truth to me. He is the one who keeps my focus on Christ and He is the one who knows the scriptures I need to read again and again to recognize lies.

My Lord is faithful through His Spirit to keep me until the end.

 

[3Scoreand10]

Imagine the idea. You are born again, into an eternal Kingdom. Love has been put into your heart and you are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus.

Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. Luke 21:8

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Matt 24:24

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Mark 13:22

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Matt 3:8

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matt 7:16-20

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matt 10:16

One of the tele-evangelists was written about by their sons friend. He had a safe full of jewels, fine art, rings, drugs, pornography, all the vices you can imagine. Rather than being free from sin they were bathing in it.

This is not the fruit of a victorious life or the fruit of repentance.
How many are divorced, or under fraud charges, or been involved in illicit relationships. These people claim authority, to be a good example, to be worthy of copying, and yet their fruit is the opposite.

So these verses say you will be deceived if you do not test the fruit, look for the reality, because the deception is very real, very pursuasive and evil.


Now think on the fruit in your own life, and if the fruit is not looking good, I think it is time to spend some more time honestly with God and having a heart of repentance.

I think we could safely judge these men that you speak of as not knowing our Lord as their Savior.
They are nothing more that con men serving their god Satan.
But to answer your question, Yes born again believers can and often are deceived.

 

[Reborn]

IMO, some label and put everything in the judging file, ignoring Christ's very clear teachings on how and why we are to do so.
Discern the message they bring, do not judge them on a personal level.

Sadly, when it comes to anything about recognizing the "fruit" of others
........a lot only cherry-pick scripture about it, and throw the rest back into the judging file.

 

[notuptome]

The church will be deceived if it does not follow the example of the believers at Berea. Compare everything with the scripture to see if what is being said is in the bible.

The Holy Spirit who abides in every believer will not lead us into deception but will lead us into the truth.

I believe that the church will be in the presence of the Lord before God gives the world over to be deceived by satan in the end of the world.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[Yet]

The Church is not ready yet 4 YET...good one.
I hope not, but I hope and pray they are ready 4 Jesus Christ.

See what I mean cross Note? You can't even understand a simple thought. Anyone who stands true to the word will not be accepted by a church that does not. This has been a problem from Cain and on.

 

[PeterJens]

I was listening to a talk in 1985 from John Wimber and he made a wrong accusation, charging christians about operating with religious blindness, fearful of every turn, we need to turn from the wickedness and pursuit of vanity, became accountable to holy God and walk with Him.

This means by not commanding authoritatively desease, illness and evil spirits to be gone is wickedness. Notice the whole church is now condemned to sin because they are not doing miraculous works. This is simply a lie. We are not walking in dominion and all that is needed is to command. On that basis there would be no more illness in world, we would have commanded it out of existance. The apostles did not live like this, or behave like this. In fact only those in special situations for specific reasons healed or interacted with demons.

Now miracles, signs and wonders are merely the underpinning of the authority and power of the love and Holy Spirit at work in His people. As the situations arise, they speak forth and the Lord answers. But the first step to failure has been sown. If you are spiritual enough you can claim this healing, and if it fails you are not spiritual enough. You are like the wicked church, but if you walk in dominion you are the victorious church. And when it all goes wrong, it was your fault.

Realise the subtelty, it is no longer walking in love and faith, with the Holy Spirit guiding you, it is dominating, taking the battle to the enemy. But you have already left the Lord behind, because the issue was never domination but reality with sin and the need for repentance and empowering love in your life. We already dominate in the spiritual realm, the issue is seeing how to draw people to the Lord through good works and meeting needs.

Now if you go to such groups saying you need to love people and do good things, you are a legalist, a religionist, a wicked deny of the power of God. So they have taken the gospel and turned it upside down. Now whose fruit is that, and whose inspiration drives it forward. If the fruit is not good, then the teaching is bad.

 

[DesiredHaven]

Imagine the idea. You are born again, into an eternal Kingdom. Love has been put into your heart and you are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus.

Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. Luke 21:8

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Matt 24:24

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Mark 13:22

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Matt 3:8

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matt 7:16-20

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matt 10:16

One of the tele-evangelists was written about by their sons friend. He had a safe full of jewels, fine art, rings, drugs, pornography, all the vices you can imagine. Rather than being free from sin they were bathing in it.

This is not the fruit of a victorious life or the fruit of repentance.
How many are divorced, or under fraud charges, or been involved in illicit relationships. These people claim authority, to be a good example, to be worthy of copying, and yet their fruit is the opposite.

So these verses say you will be deceived if you do not test the fruit, look for the reality, because the deception is very real, very pursuasive and evil.


Now think on the fruit in your own life, and if the fruit is not looking good, I think it is time to spend some more time honestly with God and having a heart of repentance.

Being deceived can be shown as by yourself as well.

For example James says,

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves.

You can deceive yourself without any help whatsoever from anyone else.

But if these (which are deceived) even self deceived
(being hearers only of the word)

It would multiply, but not after those who seek to live godly in Christ
But in accord with heaping up teachers according to ones lusts

2 Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
deceiving, and being deceived.

If we return to James again and follow through to the next verse

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves.

What "image" does the man behold?

James 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,
he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

Rather than this "image"

2 Cr 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

One doesnt seen to "overcome" his own (natural) face
(or his own image)

The other is going from one degree of glory to another as by the Spirit.

Shows God sending a powerful delusion that they believe a lie (who receive not a love for the truth) too. That always reminded me of the singular lying spirit that God sent into the (plural mouths) of the prophets in Kings to complete a destruction.

 

[ember]

Is it any wonder why I can't even get a bible study started...after 40 years of waiting?

Got a prophesy in '77. ' the church is not ready for you YET'. Proven to be true. And they're still not ready for the truth.

and you'r 65? perhaps in heaven or something then?

 

[MarcR]

Imagine the idea. You are born again, into an eternal Kingdom. Love has been put into your heart and you are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus.

Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. Luke 21:8

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Matt 24:24

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Mark 13:22

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Matt 3:8

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matt 7:16-20

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matt 10:16

One of the tele-evangelists was written about by their sons friend. He had a safe full of jewels, fine art, rings, drugs, pornography, all the vices you can imagine. Rather than being free from sin they were bathing in it.

This is not the fruit of a victorious life or the fruit of repentance.
How many are divorced, or under fraud charges, or been involved in illicit relationships. These people claim authority, to be a good example, to be worthy of copying, and yet their fruit is the opposite.

So these verses say you will be deceived if you do not test the fruit, look for the reality, because the deception is very real, very pursuasive and evil.


Now think on the fruit in your own life, and if the fruit is not looking good, I think it is time to spend some more time honestly with God and having a heart of repentance.

Peter,

Christians can NOT be deceived while we are following the leading of the Holy Spirit within us! However, we are still able to follow our flesh (even after rebirth).

If while following the flesh, we are deceived, when we return to following the Holy Spirit, He will correct us.

 

[DesiredHaven]

Nearly 40 years ago (or his 38 years) would be 1977 (he received a prophecy) or so he says would have made him 27 at that time because if you add 27 to 38 (nearly 40 years ago) that would be 65 wouldnt it be?

I am practicing my math skills because they stink

 

[Jeff_56]

and you'r 65? perhaps in heaven or something then?

we in yahshua hamashiach are in him in union with the father in heaven as it is WRITTEN HIS WORD
and likewise HIS WORD we are
seated with HIM in heavenly places....... and subject to the refining fires of HIM for decades, and of HIS CAREFUL training (to be not of the world, but of HIM) and of HIS CHASTISEMENT and of HIS DISCIPLINE and of HIS BLESSINGS as we abide in HIM and HIS WORD dwells in us.

 

[PeterJens]

I was thinking today. we have choices to make to show who we are. We can choose to be deceived, but if we care we are happy to listen and take the right choices.

A prophet was told to take a message without eating. Another came after him and said now it was ok to eat. He did and later died because he had disobeyed the word to him even though he had been deceived by another prophet. 1 Kings 13

You need to know what and why you are doing what you are doing and not listen when some-one contradicts that which you know is true. Too many times christians behave as if the preacher defines the true position rather than the Lord in their heart.

 

[ember]

we in yahshua hamashiach are in him in union with the father in heaven as it is WRITTEN HIS WORD
and likewise HIS WORD we are
seated with HIM in heavenly places....... and subject to the refining fires of HIM for decades, and of HIS CAREFUL training (to be not of the world, but of HIM) and of HIS CHASTISEMENT and of HIS DISCIPLINE and of HIS BLESSINGS as we abide in HIM and HIS WORD dwells in us.

its the same for those who are in Jesus Christ

I attended and was part of the leadership of a Jewish Christian congregation for a few years...it's ok

We already have the truth...it's what we do with it that actually means anything...

 

[ember]

I have never met anyone who chose to be deceived

 

[Yet]

I've met plenty...like the 2 gals I mentioned. Lambs to the slaughter.

 

[DesiredHaven]

Peter speaks of folks who are willingly ignorant of certain things, although I honestly dont know what the difference is in between being willingly ignorant of a thing or chosing to be deceived.

Cant tell

 

[wattie]

This is an aside- but has anyone in this thread really studied out what the Body of Christ is?

Most popular teaching is that it is every true believer. But think about this-

1) The body of Christ is the church
2) The church is defined as a called out assembly, congregation, meeting
3) Every true believer does not assemble together or meet or congregate

Aren't you really talking about the believers within the Family of God?

The body of Christ is either of one particular local body of believers (not a building) or figurative for the local unit.

Examples:

The dog- this is not a universal dog.. but figurative for all dogs plural
The bar- same thing goes.
The post office- same thing goes.

Multiple bodies of Christ? YES! Because the bodies aren't the literal bodies of Christ but representations of the literal body of Christ.

So

Church at Corinth- which is independent and distinct from the church at Antioch.. seperate and distinct from the church at Ephesus.. etc

The body of Christ is a local body of believers.. a local church. That's how the NT defines it. Or it is figurative for all churches plural.

This means a believer can be part of God's family but not in the body of Christ.

The difference is between the Family of God and the Body of Christ.. they are not the same things!

The body of Christ IS the church.. you can't get round that statement.

So I know this is an aside but think about this..

Are you talking about the Family of God or the Body of Christ?