Falling Into Deception

The online sale of products has been artificially controlled by fake reviews. Journalists have found that some sellers offer money in exchange for positive reviews. These sellers solicit this service using social media in hopes that they will not be tracked down. Online sales platforms have started eliminating dishonest sellers because customer trust is so crucial to business success.

God knew that His church would be negatively transformed as a result of deception. For this reason, he used multiple prophets to let His people know that the church would not always remain pure. He wanted to warn His true followers that He does not approve of everything done by those who merely claim to follow Him.

The apostle Paul provides one of the clearest explanations concerning what would happen in the church in the last days. In one of his letters, he stated, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). In other words, Jesus would not return until after corruption would enter the church.

As a result of corruption, a demonic power would arise in the church. Although the power is named as though it were a single person, Paul goes on to explain that it would arise through deception and gain a following: “With all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:10). It seems as though the primary antidote to this crisis within the church is a solid commitment to the truth of God. At the same time, we know that we have assurance of God’s help in this process of resisting Satan’s lies.

Apply It:

Leave an honest review for a product you’ve recently purchased.

Dig Deeper:

2 Thessalonians 2:4–9, 11–17; 1 John 2:22; Revelation 2:5

Key Bible Texts

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (Revelation 2:4 KJV)