“Do Not Be Deceived”

It is safe to say that being deceived is something that none of us wants to happen. We
don’t like the idea at all that someone can defraud, steal, entrap, ensnare, send us in
the wrong direction, or do the wrong thing.

Scripture is filled with warnings regarding being deceived, with direct commands to
stop being deceived. God expects His people to be sober and alert to deception,
equipped by His Word and ready to thwart the deceptions of the devil and of this evil
world.

Take note of just some of these warnings to us in Scripture to not be deceived:
“‘Take heed that no one deceive you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I
am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.’” Matthew 24:4–5

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do
not be deceived . . .” 1 Corinthians 6:9

“Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’” 1 Corinthians 15:33
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will
also reap.” Galatians 6:7

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the
wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” Ephesians 5:6
“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” James 1:16

“Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is
righteous, just as He is righteous.” 1 John 3:7

In most of these instances the verb, “deceived”, is in the imperative, thus commanding
the reader to stop being “deceived.” In other words, believers were being deceived.
Paul tells Titus,

“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving
various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one
another.” Titus 3:3

The key word here, “were.” We “were . . . deceived.” We are no longer to be
“deceived,” it is the command of Scripture. Jesus, when he prayed for His disciples in
John 17, prayed that they would be “set apart in the truth,” and then He specified what
“truth” that was;“Thy word is truth” John 17:17

We who are disciples of Christ are to “be diligent rightly dividing the word of truth” 2
Timothy 2:15, guarding it, retaining it and living it out as new creations, walking in a
renewed life, “contending earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the
saints” Jude 3.

“Stop being deceived” wrote Paul and Peter and James and John. Take heed brethren
to the warnings of Scripture and the command of God and do not allow yourself to be
deceived any longer!
– Steve Ledford