Welcome back friends. Yesterday we focused on awakening the church to imminent dangers, including allowing government to become god. The idea of watchmen, laid out in Ezekiel 33, suggests that God intends watchmen to faithfully and clearly sound the alarm when danger comes. So comes these questions: “Is the church awake, and are we sounding the appropriate alarm?”

In letters penned to Timothy and to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul sent a clear and decisive message:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.
~1 Timothy 4:1

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away [apostasy] comes first.
~2 Thessalonians 2:3

The passages above should be sobering to us all. Deceiving spirits…doctrines of demons…falling away…departing from faith.

As a watchman, Paul was obligated to warn the people of his day about the imminent threat of deception, leading to falling away from faith. Through his writings, that warning has stretched the course of time and remains just as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago.

Danger #2: Deception leading to apostasy (falling away from faith).

Are there really deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons in the church today? You bet there are. Some, such as the open acceptance of sin within the church, are obvious. Others, such as the growing “Christ is King” movement, are much more subtle. Of course, Christ is King! But the phrase is being used to whitewash certain behavior, doctrines, and “tolerance” in the church that are contrary to Scripture. For example, Candace Owens proclaims “Christ is King” (as if to boost her credibility) while spewing antisemitic rhetoric. The phrase also seems to pop up often in Roman Catholic circles in conjunction with questionable doctrine.

Deception abounds and apostasy follows. Friends, if Scripture is not the bedrock of teaching in the church, and if the Bible is rarely (if ever) opened, run! If pastors are not teaching the hard things (along with the encouraging things), run! Flee to a Bible-believing church that roots everything they do in God’s Word.

As if deception did not already have fertile ground, the advent of AI creates exponential growth and deception runs rampant! We cannot be certain of anything we see or hear. There is nothing that cannot be manipulated in some way. What may sound or appear legitimate is frequently made up and used intentionally to deceive.

Moreover, there are recorded instances of (dare I call them) pastors using AI to not only write their sermons but also deliver them in their own voice! (Using AI for research during sermon preparation is one thing. Relying on AI to write and deliver a sermon is a totally different matter.) The Holy Spirit is faithful to speak through pastors, but AI opens the door for deception and false teaching to abound.

So, what does this have to do with apostasy?

It is no secret that deception has grown rampant in recent years, and with or without AI, it will continue to increase. In turn, deception leads to apostasy as people believe the lie rather than the truth. Just as the apostle Paul clearly warns, some will depart from the faith and apostasy (falling away) will come. It is not a matter of “if,” but of “whom.” Will you fall for it?

Church, beware! 1 Peter 5:8 exhorts us to be sober and vigilant because Satan prowls, seeking to devour the weak and unaware. Deception weakens our faith, destroys our resolve, and causes us to lose focus. I encourage you to get into your Bible today and see what God’s Word says about deception.

Finally, if you are not firmly committed to a church that opens the Word and teaches the Word, get committed! Don’t become a target for Satan’s deception.

We will examine a third deception tomorrow, so see you then!