“Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him?” (See John 7:48). That was the question asked by the Pharisees when the temple officers returned to them without arresting Jesus. The apostle Paul warned that when we measure ourselves by ourselves and compare ourselves with one another we are not wise, that is, if I gauge or measure whether I have and know the truth by asking the question, “Do most other Christians believe this way,” then I am using the wrong criterion or measuring stick. After all, scripture warns that Satan deceives THE WHOLE WORLD – especially the religious world. (See Revelation 12:9). The criterion we must use is the Word of God. One must become intimately acquainted with God’s Word in order to determine if the Baptists have it right or the Amish, the Presbyterians or the Pentecostals, the Episcopalians or the Roman Catholics. Almost all of them agree that God’s Sabbath day has been abolished and replaced with the pagan day of the sun – Sunday. Is this the one truth where Satan was unable to exercise his power of deception? Or is this one falsehood where Satan worked his most powerful deception?
Folks, life’s little day grows ever shorter. Are you sure you have it right or are you leaning on the arm of flesh, trusting your fellow humans have it right? Are you measuring yourself with others, comparing yourself and your beliefs with that of others who themselves might have fallen prey to Satan’s incredible deceptive powers? Satan’s deceptive arguments can seem so convincing. Satan quoted scripture to Jesus, trying to deceive even Him. And he will quote plenty of scripture to you, too, taking it out of context and omitting many other scriptures that give the scripture he quotes an entirely different slant and meaning. And he will misquote scripture, too. He will do this through the lips and writings of well-meaning men and women, men and women he deceived long ago in many areas of their beliefs and teachings.
One other thing, any sin in your life will have its blinding power when you go to the scriptures to discern what they actually say. Hold on to any sin and you will be ripe for deception. God help you to understand. The prophet Daniel spoke of how Israel would have to turn away from their sins if they hoped to understand God’s truth, and that is true of any people or individual. (See Daniel 9:13).
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley