The Wicked Among Us

[Justin Adams]

13 minutes ago, Starise said:

New Christians don't know what they don't know.

That is a dire-lemon for sure. Think on this. If your are deceived, how do you know it?

[Starise]

1 hour ago, Justin Adams said:

That is a dire-lemon for sure. Think on this. If your are deceived, how do you know it?

If you knew you were deceived you would not be deceived.

I have slowly come around on some things over time as a result of study, mediation on the word and prayer. Not that I'm any sort of spiritual Goliath. Quite the opposite.

It's much more difficult to come around if your family is on board with the deception as well. Then there is the person, the lone soloist who is also deceived apart from the pack. They view themselves as the genius who figured it all out. Neither is good.

[missmuffet]

16 hours ago, Hopefully said:

Do you think this is still happening today?

“We needed to talk about these problems, because some who pretended to be our brothers had come into our group secretly. They came in like spies to find out about the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to make us slaves, but we did not agree with anything those false brothers wanted. We wanted the truth of the Good News to continue for you.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:4-5‬ 

“Some people have secretly entered your group. These people have already been judged guilty for what they are doing. Long ago the prophets wrote about them. They are against God. They have used the grace of our God in the wrong way—to do sinful things. They refuse to follow Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.”
‭‭Jude‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭
 

“They are false apostles, lying workers. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ. That does not surprise us, because even Satan changes himself to look like an angel of light. So it does not surprise us if Satan’s servants make themselves look like servants who work for what is right. But in the end those people will get the punishment they deserve.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11:13-15‬ ‭

“In the past there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves.”
‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭

I think it does still happen and while we may not be able to spot them right away if we are given time we can see their deeds. Not all are simply misguided some are doing it on purpose. It is important to know the difference. 
 

 

 

 

God will judge everyone on this earth. I give those who are evil to God.

Deuteronomy 32:35

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense;
Their foot shall slip in due time;
For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things to come hasten upon them.’

 

 

[Riverwalker]

Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them

[Riverwalker]

4 hours ago, Justin Adams said:

Many do not realize how badly they have been misled

 

2 hours ago, Starise said:

The truly wicked  and the ignorant.

I struggle with the idea that those who seeks God with a humble heart can truly be deceived or ignorant. They can be uninformed, but when presented with a theology, the true seekers, see the lie, or the truth.

[Marathoner]

16 hours ago, Hopefully said:

Do you think this is still happening today?

“We needed to talk about these problems, because some who pretended to be our brothers had come into our group secretly. They came in like spies to find out about the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to make us slaves, but we did not agree with anything those false brothers wanted. We wanted the truth of the Good News to continue for you.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:4-5‬ 

“Some people have secretly entered your group. These people have already been judged guilty for what they are doing. Long ago the prophets wrote about them. They are against God. They have used the grace of our God in the wrong way—to do sinful things. They refuse to follow Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.”
‭‭Jude‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭
 

“They are false apostles, lying workers. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ. That does not surprise us, because even Satan changes himself to look like an angel of light. So it does not surprise us if Satan’s servants make themselves look like servants who work for what is right. But in the end those people will get the punishment they deserve.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11:13-15‬ ‭

“In the past there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves.”
‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭

I think it does still happen and while we may not be able to spot them right away if we are given time we can see their deeds. Not all are simply misguided some are doing it on purpose. It is important to know the difference. 

Yes. Hearts that run cold, harsh judgments bereft of mercy and kindness, condemnation and railing accusations... all fruits of a poisonous tree. This isn't to say that those who struggle in this present darkness are wicked deceivers, but then we know there are some who are indeed wicked deceivers. The scripture testifies of the truth.

Ask the Lord for discernment. Until our petition is granted we should never presume evil of another, for that is the custom of this world and itself fruit of a poisonous tree. We live during perilous times.   

[Justin Adams]

25 minutes ago, Riverwalker said:

I struggle with the idea that those who seeks God with a humble heart can truly be deceived or ignorant. They can be uninformed, but when presented with a theology, the true seekers, see the lie, or the truth.

Have you read the OP in the FUTURIST post?

Have you read church history and especially 'the sins of Augustine'?

Have you seen the dispensational Darby and Scofield 'theology'?

Do you know what the majority of DTS pastors and TV evangelists preach?

Edited April 16, 2021 by Justin Adams

[OneLight]

The wicked among us are those who take scripture and twist it to fit their lifestyles instead of their lifestyle being formed by scripture.  Their number is great.

[David1701]

17 hours ago, Hopefully said:

Do you think this is still happening today?

“We needed to talk about these problems, because some who pretended to be our brothers had come into our group secretly. They came in like spies to find out about the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to make us slaves, but we did not agree with anything those false brothers wanted. We wanted the truth of the Good News to continue for you.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:4-5‬ 

“Some people have secretly entered your group. These people have already been judged guilty for what they are doing. Long ago the prophets wrote about them. They are against God. They have used the grace of our God in the wrong way—to do sinful things. They refuse to follow Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.”
‭‭Jude‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭
 

“They are false apostles, lying workers. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ. That does not surprise us, because even Satan changes himself to look like an angel of light. So it does not surprise us if Satan’s servants make themselves look like servants who work for what is right. But in the end those people will get the punishment they deserve.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11:13-15‬ ‭

“In the past there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves.”
‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭

I think it does still happen and while we may not be able to spot them right away if we are given time we can see their deeds. Not all are simply misguided some are doing it on purpose. It is important to know the difference. 
 

 

 

 

It definitely still happens nowadays.  I came across this within months of being saved, when someone pretended to have just become a Christian, in order to infiltrate the meeting and chase younger women (we found out later that he'd done this in several other meetings, in the same city).

[Riverwalker]

19 minutes ago, Justin Adams said:

Have you read the OP in the FUTURIST post?

Have you read church history and especially 'the sins of Augustine'?

Have you seen the dispensational Darby and Scofield 'theology'?

Do you know what the majority of DTS pastors and TV evangelists preach?

Oh sure many are drawn away, by their desires, promises of prosperity, power and pride.....but those who humbly seek God should not fall for such things