Matthew 24:4-5 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.

Deception in the Church doesn’t seem like a personal problem to perhaps the majority of Christians today, but sadly, many are indeed deceived. The Unification Church is an obvious example, with Sun Myung Moon claiming to be Christ. Many people dismiss that group as “those Moonies,” ignoring the fact that millions have indeed been deceived. The Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t claim a Christ figure outside of the Bible, but their interpretation indeed presents a different Christ than the Son of God, the Savior of the world. And then there are the Mormons, who are currently making real inroads in the US, all the while teaching that we can become gods. In places like Japan with a very low percentage of Christians, all of these look like Christians to most people, and indeed are counted as such in national statistics, which makes presenting the Gospel all the more difficult. On top of that, many within the framework of true Christianity are distorting the Gospel beyond recognition for the sake of their own gain, either financial or prestige. Standing in clear resistance to all of these is lambasted as “intolerant,” and that is considered a major insult. The challenge for true Christians is to discern and combat deception without erecting walls that keep out those honestly seeking Christ.

I have tended toward an all-inclusive sort of stance, drawing the line only at clear heresy, such as with the Unification Church, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Mormons, but I realize there are many somewhat more subtle heresies that drive wedges between people and God, and I need to be on my watch against them. Those who have been deceived are still loved by God, and I must express God’s love to them, but I must lay a secure foundation in the believers under my care to help them recognize and stand against such deceptions. That said, I must be very careful to walk in humility, because I know that I’m not 100% right myself. The answer isn’t heresy hunting, it’s clinging to Christ and His Word and allowing His Spirit to flow through me in love.

Father, thank You for Your grace toward me. Help me express that grace accurately toward those around me, with Your strong love that cares more about salvation than comfort or social acceptability. Help me indeed lay Your firm foundation in each believer here, so that they, as true disciples, may go on to raise up many more disciples for You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!