There Is Strong Delusion Sent To Those Who Refuse To Believe The Truth
The strong delusion is meant for those who do not seek the truth, and is part of end times Bible prophecy. What does this mean for the increasing scope of mental health disorders? I wonder if it will be put into the end times DSM manual, aka the diagnostic bible for mental health disorders? Imagine if they added a refusal to believe the truth as the number one mental health disorder in the world? They could give people a Bible to read instead of giving them psychoactive drugs like anti psychotics and ketamine.
Guess what? It is a condition that cannot be cured by drugs. It can only be cured by seeking, and obeying the truth. The real truth as is outlined by God himself.
For anyone interested in end times prophecy or eschatology, now would be a good time to review what the Bible says about the strong delusion, and how it affects people. It says lawlessness will be increased, and people’s hearts will become hardened. Love will wax cold. People will be arrogant, will mock God, and follow false teaching.
The strong delusion is not sent to trick people. It is sent because those who persistently deny the truth, take pleasure in all kinds of things God rejects; including lies, exploiting the weak, greed, pride, and deceptive ways to gain an advantage over others. So it is a prelude to the unfolding of the end times events, where God’s wrath begins to be poured out on those who reject Him.
Some people believe it is the epitome of arrogance to believe we know the truth, when all beliefs are accepted and respected in a secular world. It is true that people have choices in what they believe. We all have free will, especially when it comes to our spiritual beliefs. It is not people who judge others, or send them strong delusion, but rather God does.
It never ceases to amaze me how much false doctrine is being taught and preached now. The Bible is altered in subtle ways, twisted and then used to deceive people, probably more than any other form of deception. Recently I listened to a couple of sermons by a preacher on YouTube who had a sub-title called “I’ll Be Honest”.
What an oxymoron, because he is steeped in Amillennialism, and claimed the entire Book of Revelation is symbolic. He said, none of what it describes is actually going to happen. However, contrary to what he claimed, it is pretty obvious, the entire Bible contains a rich mixture of metaphor, parables, and literal truths. This particular doctrine denies the second coming of Christ, as it is described throughout the Bible, and especially in the Book of Revelation. It denies the promise that Christ will reign on this earth for a thousand years, and will rule the earth with a rod of iron. There will be no more crooked tricks, and devious plans. People will live in peace and prosperity, as things are restored to what they were originally intended to be in the Garden of Eden.
This false doctrine claims the thousand year reign of Christ began when Christ was here on earth, and is ongoing. He overlooks the fact it was two thousand years ago, and then covers the inconsistency by saying a thousand years just means a very long time. They also somehow manage to believe Satan is already bound. They arrive at this conclusion because of what they see as the power of Christian influence on earth. Theoretically at least, the Christians will make the world better and better until all evil is overcome. However it is pretty clear, the world is getting worse not better. We only need to look around us, and read about the historical events and wars to know this is false doctrine.
When questioned about the negative developments in the world, they simply say it may take another 10,000 years, or 30,000 years, or whatever. How convenient. They seem to think there is such a thing as spiritual evolution, although it may take a hundred million years overall. They adapt what the Bible says, to what they want to believe, no matter how outlandish it might be.
What about all the verses in the Bible describing a thousand year reign of Christ on the earth after the second coming? Anyone who went to Sunday school, or has heard any portion of the gospel, knows about the verses describing how the sword will be turned into a pruning hook, and the weapons of war will be turned into ploughshares. Even more idyllic, is the description of a child leading the wild beasts, such as leopards, wolves and lions, and no harm shall come to them.
Have we ever seen a time in our world when children have no fear of wild beasts? Or where there has not been war in some location? There is no evidence or rationale whatsoever to believe Christians can overcome all the problems in this world. It’s not even possible, because the world leaders are making a mess of things, and they are not going to allow anyone to dominate them. They need more of a shake up than what people can orchestrate, in order to uproot the plans of the global leaders.
The Bible contains many descriptions pertaining to the thousand year reign of Christ immediately following His second coming. There is nothing to indicate there will be a secret rapture prior to His second coming. The secret rapture doctrine supposedly is designed to save Christians from the coming tribulation. Yet all throughout history, Christians were never given such a promise.
In fact when you think about the many verses that tell Christians to endure until the end, and analogies to compare it to a race, what does that tell us? Do people quit a race just before they reach the finish line? Or the advice we are given to endure until death? Or the fact so many Christians throughout history were persecuted? Why would a certain group at the end of the age be treated special? There are also descriptions of the resurrection of people on the last day, the final trumpet, and so on. It says the dead in Christ will rise first, followed by those who are alive when He returns.
Why would the dead need to be raptured in order to be saved from the tribulation? Where does it say Christ will return three times? If so, the final return would not be called the second coming. Why would God’s plan all throughout history focus on a glorious triumphant climax, but minimize it or take it away by orchestrating a secret rapture? It is pure manmade fiction, and is not taught anywhere in the Bible.
The Amillennialism doctrine is also a man’s invention based on early Catholic beliefs. It came from Augustine of Hippo, around four hundred years after the death of Christ. He was also known as Saint Augustine, and as the name implies, he was of Catholic origin. Although I have not read much about him, apparently he deviated from Catholic beliefs to a certain extent as well, and some reports say toward the end of his life, he became a staunch atheist. So much for the honesty surrounding this doctrine.
Like the rapture theology, it makes no sense and is not taught in the Bible. It is an offshoot of Catholic beliefs. The descriptions of the thousand year reign after Christ’s return are throughout the Bible. It makes sense too, because after thousands of years leading up to the second coming, Christ returns to rule. Not to be persecuted, humiliated and killed. But to take over, and rule as King of the entire world.
The descriptions of the thousand year reign, and the end of the thousand year reign are also very substantial parts of the entire gospel as it unfolds. The thousand year reign is a time of peace, prosperity, learning, and preparation for the great white throne of judgement.
When Satan is released for a short time after the thousand year reign, and then destroyed for good, it is also in the same time frame that the dead who were not believers when Christ returned, will be raised from the dead, and face judgement.
After all these events take place, there will be a new world created, and an ushering in of the New Jerusalem. This is a very different description than what the earth will be like during the thousand year reign. The thousand year reign is comparable to a sabbath for the earth. Whereas the new world to follow ushers in a different and Godly eternity.
God’s presence will be in the new world. There will be no more night or darkness. God himself will be the light of this world. Another huge difference is there will be no more sea, which would make much more room for people, for agriculture, and ease of travel. The Bible also describes a huge tree with a different fruit ripening every month, and all will be able to partake in it. It describes the new temple in magnificent terms, with gold, and gemstones, and all the gates that represent every tribe and nation.
So for the manmade doctrines to dismiss significant portions of what the Bible describes will happen, is to take away from the word, and lead people astray. It is God’s plan, and we have nothing to do with His plans. Important men who mastermind plans in the name of God, are out of their minds. We are not even capable of comprehending the fullness of God’s plans, and therefore need to have faith, and take our beliefs directly from the Bible, not false teachers and false prophets. They skip what they want to skip, and add what is not even there.
In Christian beliefs, we would be wise to steer clear of all the isms, because ism simply means a man made ideology. If you look into the background of religious isms you will see the manmade origin of the heresy. In the case of dispensationalism and false rapture theology, you will find John Nelson Darby and Scofield, as primary people who invented and pushed this doctrine. In addition, the rapture doctrine brought about at least thirteen fictional Hollywood movies.
Premillennialism, Amillennialism, Postmillennialism are all manmade extrapolations designed to confuse people. Those words are not in the Bible. If people are going to preach the Bible, they should stick with what it says in the Bible. Many are led astray because of all the confusion, different denominations, and most of all, the different isms.
There are many others who wrote about, and advanced the false doctrine of dispensationalism, and still do. It is rife with error, because it claims the Jewish people are separate, when the Bible says there is only one body of Christ, and that all Christians are equal before Christ. Darby made the changes to the original Bible in the 1830’s, which in the entire scope of things, was not that long ago. Originally Darby was an Anglican priest.
Darby also divided up the Bible into dispensations, and made the final one the dispensation of Grace, which basically allows, or encourages lawlessness, due to the notion there is automatic forgiveness, no matter what people do. It even advances many outright lies about God’s plan for humankind, going so far as to claim God made mistakes, and man’s rebellion caused Him to change his course. Dispensationalism breeds not only false teaching, but also supreme arrogance.
For some strange reason, many churches have embraced this doctrine. It not only has the false dispensations, and separation of Israel, but Darby made many other changes to the Bible as well, to include the notion of a seven year tribulation. Whatever his motives were, like Saint Augustine, they were not the least bit truthful. If you look back at the history of followers of this doctrine like Scofield, you find out he was a dishonest and despicable character in his personal life. Darby is rumoured to have been a freemason, and developed the pre-tribulation rapture concept, after talking to a fifteen year old girl who claimed she levitated during a seance.
There are many other religious isms such as Seventh Day Adventism, which was established by Ellen White in 1863. She wrote all kinds of personal Biblical end times interpretations, and believed she was a conduit to God’s plans. She believed she was anointed and special to the extent, if you read her history, you would think she was psychotic, as opposed to being anointed. She set specific dates for the return of Christ that turned out to be false, and was charged with extensive plagiarism as well. It did not affect her dedicated followers in the least. Ellen White is still revered in the Seventh Day Adventist church to this day, and they use her writings as much, or more than they use the actual Bible.
Another ism is Calvinism, which was established by John Calvin in 1519. John Calvin was also a cruel and despicable character. He formulated the TULIP acronym, or the five points of Calvinism. He was basically an offshoot of Augustine of Hippo. In fact he absolutely worshipped the guy. Thus all of this doctrine is rooted in the deviations from Catholicism that were initially defined by Saint Augustine, who also established the false doctrine of Amillennialism.
Another example of a well known false teacher who wrote copious numbers of books to promote himself, and certain doctrinal falsehoods, is John MacArthur. He is a five point Calvinist who claims to preach the truth of the Bible. Yet when he went to have a debate with Mormon leaders to try and sway them to Christianity, he took and shared his own books, as opposed to taking the Bible. He too, like Darby, Augustine, Ellen White and many others will have left behind volumes of writings steeped in false doctrine. One thing we can know for certain is that these are manmade doctrines. Many of these preachers become very rich, and they view it as God’s blessings for their teachings. They are already deluded.
There are many isms in both religion and the secular world. In the secular world we have sexism, feminism, ableism, and ageism. These are all ideologies based on perceptions, personal beliefs, and interpretations of the world around us. They actually lead to the discrimination of other people, but are disguised to pretend they protect and prevent discrimination.
Marxism, socialism, communism, and capitalism, are isms that can be taken to extremes, and lead to fascism, and other forms of societal hardships. Many falsehoods deal in double speak and opposites. They can sound good based on the underlying utopian ideals. But they quickly devolve into totalitarianism and a lust for power.
There are countless deceptions in this world, and they seem to be growing by the day. Christ warned his disciples, and he warned us many times throughout the Bible not to be deceived. He said the devil comes after us as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The sheep don’t go out looking for the wolf. The wolves hunt the sheep, and many of us are caught in the jaws of the wolf.
The only way to overcome delusion is by finding, embracing and holding fast to the truth. First and foremost the truth of our own identity is a core issue. For those who believe in Christ, our identity is in Christ, our seed, and our own lineage. We belong to one of the twelve tribes who are sealed by the Holy Spirit. We belong to the family of God. We cannot allow anyone to rob us, or deceive us about our identity. In addition, the Bible describes each and every generation, and who begat who. We are part of a much bigger picture, and cannot let the wolves drag us into their den of iniquity.
It is not easy to shake off the falsehoods foisted upon us, and it is not easy to escape our own shortfalls, deceptions, addictions, and inclination to be deceived. We cannot save ourselves. We have to look for God’s guidance through His word, and have faith that Christ is the truth, the way and the life. No one can go to the Father except through Christ. He also promises to be a lamp to our feet, and show us the way. Otherwise every last one of us would succumb to strong delusion.
Delusion is not a DSM diagnosis. It is the condition of this world right now. It cannot be treated with drugs, or secular counselling. The only antidote is truth. If we embrace the truth, we can have much more confidence in having a sound mind, because that too, is one of God’s many promises for believers. We can get out from under all the fear, anxiety and depression as well, because we have hope and assurance.
We can find a solution for all the mental illness without labelling and drugging people. But none of us can control another person’s beliefs, or whether or not they seek the truth in the Bible. On a personal level, we have to repent, and let go of all of the mess we were trapped in, or created for ourselves, and find the truth of the Bible.
So many of us have been steeped not only in secularism, addiction, and foundational lies, but also religious deception. We easily become ensnared, trapped and in bondage to the things of this world. Few things are more important than truth. In fact, nothing is more important than truth. Without truth we lose our way, we do not repent, we have no salvation, we cannot trust, and therefore we cannot know love. Without truth we are destined for destruction.
For those who refute Calvinism, several of them have taken it to the opposite extreme and adamantly claim that repentance is works, and therefore Christians are not required to repent of sins. Since when is repentance works, other than God’s work of sanctification in us? Works involves things like giving to the poor, being a worship leader, caring for the sick, generosity, etc. Those are things people do freely and without expectation of returns or gain. But repentance is not works. Abandoning sinful conduct is not works. It is simply a change of heart, and when that happens there is a change in conduct.
Pre-destiny is misconstrued by Calvinists because God knows what is, what was, and what is to come. The Calvinists took that to mean God has chosen them, and there is no free will. They fail to realize they are not God, and do not have God’s understanding of what people will choose to do.
Repentance is not our works, but rather it is the work of God in us. It is part of the process of sanctification, and redemption. Like salvation, it is by the grace Of God that we come to recognize the magnitude of what Christ has done for us. As we listen to the truth of the gospel, our faith grows stronger, and we are affected by the awareness, and life changing aspects of God’s abundant grace. Our growth comes from His work in us, not anything we can do by ourselves. Repentance is a blessing from God, and takes away delusion by letting us see the truth of our own condition. It brings us to an understanding of the power of forgiveness, and the truth of what Christ did for us on the cross.
Another stream of false teaching is that all non-believers will be in a lake of fire tormented for all eternity. Those verses are referring to Satan and the false prophet. The Bible has many references to the second death for those who are not in the book of life when judgment day rolls around. The most famous verse in the Bible John 3:16 “…everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life…” That means those who do not believe will perish, and will not have eternal life.
Once again, there are many verses that tell us the non-believers will not have eternal life. Therefore to claim they will burn in extreme agony and torment forever and ever, is false teaching, and a complete misrepresentation of the character of God. It seems many of those who are rebuking other false teachers, then glibly go on to add some other form of false teaching. All these scholars and teachers must have read the Bible. It is hard to understand why they would teach false doctrine.
Personally I do not want to be sent strong delusion. Even if certain truths in our life brings us rejection and punishment, we are to endure it, and trust God. Discernment is a gift, and it helps us to steer clear of all sorts of deceptions. We cannot be lukewarm, wishy washy milk toast, or spineless Christians, or the wolves will devour us.
We somehow have to balance embracing the truth, with love, mercy, repentance, forgiveness, and trust in God. There are many difficulties in life. Just as we are told wide is the gate that leads to destruction, we have to be prepared to head for the straight or narrow gate.
Mathew 7: 13-14 KJV