I've always been intrigued--and somewhat afraid--of the verse in Scripture that quotes Jesus saying,
"And many false prophets will appear and deceive many. " (Matt 24:11). Also stated by Jesus is:"For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." (Matt 24:24)--emphasis mine. What in the world --even the elect get deceived? As of the other day, I can totally understand how easily that can happen.
It started by reading a couple books written by a famously respected New Age healer/guru who shall remain nameless. I found a curious mixture of what "I" believe in the Bible peppered with his Eastern philosophy and attitudes --which then started to subtly and then boldly stray from what Jesus taught.
This so-called expert doesn't believe in a personal God. Doesn't believe in that Jesus cares for us tenderly like His flock of sheep. Doesn't believe that when we physically die we'll remember our individuality or others'. That there's a collective storage of memory rather than our own personal memories to retain after death. Apparently, we're just all nameless unindividualized groupies of a rock-star Ultimate Consciousness.
What had initially sucked me into the vacuum of being misled was the sprinkling of Scriptural truths found throughout what I was reading. And his believing that Jesus did live and was a healer. It was like a hook, his acknowledging Jesus as real and Good.
But then I felt increasingly uncomfortable with what he had to say about Jesus. That's always been the deal-breaker for me. If some way of thinking refuses to acknowledge Jesus as The Son of God, The Messiah, Our Savior . . . I bolt for dear life.
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world."
(1John 4:1-4).
What's been tripping me up are New Agers that speak of Jesus in lovely ways . . . then go in for the kill by denying He meant this or really didn't say that or a number of other conventions to try to veer me off the right track. It just all reminds me too much of the deceiving ways of the snake in Eden's garden. The subtle planting of doubts, seeds of mistrust and confusion.
The Enemy's gotten sneakier these days. It's not so obvious a false prophet is what he is--especially when he's the darling of Society and comes across as all gentle and wise. Just because somebody "acknowledges" Jesus, doesn't mean they submit to Him. I think that's the clincher for the anti-Christ types. Their unwillingness to submit to the Almighty's embodiment known as Jesus The Son Of God. These types seem reluctant to be a mere creature; they seem to need to be the Head--refusing to be anywhere near the lowly Tail. I'm not falling for it anymore. I'm going to be apply the litmus test of conformity to all of Jesus' teaching before reading another word of an Anti-Christ.