By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
Jude 1:3,22,23 "My dear friends, I was doing my best to write to you about the salvation we share in common, when I felt the need of writing at once to encourage you to fight on for the faith which once and for all God has given to his people…Show mercy towards those who have doubts; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and to others show mercy mixed with fear, but hate their very clothes, stained by their sinful lusts." - GNB
Whenever the Lord and the apostles addressed the issue of deception, it was always urgent and serious. Much was written to warn about falsehoods and their dangers. Jude was to write about salvation but quickly changed the subject to address falsehoods. The call is to fight for the faith, and key in this fight is against deception. Some victims were even to be snatched as from the fire. That’s how serious it was/is.
Satan, the master deceiver, is not playing as he seeks to draw multitudes away from God to his side, and towards eternal damnation. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. The wolf is not joking when among the sheep. These are matters of life and death, including affecting destinies forever! Beyond a seemingly casual conversation between the serpent and Eve, were eternally significant consequences we experience to date.
Don’t down play any deception and laugh it off as a minor thing! Satan is dead serious, is after your soul and eternal destruction! Paul didn’t take this matter lightly and made very strong statements in all his letters condemning falsehoods. Contend for the faith entrusted to us through Christ. Deception leads astray, wastes resources and lives, leaves the victims miserable, and affects destinies. When detected, flee for your life!
Shalom.