ANTICHRIST (6) | THE DECEPTION OF BEAUTIFUL WORDS

1. The Deception Of Beautiful Words

a) We are so easily led away from the truth of the gospel by clever words and good appearances when we should be attuned to the spirit behind the façade. “Be not led astray! Be not deceived!”

b) This is the thread that the apostle John weaves through his letters. He was in the spirit of truth and sincerely cared for people that they would not be led astray by “nice words” and hypocrisy and lies. “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6). Walking in darkness means that we have something we want to hide, some sin that will not tolerate the light. That is not the spirit of truth! “He who says ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him … He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:4,6). There must be no “having an appearance of godliness, but denying it’s power” (2 Timothy 3:5). People are so easily fooled by an appearance of godliness, so John’s intention is to shine a powerful light on hypocrisy, so that we are not led astray.