Eyes Wide Open
Two words seem to jump out at you in God’s Word from time to time: “Beware” and “Do not be deceived.” They are important warnings designed to grab our attention about the dangers in living out the Christian life.
I used to play a game as a kid where you would close your eyes and then let a friend guide you with their voice. You had to trust them. But sometimes you had some prankster friends who would guide you into a puddle or ditch or into rose bushes or other potentially harmful places. You thought their guidance could be trusted until you found yourself in a mess.
While God wants us to trust Him, He doesn’t ask you to close your eyes. He wants you to keep your eyes wide open to Satan’s nefarious schemes as a deceiver and counterfeiter (2 Cor. 2:11). He loves religion and uses it to peddle his own false gospels (Gal. 1:6–9) through very charismatic and persuasive false teachers and prophets (2 Cor. 11:13–14) who want to lead you “astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3).
Here are two examples of the Lord's warning about keeping your eyes wide open.
Jesus said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15).
James said, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” (James 1:16). Why did he say that? Because “each one is tempted when he is carried away by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (James 1:14–15).
God fully exposes these heretics with some very graphic language: they are “false teachers, prophets, apostles”; “liars” (1 John 2:22; 1 Tim. 4:2); “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Phil. 3:18); “evil workers, dogs” (Phil 3:2); “ravenous wolves” (Mt. 7:15); “savage wolves” (Acts 20:29); “unreasoning animals” (2 Pet. 2:12; Jude 10); “deceitful workers” (2 Cor. 11:13); “men of depraved mind” (1 Tim. 6:5; 2 Tim. 3:8); “evil men, impostors” (2 Tim. 3:13); “rebellious men, empty talkers, deceivers” (Titus 1:10; 2 John. 1:7); “stains, blemishes” (2 Pet. 2:13); “accursed children” (2 Pet. 2:14); “unprincipled men” (2 Pet 3:17); “springs without water, mists driven by a storm” (2 Pet. 2:17); “hidden reefs, clouds without water, autumn trees without fruit, wild waves of the sea, wandering stars” (Jude 12–13); “deceitful spirits” (1 Tim. 4:1); “grumblers” (Jude 16); “mockers" (Jude 18); “antichrists” (1 John. 2:18, 22).
So, how can you and I keep our eyes wide open for these counterfeit teachers and preachers who peddle “destructive heresies” (2 Pet. 2:1) and inflame “the lusts of the flesh” (like greed or pride) by their seductive teaching?
I believe the key is found in Jesus’ words right after He tells us we must “beware of false prophets” (Matt. 7:15). Here it is: “You will know them by their fruits” (v.16a and repeats it in verse 20). So what are the fruits we need to be looking for?
The fruit of their creed. What are they teaching? What is their message? Does it accurately communicate God’s truth or is it “cleverly devised tales” (2 Pet. 1:16) or “destructive heresies” that “exploit you with false words” (2 Pet. 2:1, 3)? The only way you can avoid being deceived is by knowing God’s Word. Read it, study it, listen to it, memorize it, meditate on it, and be very careful who you listen to. Focus on listening to what they say about Jesus Christ and sin and the grace of God and the way of salvation and God’s authoritative Word.
The fruit of their cravings. What does their message focus on? It is all about how you can be blessed with health and wealth and authority. While God’s message does include incredible blessing for His people, the focus of the message is upon God and how worthy He is because of His greatness, goodness, grace, and glory. Is the message all about what you want or get or about what God rightfully deserves? They use “sensuality” (2 Pet. 2:2; Jude 4), “greed” (2 Pet 2:3, 14–15), “vanity” (2 Pet. 2:18), and abusive authority (Jude 8) to peddle their dangerous message.
The fruit of their conduct. What is their lifestyle? How do they live? Read 2 Peter 2:11–22 and Jude 16 to pick up a few of their lifestyle choices that endanger others and will bleed out sooner or later.
Here’s the scary part. Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John remind us that there will be “many” false teachers and prophets (Matt. 24:5; Titus 1:10; 1 John 2:18; 4:1; 2 John 1:7) and they will mislead “many” (Mark 13:6; Phil. 3:18; 2 Pet 2:2). Satan loves to use his “deceitful workers” (2 Cor. 11:13) to prey on “the hearts of the unsuspecting” (Rom. 16:18) who love having “their ears trickled” so they will tend to “accumulate teachers in accordance with their own desires and turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths” (2 Tim. 4:3–4).
It’s going to get worse (2 Tim. 3:13), so “beware” and “do not be deceived.” Keep your eyes wide open so you don’t end up in some spiritual ditch wondering what happened when Jesus and so many others have given us advance warning.
Pastor Jeff