Deception is something that in recent years and months has affected almost everyone in our culture. Deception was practiced by corporate executives at Enron, Worldcom and later Tyco. There were others who assisted in the deception, such as one prominent accounting firm that helped hide actual earnings and losses of Enron at least. Eventually things snowballed to the point that every American alive has felt the effect of the financial disasters, and almost everyone has either lost money in stocks, or had their own personal income / retirement funds hurt by these manipulations of reality. There has been a general outcry against those who perpetrated such a disaster and there are many who are still waiting to see justice done, as one by one these criminals are sent to the just reward for their actions. Now let's take a look at spiritual reality. Here we find things very similar to what we have witnessed in the corporate world, and yet, we do not find the outcry or loathing for such manipulative and deceitful practices.
In the name of God, false religion is taught and practiced every day. From the Pope to Billy Graham, millions are being herded toward that broad way and wide gate that Christ spoke about (Matt 7.13-14). Why is there no concern for the validity of these teachings? In the case of the Enron, Worldcom, Tyco sagas, there was an immediate negative consequence. The reality that had been denied came home and slapped everyone right in the face. I have a saying that I have used for the past several years; If you don't deal with reality, reality deals with you. You can run for a long time, maybe even a lifetime, but eventually reality will reveal itself.
This has always been a problem. Humans just don't like to deal with the harshness of our existence. We want to believe that everyday is going to be like the last and we won't be troubled with anything. Sometimes, when that reality doesn't happen, there are those who use other things such as alcohol, drugs and false religion the help themselves "feel" good about their lives.
In the days of Jeremiah there were those who told the people that they would not be destroyed as the prophet foretold. Jeremiah states, "For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." (Jer 6.13-14). False prophets were acting against the warnings of God telling the people that they would not be consumed in the destruction that God sent upon them. "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you." (Jer 23.16-17). In spite of the lies, there was a judgment coming. They would face it and not escape. The same holds true for us today, but notice the words of Jeremiah a little later as he quotes God. " I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings." (Jer 23.21-22).
False teachers today will say that Jesus loves you (and he does), and He wants to save you (and he does), and that if you will accept him as your personal Lord and savior he will deliver you (and he will) and that all you have to do is to believe in your heart (and that is not all). Here is the bottom line, the reality of it all. A lot of good people will be lost in the last day simply because they did not follow all of the instructions that we have in the scriptures. There are too many, the vast majority of believers, who will argue with the instructions that we find in the New Testament concerning obedience and how one becomes a Christian. The reality is, if you do not render that true and complete obedience to God, you will be lost in spite of how good you are, how many trials you've suffered, or even how much misguided service you have given to God. Only true and complete obedience will save. Reality, that of the judgment, will deal with you whether you are ready to face it or not.
TLC