This teaching of Paul sheds a lot of light on men and their relation to God. Three types of people are mentioned: 1) godly, 2) evil and 3) impostors. We can simplify these designations by making two major distinctions: 1) those who are NOT deceived and 2) those who ARE deceived and deceive others. The first category categorizes those who are SAVED and the second, those who are LOST even though they might believe themselves to be saved.

You might be wondering why Paul made such a fuss over the danger of deception. When you think about it, it's not really that surprising. After all, it's difficult, if not impossible, to convince a deceived person of their problem. Isn't that the consequence of doing it? Should someone continue to lie in spite of the fact they know what they're saying is not true, before long they'll begin to believe their own lie!

Another thing we discern from this verse is that Christians will be persecuted in this life. So much for the wealth and prosperity preachers' claim that anything but riches in a Christian's denotes a sinful life. Are they telling the truth? Well, anything that contradicts Scripture is a lie and those who tell it are liars. Such people will not stand in God's presence according to Psalm 101:7. To me, that denotes they're not saved.

I wonder if the preachers who spread things contrary to God's word realize that what they tell others is a lie? Who knows, maybe they now believe with a passion the questionable things they been saying to others all along. I guess there's two types of people today just as is was in Paul's day: those who live a lie and those who refuse to do so!

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( Jr. 44:24-47:7 2 Tm. 2:22-3:17 Ps. 94:1-23 Pr. 26:6-8 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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