Evil men and impostors


"Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:12-13)

There is a lot packed into these two verses! Our Lord is truly great in the way He speaks in such depth in so few words!

The verse is connected with a comma and the word "while". It is plain- Christians are going to be persecuted. And persecution is going to happen because evil men and impostors flood the world and the church in ever increasing numbers. So no, it is not your imagination that things are getting worse. It is because they are getting worse.

The verse says evil men "and impostors" will go on. The word impostors is Greek, "goētes". This is translated as "shameless cheat pretending to use supernatural power; an actor (cheap impostor), looking for self-gain, i.e. posing to be someone he isn't...'a charlatan', used only in 2 Tim 3:13, refers to a seducer (properly, a wailer) – a fraud who "sounds off" like a whining enchanter. This person uses their verbal spells and incantations to give the (false) impression they can do miracles."

The entire comment is linked to the description at the start, a long list Paul records for Timothy, and us, to be warned by. He'd  mentioned Jannes and Jambres, two of Pharaoh's sorcerers who (for a while) copied God's miracles He performed through Moses. What we should be wary of is the fact that we're being told that these aforementioned evil men are going to use their verbal skills to deceive, and I'm not just talking about the obvious ones like Benny Hinn or Joyce Meyer. Or even Joel Osteen. These were sorcerers who can charm you and deceive you like no others. Remember, the two that Paul mentioned copied God's miracles one for one during the first few plagues! They are powerfully deceptive.

Paul had said that the deceivers are evil. MacArthur wrote, "They are evil. That's poneros, it's used of Satan in Matthew 13:19, they're as malicious and wicked as he is."

OK, so that's pretty evil.

And they are going to get worse and worse. Each individual man will wax worse and worse, and the general deceptions will get worse and worse. Attendant with the deceptions will come persecution.

Barnes Notes explains,

"But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse - That is, it is the character of such men to do this; they may be expected to do it. This is the general law of depravity - that if men are not converted, they are always growing worse, and sinking deeper into iniquity. Their progress will be certain, though it may be gradual, since "nemo repente turpissimus." The connection here is this: that Timothy was not to expect that he would be exempt from persecution 2 Timothy 3:12, by any change for the better in the wicked men referred to. He was to anticipate in them the operation of the general law in regard to bad men and seducers - that they would grow worse and worse. From this fact, he was to regard it as certain that he, as well as others, would be liable to be persecuted. The word rendered "seducers" occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means, properly, a "juggler, or diviner;" and then, a "deceiver, or impostor." Here it refers to those who by seductive arts, lead persons into error."

The Latin phrase 'nemo repente turpissimus' is translated "No man becomes a villain all at once."

And the last part of the verse, 'being deceived" is explained thus by Barnes Notes,

And being deceived - Under delusion themselves. The advocates of error are often themselves as really under deception, as those whom they impose upon. They are often sincere in the belief of error, and then they are under a delusion; or, if they are insincere, they are equally deluded in supposing that they can make error pass for truth before God, or can deceive the Searcher of hearts. The worst victims of delusion are those who attempt to delude others."

MacArthur wrote,

These are dangerous times...dangerous times. The closer we come to the time of our Lord's return, the worse men get. And the worse their influence gets and the accumulation of all the lies and false teaching mounts and escalates and we're in dangerous times. And dangerous times call for strong people."

Are you strong? Jesus said in Matthew 12:29

Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house."

You ARE strong! Barnes tells us, "A man could not break into the house of a strong man and take his property unless he had rendered the man himself helpless. If he had taken his goods, it would therefore be sufficient proof that he had bound the man. So I, says he, have taken this "property - this possessed person" - from the dominion of Satan. It is clear proof that I have subdued "Satan himself," the "strong" being that had him in possession."

Jesus is the strong One in you! He has busted satan out of your house (your body) and delivered you from the dominion of darkness! There is no one more strong that Jesus, and it is He that is in you. He is the best,t he top, the most, the superlative among all superlatives. There is no possible way you could be stronger than to rely on the Strong One who is inside you and loves you and made you His child. It is He that is in us who resists satan and overcomes that old serpent. No charms or deceivers can come if you rely on Jesus because even though things on the outside of us go from bad to worse, HE IS ALWAYS THE SAME. (Hebrews 13:8)

Victory in Jesus!

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57


photo credit: Sprengben via photopin cc

Comments

  1. I like you! Thanks for sharing via your blog.

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  2. I am helped very much reading your posts (and have it saved in my "favorites". I also have listened to Joyce Meyer's program for quite along time, and I need to know why you think she is a deceiver.

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    1. Hi ann,

      Thank you so much for reading and more so for asking.

      The first reason Ms Meyer is false is that she preaches. The bible has nor ordained women for that position. Secondly, Joyce Meyer is a Prosperity Gospel promoter. Third, she preaches that we are 'little gods', that we have creation-power in our words, and subtly denies foundational doctrines regarding the cross and the resurrection's power.

      Justin Peters is a pastor who runs a discernment ministry. He has a well-known series titled "A Call For Discernment: A biblical critique of the Word of Faith movement". He has updated it to include some of the more recent Word of Faith/Prosperity preachers such as Joyce Meyers. Either his older series or the newer series are EXCELLENT. You can read about Mr Peters here to see he is the real deal,

      http://justinpeters.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=5

      And one part of his call for discernment series (I believe it is the updated one, featuring clips from after 2006 but not sure if Meyer is specifically in this clip) is here on youtube
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IGHf5Z01Wg

      I encourage you to watch any clips you can find from Mr Peters. He shows extended video clips from WoF preachers such as Joyce M. and uses the bible to explain where and how they are leading you astray.

      If pressed for time, I encourage you to read Rev Matt Slick's short essay, in which he uses scripture, to compare what Joyce Meyer preaches against the holy word of God, here
      http://carm.org/joyce-meyer

      One reason I refer you to these men is because they are elder men of the faith, learned and ordained. Another reason is that they use scripture so correctly and thoroughly to lead the listener or reader into truth. Thanks again for asking! Let me know what you think and how I could further help

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    2. Thank you and Bless you!

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  3. I find it sad that in the body of Christ, those for whom Christ has shed His Precious Blood for are listed in your blog as Evil, naming names of men who are believers. Those outside of the covenant and who have rejected the message of Salvation thru Jesus Christ are those who are Evil as they do not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that God gives to EVERY Born Again believer. Now the argument will be made that these men are not really born again....The word declares that no one names the names of Jesus Christ unless the Holy Spirit dwell in him. So that argument is dead in the water. As these men preach that Jesus Christ is the Savior and each person must be born again. Motives in this blog must be reexamined. For the Love of God should be shed abroad in your heart .

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    1. Hi Ella

      The verse to which you refer about the Spirit is 1 Cor 12:3. The verse is about testing whether someone's spiritual gift is genuine or not, not salvation. So it's important to get the context right.

      You're right, there are believers (who are evil) and non-believers (who are blessed) and ther are those in the middle who at first, aren't obviously either one. These are wolves in sheep's clothing, pretenders who CLAIM to have the Spirit but by their abuse of gifts, or preaching, or lies, or their sinful life, they are accursed.

      If you read Acts 8, you'll see that Simon the Sorcerer believed and was even baptized by Philip. Yet later he tried to buy the Spirit with money. Peter called him wicked and bitter and told him to repent. Hymenaeus, Philetus, and Alexander all claimed the name of Jesus yet Paul dismissed them for being false.

      Ella, it's important to understand that just because someone claims to have the Spirit, it does not mean they do. Some are pretenders, and you have to look deeper than just their words, to understand if they are genuine. "Test all things" (1 Thess 5:21). Compare what they say and what they do, to scripture.

      This sermon may be useful to you in coming to an understanding of the verse you're laying your comment on, 1 Cor 12:3- https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/1849/concerning-spiritual-gifts-part-2 . The book of Jude is also helpful

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