In today’s episode, we will look at “deception” and the tactics that Satan uses to deceive people, especially believers in Christ Jesus. On this podcast, you will learn how to avoid being deceived by Satan and the steps you have to take to keep yourself in the truth.
If you are having trouble listening to the podcast, you can click on the title that’s on the player to listen to the whole episode on Spotify.
5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. -Galatians 2:5 BSB
Paul told the saints in Galatia that if he and his companions did not resist them and fought for the truth of the gospel, they (the church in Galatia) would have never received and continued with the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
This verse shows us that we can never give in to false doctrine or allow false believers to spread their unbiblical message to others if we can help it. Especially if you become aware that their deceptive message is reaching those you are trying to influence to follow Christ and walk in the truth. If you don’t battle false teachers, they will undo everything you had begun to do for the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. -Galatians 2:4 BSB
The phrase “This issue” is about making believers go back to the Law of Moses to observe it and keep it. See verse 3 and its commentary.
What makes “some false brothers” is when they add to God’s Word, which changes it to say something other than what God said, and preaches it to others as the truth.
False teachers came to the Galatians and pretended to believe in sound teachings like salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9), not revealing to them that, in reality, they hold to work-based salvation. They teach that a person needs to keep the Law, which is works, plus believe in Jesus Christ to get saved. Read Galatians 3:1-2.
Paul understood that Satan is the one who influences false teachers, see 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, to enslave believers by entrapping them, teaching them to keep the Law, which makes them forsake the finished work of the cross, see Galatians 5:1-4. The cross—Jesus, who died for our sins (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-9), was to show us that our good works cannot atone for our sins and make us right in God’s eyes (Galatians 3:11). Only by accepting the gift that God offers through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into our hearts by faith in Him can we have all of our sins forgiven.
Spiritual Minefield 