Deception (Part 09) - Methods of Deception (Part B)

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2. Deception is accomplished by using vain words (Eph 5:6). A. Vain adj. - I. 1. Devoid of real value, worth, or significance; idle, unprofitable, useless, worthless; of no effect, force, or power; fruitless, futile, unavailing. i. God's words are exceedingly valuable (Psa 19:10), and are therefore not vain words. ii. Words that are not in accord with God's word are vain words (Isa 8:20). iii. One way that we can identify deceivers speaking vain words is that they refer to God's words and promises as vain words (Exo 5:1-2, 9; 2Ki 18:20, 22). iv. Never listen to anyone who contradicts God's word which warns that sinners will lose their inheritance in kingdom of God (Eph 5:3-5). a. I have heard backslidden sinners scoff at these and other similar verses. b. Such words spoken against God's warnings are vain words (Eph 5:6). B. A man who is deceived is led to trust in vanity (Job 15:31). i. Vanity n. - 1. a. That which is vain, futile, or worthless; that which is of no value or profit. ii. Deceivers use great swelling words of vanity (2Pe 2:18). a. The orator Tertullus is an example of a man who used great swelling words of vanity to try to deceive the governor Felix. b. He used words of flattery to persuade Felix to condemn Paul (Act 24:1-4). c. Notice the difference between Paul's respectful address of Felix (Act 24:10) and Tertullus' flattering address of him. iii. Deceivers promise liberty and thereby bring men into bondage (2Pe 2:19). a. How many politicians promise people liberty to get elected, only to later bring them into bondage by taxes, regulation, surveillance, and wars? b. How many hucksters and con artists promise people financial liberty only to defraud them of their savings? c. How many banksters and advertisers promise people liberty by convincing them to buy whatever they want on credit, only to bring them into bondage with debt? d. How many young women have been promised liberty by a feminist culture which deceived them into choosing a career over their family, only to bring them into bondage by that career? e. How many young women have been promised sexual liberty through use of birth control by a feminist culture, only to bring them into spiritual, emotional, and psychological bondage? f. How many young women have been promised liberty to pursue their dreams by getting an abortion, only to bring them into spiritual, emotional, and psychological bondage? iv. We should pray that God will remove vanity and lies far from us (Pro 30:8). a. Lies are the cause and means of deception. b. Vanity is the result of it. 3. Deception is accomplished with seduction (Isa 19:13). A. This seduction is sometimes accomplished by evil, seducing spirits (Isa 19:14 c/w 1Ti 4:1). B. Seduce v. - 1. trans. To persuade (a vassal, servant, soldier, etc.) to desert his allegiance or service. 2. In wider sense: To lead (a person) astray in conduct or belief; to draw away from the right or intended course of action to or into a wrong one; to tempt, entice, or beguile to do something wrong, foolish, or unintended. a. of persons or their action. C. God sometimes allows wicked spirits to seduce people into believing a lie as a judgment against them (2Ch 18:19-22). D. This is accomplished by persuasion through enticement (2Ch 18:19 c/w 1Ki 22:20). i. Persuade v. - 1. a. trans. To induce (a person) to believe something; to lead to accept a statement, doctrine, fact, etc.; to win to a belief or assurance. ii. Entice v. - 1. trans. To stir up, incite, instigate (to a course of action); also to provoke (to anger). Obs. 2. To allure, attract by the offer of pleasure or advantage; esp. to allure insidiously or adroitly. Often const. from, to (a course of conduct, a place). Also with away, in. E. Deceivers beguile through enticing words (Col 2:4). i. Enticing adj. - That entices or instigates; insidiously attractive; alluring, beguiling, seductive. ii. Enticing words persuade us to act on our lusts (Jam 1:14). iii. True preachers do not use enticing words of man's wisdom (1Co 2:4). iv. They only preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ (1Co 2:1-2). F. Both men and women can be enticed and deceived into committing fornication or adultery (Exo 22:16 c/w Gen 34:2-3; Pro 7:12-21). i. Entice v. - 1. trans. To stir up, incite, instigate (to a course of action); also to provoke (to anger). Obs. 2. To allure, attract by the offer of pleasure or advantage; esp. to allure insidiously or adroitly. Often const. from, to (a course of conduct, a place). Also with away, in. b. transf. To attract physically. ii. Insidiously adv. - In an insidious manner; by secret plotting or artifice; in a subtle or underhand way; slyly, craftily, treacherously, deceitfully. iii. Adroitly adv. - In an adroit manner; with ready skill; dexterously, cleverly. iv. Beware of seducing men and women. 4. Deception is accomplished by delusion (2Th 2:10-11). A. Delusion n. - The action of deluding; the condition of being deluded. 1. The action of befooling, mocking, or cheating a person in his expectations; the fact of being so cheated or mocked. Obs. 2. The action of befooling with false impressions or beliefs; the fact or condition of being cheated and led to believe what is false. B. Delude v. - 1. trans. To play with (any one) to his injury or frustration, under pretence of acting seriously; to mock, esp. in hopes, expectations, or purposes; to cheat or disappoint the hopes of. Obs. 3. To befool the mind or judgement of, so as to cause what is false to be accepted as true; to bring by deceit into a false opinion or belief; to cheat, deceive, beguile; to impose upon with false impressions or notions. C. God will send strong delusion to deceive people into believing a lie because they don't love the truth (2Th 2:10-11). D. God will deceive false prophets (Eze 14:9).