Deception and false appearances are warned against throughout the Bible. In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul denounces false apostles who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, while 1 John and 1 Peter caution against hypocrisy and malice. The book of Exodus prohibits spreading false reports, emphasizing the importance of honesty and integrity. Jesus Himself teaches that not everyone who claims to follow Him will enter the kingdom of heaven, highlighting the need for genuine faith and action, as seen in Matthew's account of the narrow gate.
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For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.
If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness.
“You shall not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked by being a malicious witness.
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him. Whoever greets such a person shares in his evil deeds.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.