Ephesians 5:6
“See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
Deception has been a problem since the beginning of creation. We have to be on the lookout. I Peter 5:8 Says, "Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." Our first parents fell because of the devil's trickery. He does so with everyone. Some are safely in his camp. With them, he wants to keep them there, so he would benefit to keep them in a state of ease and blindness. However, God is seeking to deliver them.
For us believers, the devil wants to lure us away from God. He has many tools to use. Hebrews 11:25 says, "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." There is pleasure in sin. The devil pushes it, the world does to and part of us wants it. We will fall into it from time to time. Some get stuck and stay there.
The thing with sin is that when the season changes, the misery and addiction to it sets in. Some escape, others make it a lifestyle. God reaches out and attempts to rescue. The devil uses deception to keep people in sin. At first, one falls into sin for the allure. They may know or have a hunch it's wrong. Once in it, the devil will attempts to silence the conscience and use deception to trick them that it's ok.
Another tool the devil uses is pride. So called "smart people" say nonchristian things in a smart way that belittles believers and the church. No one wants to be part of the unenlightened. A friend was lured away by daily listening to NPR. Those speakers sound smart and they criticize christians and the church. Years later, he no longer believes due to his indoctrination. I spoke to another friend who described how he lost his faith while in college. That's common.
We need to do as today's verse says and not be deceived. How do we do that? We are to avoid sin which can get us stuck and open us up to getting tricked into staying there. We also need to watch out for our pride and not get fooled by those who sound smart. Today's verse says that they speak "empty words". It makes me think of empty calories. Some food may look good or taste good, but are bad for us.
I want to focus on the empty words. They give promise of good things. They are lies. They lure us by saying that "you can be with the smart crowd", the cool crowd or anything that allures us. Hollywood is committed to this. In films, christians and pastors are rarely portrayed as good. While the unbelievers are awesome. They are attempting to lead us from God and the church.
I've heard Richard Dawkins say that evolution makes students safe from having to believe in God. It's deception. It's a theory that is taught as fact. They ridicule those that don't ascribe to it.
God is the real thing that threatens the devil and the world. Psalm 16:11 says, "You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand." Life in Christ is so amazing. The world promises fulness, but delivers misery and addiction. Don't be deceived.
I Thessalonians 5:21 says, "but test all things. Hold fast to what is good." His Word is the standard. Never go against it. The Holy Spirit will guide us. John 16:13 says, "when He the, Spirit of truth, shall come, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He may hear, He will speak. And He will declare to you the things coming."
Lord, thank You for the blessed life in Christ that You provide. Thank You for Your Spirit who guides us. Keep us from evil and deception.