CAN A CHRISTIAN BE DECEIVED?

I JOHN 2:26-27: “These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you willa abide in Him.”

OBSERVATION: Can a Christian be deceived? The answer is – Yes. Should a Christian be deceived? The answer is – No. Why? The believer in Christ has the Holy Spirit living within them. This is the “anointing which you have received”. The Holy Spirit does not “come and go” in the life of the believer – He abides. It is the indwelling Spirit that opens the Word of God to be understood in the heart and mind of each believer. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us inner discernment to know the difference between truth and error. If a believer continually walks after the Holy Spirit of God they need never be deceived.

Yet, the Scriptures warn us about grieving the Holy Spirit. How do we do that? We grieve the Holy Spirit when we persist in sin, when we dismiss His warnings, and when we neglect the Word of God. John was in no way implying that the believer did not need to study God’s Word. There are too many other Scripture references that exhort us to be diligent in our pursuit of the Word of God. What John was trying to convey is that the Holy Spirit abides to be our teacher and our guide. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would guide His disciples into all truth. Ultimately, it is not man who teaches the believer – it is the Holy Spirit.

When I was a new believer I was witnessing to a Mormon coworker. I really wanted to see him get saved. I knew Mormonism was a cult, even though I did not know why. He invited me to his home. I went eagerly with my Bible by my side. I was greeted at his house by two older gentlemen with name tags. They were elders in the Mormon church. It was a setup. For the next hour they told me why Mormonism was the only true religion. I left with a Bible under one arm and the Book of Mormon under the other. I went home and sat on my front porch, my head was spinning. I did not know the Bible well enough to understand all that I had taken in – but something deep inside me cried out – “This is wrong!” It was the Holy Spirit. Over the next few days and weeks the Holy Spirit led me to Bible verses that showed me the error of Mormonism. They served a “different Jesus”. They proclaimed a “different Gospel”. This was something that the Holy Spirit revealed to my hungry heart from God’s Word. I did not need to take a college course to gain this knowledge.

What a wonderful promise to know that the Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us into all truth. What a sobering call to listen daily to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. He whispers through God’s Word. He whispers to our conscience. His Spirit bears witness with our spirit. There is no reason for the believer to be deceived. All we need to do is abide in God’s Word and keep a tender heart toward the voice of the Holy Spirit! What a wonderful promise!

Lord, give me a hungry heart for You Word, and a tender heart to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. Keep me walking in truth and guide me safely away from error. Give me spiritual discernment and wisdom each day as I follow You. In Jesus Name!