MATTHEW 24:4 ……”Watch out that no one deceives you”.

**Deception usually has a grain of truth or half – truth**

1. Deception of Humanism:

a). Trying to elevate man to the status of God….a lie that man can determine his own destiny without involving God. The same old lie that Satan used against Adam & Eve that they could be like God – all knowing.

“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5 NIV

b). The end justifies the means. Forgetting that before God, the whole process matters.

“Anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.” 2 Timothy 2:5 NIV

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 NIV

c). No man is limited. But man is indeed limited and grows old, tired, wears out and eventually dies. Man has always wanted to conquer, but death limits him. Even the High priests in the Temple were kept from serving forever by DEATH.

– God has put limits man cannot cross.

“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.” Hebrews 7:23‭-‬24 NIV

“A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.” Job 14:5 NIV

d). God looks at the heart (my dress my choice)……Dress should bring DIGNITY and HONOUR, for our bodies are to be presented as living sacrifices to God. (Romans 12:1)

“Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.” Exodus 28:2 NIV

– God looks at the heart, but sees the outside as well. When He saw Adam and Eve were literally naked, He immediately covered them.

“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21 NIV

e). Man wants a ‘god’ he can touch and control. The Israelites too wanted a golden calf they could touch and control, a king they could touch and control……not God who demands FAITH when approaching him, and who has standards of how worship should be done.

“Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Exodus 32:1 NIV

“But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” 1 Samuel 8:19‭-‬20 NIV

v,7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.

f). God will understand….. ignoring the fact that His throne is established on Righteousness and Justice. Why didn’t he understand in passing judgement during Noah’s time, Sodom and Gomorrah, Achan’s heart’s deception that he could hide from God? (Joshua 7:20-21)

– He gives men time to reflect and repent (“he understands”), after which he passes judgement.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 NIV