Welcome To Be Not Deceived
Primary Purpose
The primary purpose of Be Not Deceived is to warn believers to fulfill Jesus' commands in Matthew 24:4-5, Luke 21:8, and Mark 13:5-6 "to see to it that no one deceives" them.
8Jesus answered, "See to it that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, 'I am He,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them.
One of the main reasons this is so important is Jesus said the end time deception would be so great that, if possible, would even deceive the elect.
23 At that time, if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There He is!' do not believe it.
24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
Secondary Purpose
The secondary purpose of Be Not Deceived is to prepare, equip, and build up believers so that they are able to fulfill Jesus' Command to 'Be Not Deceived'.
Only when believers are grounded in the Word will they not be deceived by the false prophets, false teachers, false christs, and great signs and wonders Jesus repeatedly warned of. They will know the truth, and, as Jesus said in John 8:31-32, "If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free", including from deception.
How To Be Built Up So You Are Not Deceived
The Holy Spirit Is Our Teacher
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.
All we need to do before reading the Holy Scriptures is ask the Holy Spirit to grant us His revelation, illumination, inspiration, insight and understanding of what the Word really says and means.
The Word Is God-breathed
The Holy Scriptures are able to keep us from being deceived if we diligently apply ourselves to learning what they say. We can be obedient to what Jesus has commanded us only if we know what He has commanded us.
God's Word Makes Wise
15 From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
If we are consistently, and prayerfully, reading and studying the Word of God, it will give us the wisdom to know when someone is preaching or teaching wrong doctrine. One who is trained in the real thing, will not be deceived by a counterfeit.
God's Word Builds Up
32 And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.
I commit you, my precious reader, to God and to the Word of His Grace, that it would indeed build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified; and that it would also keep and protect you from all deception of every kind; that you will know the truth so as to be free from all deception. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
We Are Commanded To Build Ourselves Up
Also, take note of Ephesians 4:16 below, that Believers are to 'grow and build themselves up in love' as they do the work that God has assigned them to do.
Ministers Are Given To Equip, Grow, And Build Up The Body
11 And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
16 From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.
Two of the main responsibilities of ministers of the Gospel is to grow and build the Body of Christ up, and to equip them for works of ministry. ALL Believers are called to ministry; each as the Holy Spirit has gifted, and leads, them.
Conclusion
Believers will have no excuse about their ignorance or immaturity when they stand before Him on Judgment day. He has provided us the necessary tools to ensure that we are able to fulfill His command to "see to it that no one deceives you."
PLEASE NOTE
The entries in the Bible Study Notebook are a continual work in progress. They will be fleshed out and added to as we progress through the Holy Scriptures.