Recognizing Spiritual Scams
Introduction. Stories of people losing money in scams are common today. Using the IRS to scare people into sending money; a phone call beginning “can you hear me,” and if we say yes, using it as permission to bill our credit card. The worst scams are those where the person being exploited still trusts and continues to give even though others clearly see and warn they are being cheated.
God warned His people of spiritual scams. “Let no one cheat you of your reward.” “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men” (Col. 2:8,18). “In their greed they will exploit you with false words” (2Pet. 2:3). Watching others being spiritually exploited is even more agonizing for the godly than a financial scam.
Paul could clearly see that Christians in Galatia and Corinth were being exploited by false teachers, even though they could not! “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth.” “They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them” (Gal. 3:1; 4:17). “For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face” (2Cor. 11:19-20).
This is a serious problem for all of us. It is the tool of choice for “your adversary the devil” who “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1Pet. 5:8). He uses deception, treachery and exploitation, and his servants are adept at using his ploys and devices. It could be that even now, we may be among those who need to “come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” (2Tim. 2:26).
God has made it as simple as possible. Truth and safety can only be found in “All Scripture breathed from God” (2Tim. 3:16-17). Scripture is the equivalent of our bank statement. As those before us, we can “search the Scriptures daily” to see if our beliefs and practices are there. If they are not, they are only scams of “philosophy,” “empty deceit,” “tradition of men” and “false words.” What happened in Corinth and Galatia is happening in America. These people are still in our midst. Consider a few of the more blatant examples today.
Mormons claim the Scriptures were corrupted and are no longer fully reliable. They contend the Book of Mormon was given to replace Scripture. Over 15 million people believe this. With this claim, the Book of Mormon becomes a more reliable source of truth for them than the Bible. While many call this a scam of “empty deceit” and “false words,” 15 million accept it as the truth.
Here is the truth! When Peter described the nature of the seed leading to our new birth, he revealed it can’t be corrupted! “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible.” This seed is “the word of God which lives and abides forever” for “the word of the Lord endures forever.” Lest there be any misunderstanding, this is “the word which by the gospel was preached to you” (1Pet. 1:23-25). The gospel (NT Scriptures) can’t be corrupted! The gospel lives and abides forever and endures forever. We can trust God that what the Mormons claim can never be! The Book of Mormon is a spiritual scam! It’s claims are “false words” filled with “empty deceit.” Like the Galatians, they have been bewitched. The book of Mormon is “human philosophy” and “tradition of men.”
Although Seventh Day Adventists do not carry things as far as the Mormons, they still follow the tactics of those who bewitched the Galatians. More than 19 million people have been convinced that the Law of Moses (Old Covenant) can be joined to the Gospel of Christ (New Covenant). This is just as false as the Mormon claim, but a little more complicated spiritual scam.
When Jesus died, the Old Law was “nailed to the cross.” The authority of Law of Moses’ was abrogated and given to Jesus (Col. 2:11-15; Mt. 28:18-20; Heb. 1:1-3). The middle wall of partition keeping Jew and Gentile apart was no longer needed so it was removed and all the food prohibitions in the Law were also removed (Eph. 2:11-23; Acts 10:9-16). The Sabbath (7th day) ceased to be enforced and the 1st day of the week took its place (Acts 20:7; 1Cor. 16:1-2). Jesus is now the “Mediator of the New Covenant” and “In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” (Heb. 8:13; 12:24).
Yet Paul was often confronted by false teachers who sought to convince new converts that portions of the Law must still be observed. Paul bluntly told the Galatians that Christ set us free from the Law. There is nothing to gain. But we can be severed from Christ and fall from grace if we heed them.
God warned His people of spiritual scams. “Let no one cheat you of your reward.” “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men” (Col. 2:8,18). “In their greed they will exploit you with false words” (2Pet. 2:3). Watching others being spiritually exploited is even more agonizing for the godly than a financial scam.
Paul could clearly see that Christians in Galatia and Corinth were being exploited by false teachers, even though they could not! “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth.” “They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them” (Gal. 3:1; 4:17). “For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face” (2Cor. 11:19-20).
This is a serious problem for all of us. It is the tool of choice for “your adversary the devil” who “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1Pet. 5:8). He uses deception, treachery and exploitation, and his servants are adept at using his ploys and devices. It could be that even now, we may be among those who need to “come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” (2Tim. 2:26).
God has made it as simple as possible. Truth and safety can only be found in “All Scripture breathed from God” (2Tim. 3:16-17). Scripture is the equivalent of our bank statement. As those before us, we can “search the Scriptures daily” to see if our beliefs and practices are there. If they are not, they are only scams of “philosophy,” “empty deceit,” “tradition of men” and “false words.” What happened in Corinth and Galatia is happening in America. These people are still in our midst. Consider a few of the more blatant examples today.
Mormons claim the Scriptures were corrupted and are no longer fully reliable. They contend the Book of Mormon was given to replace Scripture. Over 15 million people believe this. With this claim, the Book of Mormon becomes a more reliable source of truth for them than the Bible. While many call this a scam of “empty deceit” and “false words,” 15 million accept it as the truth.
Here is the truth! When Peter described the nature of the seed leading to our new birth, he revealed it can’t be corrupted! “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible.” This seed is “the word of God which lives and abides forever” for “the word of the Lord endures forever.” Lest there be any misunderstanding, this is “the word which by the gospel was preached to you” (1Pet. 1:23-25). The gospel (NT Scriptures) can’t be corrupted! The gospel lives and abides forever and endures forever. We can trust God that what the Mormons claim can never be! The Book of Mormon is a spiritual scam! It’s claims are “false words” filled with “empty deceit.” Like the Galatians, they have been bewitched. The book of Mormon is “human philosophy” and “tradition of men.”
Although Seventh Day Adventists do not carry things as far as the Mormons, they still follow the tactics of those who bewitched the Galatians. More than 19 million people have been convinced that the Law of Moses (Old Covenant) can be joined to the Gospel of Christ (New Covenant). This is just as false as the Mormon claim, but a little more complicated spiritual scam.
When Jesus died, the Old Law was “nailed to the cross.” The authority of Law of Moses’ was abrogated and given to Jesus (Col. 2:11-15; Mt. 28:18-20; Heb. 1:1-3). The middle wall of partition keeping Jew and Gentile apart was no longer needed so it was removed and all the food prohibitions in the Law were also removed (Eph. 2:11-23; Acts 10:9-16). The Sabbath (7th day) ceased to be enforced and the 1st day of the week took its place (Acts 20:7; 1Cor. 16:1-2). Jesus is now the “Mediator of the New Covenant” and “In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” (Heb. 8:13; 12:24).
Yet Paul was often confronted by false teachers who sought to convince new converts that portions of the Law must still be observed. Paul bluntly told the Galatians that Christ set us free from the Law. There is nothing to gain. But we can be severed from Christ and fall from grace if we heed them.
- “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace” (Gal. 5:1-5).
- “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:6-9)