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Many will try to use this excuse in the coming judgment. But will that cut it? Will God buy it? WHOSE FAULT is it, if you are deceived? Will God hold YOU responsible? Let’s look at a few examples of people who were deceived.

1 Kings 13:11-17 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel… And went after the man of God, … Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.

So the guy asks him to break his fast, and he explains that he can’t. So far, so good.

Verse 18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

This man lied to the Prophet of God! Surely God wouldn’t hold you responsible when you’ve been lied to! After all, the man SAID God had told him to say this!

1 Kings 13:19-22, 24 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. … And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him:

A man who was honestly deceived, was killed for disobeying God. Will He judge you differently?

Luke 12:47-48 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

If you disobey God’s will, whether you know it or not, you will be beaten with stripes. Whether deceived or not – Deception is no excuse! The fact of the matter is, if you LOVE the TRUTH, you will not lose it! You can only lose it if, deep down, you don’t like it, and WANT to be deceived!

Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind…

God lets you get reprobate, or deceived, only if you DON’T LIKE TO KNOW GOD. If you get deceived, it is because YOU DIDN’T LOVE THE TRUTH!

2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

In other words, because they DID unrighteousness, and didn’t like the “box” God kept them in by His truth, they WANTED to be deceived. That way they could do what they wanted! If this is what you want, deep down, He will let you have it – you will ultimately end up deceived!

Verse 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned [judged] who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Notice, every place where deception is mentioned, he says BE CAREFUL of it! You CAN avoid deception, if you TRULY want the TRUTH. But if you LOVE a LIE, you will not BE in the Holy City! (Revelation 22:15). God gave Israel a solemn warning, and He gave us a similar one.

Deuteronomy 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

Matthew 24:4-5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Turning aside and serving other gods, even if deceived, carried the death penalty. Believing a lie, when you knew the truth once, also carries the death penalty. The first death, at any rate.

2 Peter 2:20-21 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Saying “But God, I was deceived!” will not get you off the hook at the judgment seat! So TAKE HEED, because God DOES hold you RESPONSIBLE to do what is right – whether people try to deceive you or not!