Deception Beneath a Mask

Before doing this Bible study, please read the one-minute introduction: Unbelief With a Christian Mask. It offers some examples of “professing” Christians who live by worldly principles will claiming to follow God.

Sadly, many who profess Christ don't really know Him. 

The examples in the devotion resemble many true situations I've heard about, and they have similar characteristics: 

The first two examples in the devotion turn their backs on people who graciously and lovingly cared for them. This is a growing problem in our culture as people no longer value hard work but look for handouts (See 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15). 

They are unwilling to accept any disagreement and refuse to handle differences maturely. Romans 12 is a good passage to read in regard to how we are to treat people (even bad people) with whom we disagree.

In addition, the pastor completely violates one of the Big Ten (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2-3) by dishonoring his parents while claiming to love God. 

Those who do ministry in the church will be judged more strongly because of the influence they have (James 3:1).

✔ Ungratefulness 

1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Proverbs 17:13: “If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.”

See That's Easy for You to Say and God Calls Their Worship a Farce. 

✔ Holding grudges

Hebrews 12:15: “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

 

For more insights on bitterness see Spiritual "Cancer" and Don't Keep This Kind of List. 

 

 ✔ Cutting off contact, refusing to reconcile

Matthew 5:23-24: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”

Proverbs 18:1: “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” 

For more on this popular form of selfishness, see Are Boundaries Biblical?  

 

The third example put on a front but secretly stabbed her Christian friends in the back. 

✔  Lying/Slander

Colossians 3:9-10: “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” 

 

For more on slander see: It's Serious, No Lie! and  Slander Against Christian Friends and Family Is on the Rise 

2 Timothy 3:1-6 (below) so accurately describes the examples in our modern culture, examples of people who have an outward form of godliness while denying the true commands and attitudes of Christianity. Note how each of the traits mentioned above are included.

 

2 Timothy 3:1-6: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents,* ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

 

* The increasing popularity of the Boundaries movement and the increase in estrangements between parents and adult children shows that most Christians are unaware that God considers disrespect of parents a serious adult sin. It's not only listed in 2 Timothy 3:1-6 above but similarly listed in Romans 1:30. While it uses the term “disobedient to parents,” it doesn't mean that adults must obey everything their parents tell them to do. Commentators explain it this way: “This expresses the idea that they did not show to parents that honor, respect, and attention which was due” (Barnes' Notes on the Bible); they are “stubborn and rebellious against those that bare them.” (Matthew Poole's Commentary); The Greek word for disobedience in this passage notes an unwillingness to prefer what God prefers - God tells men to honor their parents, but in the last days children of all ages will deny God's commands. 

 

 

Are You Fond of God's Commands?

Before doing this study, please read the one-minute introduction:

 “Adulterers Sensitivity Statement”  

It talks about the way culture has influenced church language and attitudes causing sincere believers to modify or downplay Scripture when it comes to popular sins like LGBTQ+ lifestyles.

In this study, we're going to address some statements on a Christian website that featured a “LGBTQ+ Sensitivity Statement.”  I'm not trying to pick on this one website, but it represents the way genuine Christians are trying to accommodate culturally approved sins.

I actually believe the author of this site is well-versed in Scripture and well-intentioned. He's very knowledgeable about the Hebrew Roots Movement. He never denies that LGBTQ+ lifestyles are condemned in Scripture. But the ways he presents these truths brings me sadness. It shows how successfully pro-LGBTQ+ groups have shamed Christians.

So let's look at specific quotes from this site so we can respond when we hear similar statements in our conversations with friends:

🚫 “Homosexuality is not worse than any other sin (James 2:10).” (source)

In one article, the author who made this statement acknowledged that according to 1 Corinthians 6:18 sexual sins are worse than other sins, but in the article containing this quote, he omitted that truth. 

Please consider this statement. It would mean that a child who is irresponsible about doing his homework is no different in God's eyes than men committing sexually perverse acts. If we think our God has that view of sin, we don't understand His character. 

I also encourage you to read Does God View All Sins the Same? It explains that all sins are bad, all sins need to be forgiven, anyone who rejects Christ will die for his/her sins no matter how insignificant the sin but that doesn't make sins equal. Scripture clearly shows that God judges sins differently based on motives, knowledge, opportunity, position, influence, and type of sin. Some sins do more damage to people's souls and to society at large. 

1 Corinthians 6:18: “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.”

Romans 1:18-32 speaks about the decline of mankind and it specifically mentions homosexuality as an “unnatural” lust, meaning it goes beyond defying God’s commands to defying His creation design. It makes people more resistant to God's truth, causing God to “give them over.” 

Romans 1:24-25: “Because of this [exchanging 'the truth about God for a lie'], God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.”

For more insights see: God Gives Some People Over to Their Sins. Do You Know Why? and Did You Know that "Unnatural" Sins Are More Damaging to Our Souls?  

The author of this false claim used James 2:10 to support it. But that's neither logical nor biblical. 

James 2:10: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

Let me offer some scholarly explanations, and I encourage you to look for further understanding of James 2:10. 

“The point is not that all sins are equally heinous. Rather, it is that on God's legal scorecard, for those He will judge according to the Old Testament Law, even one sin is damning. A person either is perfect, or they are not.”   BibleRef

“James 2:10 teaches the indivisible nature of God’s law and our universal guilt, not the moral equivalence of every transgression. Scripture consistently differentiates degrees of sin in gravity and consequence, while at the same time declaring that any sin, however slight, necessitates the redeeming work of Christ for reconciliation with a perfectly holy God.” Got Questions

I also encourage you to read Have You Noticed How Some Sins are Pampered in the Church?   

🚫 “Same-sex attraction is not sinful. It is not the temptation but the behavior that is deemed sinful in Scripture.” (source)

If a temptation comes from something in our environment that we didn't plan, we aren't to blame unless we give in to that temptation. And God promises to provide a way out for us (1 Corinthians 10:13).

 

However, ungodly thoughts, desires, and attractions are temptations we create. Christ said those who look lustfully at woman are committing adultery in their hearts (Matthew 5:27-30). This would apply to same-sex attraction as well. James 1:14-15 also explains that both desires and behavior can be ungodly. 

We’re commanded to take our thoughts captive, making them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). We’d never say having an attraction to lie, murder, or commit adultery isn’t sinful. Why this special treatment for homosexuality?

 

Thoughts shape our values, especially when they are reoccurring. 

🚫 Gays should “be afforded every legal right.”:

While not specifically stating it, that would naturally include marriage and adoption. As citizens, we are forced to acknowledge our national laws. But our love for God's creation order and His Word should make us sad that our country would adopt them.

🚫The author of the article said he struggles with “not being fond of everything the Bible teaches.” (source)

This was perhaps the most disturbing statement on this website.

It breaks my heart to hear a theologian say this. And that attitude is apparent in all of his articles about homosexuality. He repeatedly claims that Christians mistreat homosexuals, a popular piece of cultural propaganda. We are experiencing far more anti-Christian abuse than LGBTQ+ abuse. And from my personal family experiences and knowledge of similar situations with friends and readers, homosexual friends and family members are usually the ones who cut off contact, harshly judging Christians and Christianity, not the other way around. For one of my personal situations, see Why Some Folks Have Created a "New" Jesus.

God's commands about homosexuality are loving, warning people of Hell. We aren't honoring God by singling out popular sins and handling them differently from other sins. We need the same mindset Paul expresses in Galatians 1:10: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” 

 

These examples illustrate our need to be aware and prepared to respond to popular half-truths in culture that are influencing the church.

 

Lies in Disguise is a book that can help you understand and avoid half-truths that are damaging the church. And it's concise, understandable, and filled with Scripture like all of Bible Love Note's devotions. Click image to find out more.

Trusting Jesus In Dark or Confusing Times

Before doing this study, please read the one-minute introduction Trusting God as the Engineer of our Lives. It features and explains this quote by Corrie ten Boom: “When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”

Sadly, many Christians are taught that following Christ will make their lives easy. But Scripture never promises this. So let's look at some of the verses that tell us that the Christian life will contain persecution, hardship, and confusion at times. 

✔ After telling the Apostles about the coming hardships, Jesus said this: 

John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 

✔ The early church understood they would suffer hardships for their faith:

Acts 14:21-22: “They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. 'We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,' they said.”

✔ Peter explains that as we remain faithful under trials, we honor God with proof of our faith.

1 Peter 1:3-9:  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

✔ I love this statement of faithfulness made by Paul:

2 Corinthians 4:8-9: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Have you thought about the purpose of difficulties in your walk with the Lord? 

Never forget that we can face these difficulties with the Lord's help!  

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copyright 2015, Gail Burton Purath, BiteSizeBibleStudy.com, updated in 2026