False Pretenses means: behavior intended to deceive others; a deliberate misrepresentation of facts, as to obtain title to money or property. Deception is a huge issue with mankind and we are all subject to being deceived by others. A deceiver attempts to lead us away from the Truth of the matter. This is not uncommon since the devil is known as the great deceiver and motivates men and women to do the same. As we become more sensitive to The Spirit, we will be able to discern when someone is attempting to deceive us. We will get a check in the gut that just won’t go away.
Deception will cause us to be led away into error and sin and that is why it is important for us to protect ourselves from being deceived as well as deceiving others. As we stand on the Truth rather than attempting to encourage some perception that does not reflect who we really are, we will become pure in our intent. Our purity will contrast with the deceptions we face thus helping us in discerning Truth. In Matthew chapter 24 Jesus spoke:
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
Jesus warned us about those who would attempt to deceive us. This warning would suggest that the multitudes have become weak in their ability to discern the Truth and are easily misled. The Internet and other types of media have begun to dull our minds in determining the Truth versus deception. The people are once again becoming dull of hearing and seeing. In Matthew chapter 13, the disciples questioned Jesus why He spoke in parables:
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;
When Truth arrived on the scene, many were unable to see and hear The Truth. They had been deceived by those who were in power and had come to accept their false pretenses as being truth. We must guard our hearts from those who would attempt to deceive us. I know this to be a great challenge for I have been deceived by others at various and sundry times. By the grace and mercy of FATHER, HE showed me their deception and kept me from being utterly destroyed by the error they promoted. Jesus said “Take heed that no one deceives you.” This is a warning we all should take serious in our daily walk. Those who have subjected themselves to the love of money will attempt to extract whatever resources you have. If possible, they will use you to promote their agenda and then will walk away once you are no longer needed.
We need not isolate ourselves from the world but rather we must equip ourselves to discern good versus evil as we go about doing good. Jesus was among many deceivers but that did not keep Him from fulfilling His calling. We must prepare ourselves to walk in a similar manner by daily seeking FATHER before exposing ourselves to the wolves in sheep’s clothing.