Three sources of deception:

3. Through other people: b) In the Church
There are three sources of deception:
1. Deception through deceiving spirits (fallen angels): Covered Above

2. Deception through ourselves (self-deception): Covered Above

3. Deception through other people: a) In the World: Covered Above

3. Deception through other people: b) In the Church: Covered Below

3. Deception through other people: b) In the church, the body of Christ

People from the secular world are by no means the only potential culprits of being sources of deception. Other people right close to each of us can potentially attempt to deceive us if their intentions are not well aligned to the scriptures. Yes, we too can deceive others if our desires and intentions are not well aligned. But let's focus on deception in the church or the body of Christ from leadership positions.

In the body of Christ, for the most part, people who deceive others do it out of one or any combination of the following reasons:

They are themselves deceived (whether through deceiving spirits, self-deception, or deceived through other people in the church). Thus they‘re merely blind or ignorant on certain matters. It becomes Jesus' scenario of the blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:14) on matters one is blind in. For example, the false teachings on spiritual warfare and deliverance have spread to people and groups who are not aware of or who are in denial of long established biblical doctrine in these areas.
Others out of a desire to embrace the ways of this fallen world compromise or twist the scriptures to suite their aims. They also compromise the Christian fundamental tenets and focus primarily on teachings that are peripheral or secondary in the Christian faith.

The most prominent of such deceptive teachings in our times include glorification of earthly riches, worldly pleasures, power, and status.

In such circles people are so preoccupied with their material success, comforts, and welfare that the major Christian concerns become secondary. In many cases the major Christian concerns are seen as tools to serve their own long-term welfare.

For example, a person may perceive being generous and giving offering primarily as a means to end up receiving more in return. The primary motive that God expects of us, that of an inner desire to make a difference in the lives of others becomes secondary.

This is materialism packaged with a Christian face by using selective bible verses that are itchy to our ears. “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths,” 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (emphasis added).

“I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people ,” Rom. 16:17-18 (emphasis added) are.

For some it's out of compromise to make the message of the gospel more pleasing to certain groups. Instead of sticking with God's standard some choose to embrace the people's standards. It could be out of financial reasons to keep the offering flowing or out of wanting to please people without offending anyone.
Some who fail to live up to Christian standards of righteousness, holiness, love, charity and other Christian disciplines end up projecting their compromised standards to other people. Thus out of personal failures of living up to the righteousness requirements in God's word some adopt the lukewarm gospel.

Their teachings are variously labeled as the liberal gospel, lukewarm gospel, all grace gospel, and once saved always saved gospel. This all grace gospel with little personal input or responsibility is a major form of deception that is a thorn in the body of Christ.

Compromising of ideals of the Christian faith works to even eliminate the chances of some people to make it to heaven. “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven,” Matthew 5:20.

Modern Pharisees are leading masses to follow their own carved out Christianity. Sadly they block the chances of entering into God's kingdom not just for themselves but also for those they minister to.

Apostle Paul, God's prominent early church vessel said he strived to enter into God's kingdom so that he would not be disqualified. In other words, he wanted to make it as much as he wanted others to make it. If ever he failed to make it he would not lower the Christian ideals to mirror his own personal failures. We know that he made it.

Like Paul and other servants of God, it's also my prayer that I make it. If ever (God forbid) my own commitment to the Christian ideals are compromised I would not resort to lowering the standards to those God reaches through me. I'd rather be the only one to fail to make it than take many others with me to the spiritual failures' world.

Neither will I be enticed to preach teachings that exalt material success above spiritual success. I would quietly pursue earthly riches without showing or proclaiming it to vulnerable believers that driving the latest Mercedes or having a private jet is fulfilling the ultimate dream in this life. It is fulfilling the ultimate lie in this life.

By God's grace and the power of choice he has given me I'll not fall for such. I will thus make it into heaven as much as those God uses me to minister his pure truths to.

“Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified,” 1 Corinthians 9:26-27.

Through occult infiltration into Christianity . Some deceptive and false teachings end up in the body of Christ through the infiltration of people from occult groups into Christianity.

There are some occult groups with an agenda to destroy Christianity. The most prominent among these groups are Freemasons. The main occult group responsible for most infiltration into Christianity is Freemasonry. Ralph Epperson in his book, Masonry: Conspiracy Against Christianity--Evidence That the Masonic Lodge Has a Secret Agenda , covers on how Freemasons are working against Christianity.

The position where they're most able to broadcast and market their false teachings are pastoral or church leadership positions. So their focus is to work from the top influential positions in order to choke Christianity's spiritual power.

From the top influential positions they're also able to influence not only church members but other church leaders and church bodies. Many of them secretly use financial resources specifically allocated for infiltrating Christianity from their Freemasonry group. This is how some of them are able to rise to high prominence in the body of Christ.

Such prominence gives them easy legitimacy that they're genuine Christians. It also makes their teachings to easily be adopted by genuine Christian leaders who admire the secret infiltrator. Since he (the infiltrator) seems like a genuine Christian some Christian leaders end up adopting his teachings without question and without any sound biblical scrutiny.

In the long run the body of Christ ends up being littered with false teachings that the secret infiltrator introduced. My other book on breaking occult curses has more detailed info on how this works and what role we can play in doing our part to safeguard ourselves and the body of Christ. The book is titled: Breaking Occult Spells: Protection from Witchcraft and Occult Influences .

In almost all cases where people are being taught matters that are deceptive there is an insulated mindset. I've been there too so it's a very familiar scenario. The people are so closed in their own box of perspectives and understanding that they shield themselves from any other different Christian perspective.

Their minds are made up. They are not even open to go through a doctrinal analysis. Thus their minds unconsciously work in defense mode to their understanding with little or no openness to biblical analysis. This scenario has historically happened in all denominational circles in the body of Christ. No church body has been immune.

When a church body or a Christian as an individual adopts an insulated mindset to erroneous teachings there is what can be called self-propaganda. Below is a good definition of self propaganda that beautifully sums up what I'm talking about:

“Self propaganda is a form of propaganda and indoctrination performed by an individual or a group on oneself. Essentially, it is the act of telling yourself (Or a group telling themselves) something that they consider to be true, or to convince themselves, with the unfortunate repercussion of their having no doubts.

“Because of what they do to themselves, they will go over every aspect of their side of the “argument” to prove to themselves that they are right, and will refuse to look at any alternatives. Self propaganda is a form of self-deception and indoctrination. It functions at individual and social levels: political, economic, and religious. It hides behind partial truths and ignores questions of critical thought ,” (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., Wikipedia, “Self propaganda” (emphasis added).

Most teachings that are “itching” to the ears do not go through critical biblical analysis. They appeal to the emotions and those that embrace them move on to find scriptures to justify their understanding. The scriptures they use are either taken out of context or are made to seem as if they are paramount tenets of our Christian faith. Taking scriptures out of context is not critical biblical analysis. It is critical biblical carelessness.

Scripture can be used to justify almost any matter but it does not necessarily imply it is being applied or interpreted correctly. Didn't Satan also use the bible in trying to tempt and deceive Jesus? Wasn't the bible used for centuries to justify subjugation of women, certain ethnic groups and non-Christians?

The ministers who preach this gospel knowingly projecting their compromised standards to other people end up falling in the category of false prophets or modern day Pharisees.

How deception yielded to can result into a wounded spirit

Some examples of deception resulting into a wounded spirit

1. Unforgiveness

2. The Love of Money and Worldly Pleasures

3. Deceptive or false teachings in the body of Christ

4. Sexual sins or sexual immorality

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