Why Do Reformed Christians Believe God Decieves Us? Part 1

Bismillah ir rahman ir raheem,

As salamu 'alikum wr wb (May the Peace, Mercy of Allah and Blessings be upon you).

Why Do Reformed Christians Believe God Decieves Us? Part 1

What does the word decieve mean?

v.tr.
To cause to believe what is not true; mislead.
Archaic. To catch by guile; ensnare.v.intr.
To practice deceit.
To give a false impression: appearances can deceive.

SYNONYMS deceive, betray, mislead, beguile, delude, dupe, hoodwink, bamboozle, double-cross. These verbs mean to lead another into error, danger, or a disadvantageous position by underhand means

optical illusion
n
1. an object causing a false visual impression
2. an instance of deception by such an object

Noun
1.
optical illusion - an optical phenomenon that results in a false or deceptive visual impression
apparent motion, apparent movement, motion, movement - an optical illusion of motion produced by viewing a rapid succession of still pictures of a moving object; "the cinema relies on apparent motion"; "the succession of flashing lights gave an illusion of movement"
mirage - an optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects
optical phenomenon - a physical phenomenon related to or involving light

n.
An optical phenomenon that creates the illusion of water, often with inverted reflections of distant objects, and results from distortion of light by alternate layers of hot and cool air. Also called fata morgana.
Something illusory or insubstantial.

What is a hologram?

n.A method of producing a three-dimensional image of an object by recording on a photographic plate or film the pattern of interference formed by a split laser beam and then illuminating the pattern either with a laser or with ordinary light.

Many of us have observed pheonomenon such as a mirage, on a hot summer day while looking at a blacktop road at a distance, or the sand over the horizon. After leaning that it is indeed a deception we are no longer as intrigued by it. However, imagine the people who throughout history ran hopelessly towards a seeming oasis of refreshing water only to find km after km of harsh sand.

The lesson? What about color blindness what is God's object with it? What about the fact that none of the colours we see are actually 'blue' 'red' or 'green' but they are a matter of how light bends. Another deception?

The fact that we percieve things as solid though they are not. They are made up of particles which are moving around. In fact if everything is relative it makes you really wonder what truly is real?

What is the yard stick for measurement and so forth. This is why in many western languages the word for reality comes from a Latin word which means "what you can feel see and touch". Thus once Western Civilization divorced itself from it's Christian heritage it began to put all it's stock in materialistic philosophy because it was all that it had.

The natural sciences were able to guide man no need for divine revelation.

One of the key aspects of the Arabic language that shows it is a divine language is it's depth. Take for instance the word reality in Arabic. In Arabic the word for reality is 'Al Haqqa' or "Al Haqq" Meaning the 'Truth' and it was one of the 99 names of God.

In Islam the phrase La Ilaha Il Law lah (There is no God except God) can also be understood at a higher level -There is nothing except God. Meaning that the whole of what we percieve as existence or seemless does not have a reality in and of itself. So much for Hawkins and his 'M-theory' better luck next time!

The ancient Greeks believed in gods and goddesses that could decieve us. Apate was the spirit (daimona) of deceit, guile, fraud and deception. Her male counterpart was Dolos the daimon of trickery and wiles. She was also a companion of the Pseudologoi (Lies)

Keep your eye on the word 'Dolos' above as you will see it again here shortly.

We know that in nature deception is often a tactic for survival.

Squid and Octupi will change colours as will a chameleon. In military camouflage is the ability to blend in with surroundings. In the popular movie series Predator, alien creatures have suits that are able to bend different light spectrums. Military are fond of fighter jets and submarines that cannot be detected by radar. Ninjas believe in the art of stealth.

Here are some examples where God has employed deception to allow you to think something that is not true, or to allow you to percieve something as being so that is not.

Here we have a picture of a mirage. In the distance it looks as if there is a lake, or some body of water. The theological question is why?

In the Bible God decieves people: "O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived...." (Jeremiah 20:7).

"If the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel" (Ezekiel. 14:9).




What about this picture to the left? Can you count the black dots? Why has God allowed this? What is the purpose behind it? As I focus on any of the white dots I get glimpses of seemingly black dots scattered about. What is God trying to tell me? Yet every time my eyes scan for the black dots and fix on any section I see solid colour white dots.





"Ah, Lord God! Surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reaches unto the soul" (Jeremiah 4:10).







"...God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians. 2:9-12).

Wow! God sends upon people strong delusions and MAKE THEM BELIEVE WHAT IS FALSE? How could anyone know that they are saved? What sense of security would I have? Maybe I think I am saved but in reality I am extremely deluded!



Why does God make me think that the objects above are moving? What direction are they moving? What is God's purpose in making us percieve things to be true which are not?



2 Chronicles 18:18-22 (New International Version)
18 Micaiah continued, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD : I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the host of heaven standing on his right and on his left. 19 And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?' "One suggested this, and another that. 20 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' " 'By what means?' the LORD asked.
21 " 'I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said. " 'You will succeed in enticing him,' said the LORD. 'Go and do it.'
22 "So now the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you."


1 Kings 22:20-23 (New International Version)
20 And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?' "One suggested this, and another that. 21 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.'
22 " 'By what means?' the LORD asked. " 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said. " 'You will succeed in enticing him,' said the LORD. 'Go and do it.'
23 "So now the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you."

Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? Will you be to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails? (Jeremiah 15:18)

In the New Testament (of 22 books or 27 books depending upon which Holy Spirit guided which governing council) you will see that the self proclaimed apostle of Jesus himself was filled with deception, lies, deceit and cunning ways!

The Self Proclaimed Apostle of Jesus Paul Admits to Deception!


2 Corinthians 12:16"Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!"

The Greek word that is used for deception is Dolos. Remember the word from above? It is the Greek deity of deception and lies that I mentioned above. Now the usual Christian apologetic twist on this is to show you other passages where Paul claims not to be lying. However, this is a conundrum. How do we know how is not lying about being honest?

A person can lie about lying
A person can lie about being honest
A person can be honest about lying
A person can be honest and be honest

If you read this passage above in an Arabic Bible the word used for trickery is makr from MKR or MAKR which can mean trickery, alculating, cunning, smart, artful, deep, subtle, designing, aware, astuteness, craftiness, foxiness, craft, slyness, archness, deceit, double-dealing, artifice, deception, wiliness, artfulness, furtiveness, ploy, trick, guile, ruse, roguery

You can see the Arabic of the text above here: http://www.copticchurch.net/cgibin/bible/index.php?r=2+Corinthians+12:16&version=SVD&btn=View

I wonder why the "Holy Spirit" filled Paul would employ such tactics? Is it any wonder a person who serves a God that decieves mankind does not have a conscious bothered by tactics that are used for personal gain or for sincere purpose?

This is why the 'apostle' Paul could proclaim loud and proud:

Phillippian 1:18 "What than that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Chris is proclaimed and in this I rejoice. Yest and I will rejoice."

Is it little wonder that in the "Popular Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy" by By Tim LaHaye, Edward E. Hindson that it is said on page 77

"Deception is the intentional misleading of another person through word or deed. Though deception can be used for good purposes such as when the Hebrew midwives decieved Pharaoh to save the lives of the newborn males" (Exodus 1:19) it is most often used to describe the unethnical exploitation of another person or the teaching of an erroneous doctrine."

"Deceit, the deliberate misleading of another person, can serve good or evil purposes." page 78

It is amazing that nature is filled with deception, optical illusions, mirages, and things that God allows us through our perception to percieve to be true. Why God allows this is something that people will have to provide theological answers to.

As we can see the Bible is filled with passages and scriptures where God allows lying, deception and trickery to take place. The famous story where Jacob tricks Esau is interesting. God has blessed the schemer Jacob over Esau. All of the passages above. However this is only part 1 in a two part series. Stay tuned where tomorrow we expose the issue once again of Christiain salvation and how God can trick the Christians into making them think they are saved but they are not.