“In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.” (2 Peter 2:3, NLT)
For some of you, this meditation is gonna hurt. For others, it will expose the truth they knew was being hidden from the eyes of the faithful.
In a discussion about false teachers and false prophets who will exploit the church in the days to come, the letter of 2 Peter is full of warnings for the faithful. 2 Peter makes the bold claim that false teachers will fight for a place inside the church. They will pose as ministers and leaders (2 Peter 2:1). They will twist scriptures for their own purposes. Then, 2 Peter makes the claim in the scripture for today that these false teachers and false prophets will become “greedy”. They will use the gospel to “make up clever lies to get hold of your money” (2 Peter 2:3). They will use worldly tactics to manipulate the faithful. One version of the Bible states in this verse that their goal is to “exploit” the faithful.
The world is known for such tactics. It constantly uses “clever lies” to manipulate the masses. Communists and Socialists have relied on clever lies for decades, manipulating the press and communications for more than a century. Their clever use of propaganda twists the truth, alters history to fit an agenda, and forms an attempt the control the populace.
“Clever lies” have grown exponentially in popularity in the present social media era. Because of this, our government wants to start a “Disinformation Governance Board” in order to promote “the truth”. In reality, based on the person chosen to lead the Board, this was just an attempt by the Biden Administration in the United States to control information in the public sphere and promote certain political and ideological agendas. How is this any different from Socialist propaganda? Again, it is just another worldly tactic by a political group to “get hold of your money”.
The Canadian Government gave more than six hundred million dollars to “support” the Canadian Broadcasting System and various other news organizations. What happened then? Well, these same news organizations began to praise government actions, even when they were detrimental to society. The Canadian news organizations became so biased that ordinary citizens in Canada would interrupt broadcasts in order to call the reporters out as liars. Again, worldly tactics utilizing “clever lies” were used by politicians to manipulate the truth and the masses.
Don’t for a moment think that governments and political groups are the only ones to use “clever lies” to manipulate you. The National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) sued its rival organization in 2016, the PTO. Even before the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) received the lawsuit papers, the PTA was busy explaining to social media why its lawsuit was relevant and what the PTO was doing wrong. Even though both organizations promote classroom education, learning, and parental involvement (all good things!), this was clearly a money and power grab by the PTA in order to limit its rival’s influence.
Lawsuits, media blitzes, Ad barrages and more are simply tactics often used to hide “clever lies” by greedy individuals to “get hold of your money”. Sadly, these same tactics have been and are used by churches to “control the truth” and manipulate the minds of the faithful. During the Middle Ages, people were taught to never “question the church”. During the days of the Inquisition, church authority was promoted as irrefutable. While the Salem Witch trials were being touted as necessary, church leaders ignored how little evidence there was with many of the victims. Over and over, worldly tactics were used to manipulate the church and church people.
Today, clever lies continue to be told, even in the church.
A pastor who was found guilty of having several affairs in his church, sued the Synod to keep the matter private. The Synod, not wanting to pay exorbitant legal fees, signed documents to keep the records private. The pastor moved to his next church and did the same thing. All this became public in an ecclesiastical trial of the pastor. By the way, the Pastor had the information hidden a second time and took a job at a women’s college dorm!
In the Roman Catholic Church, a good number of priests were found to be committing egregious acts within their congregations. In order to keep the money rolling in and the church clean from the stains of these sins, many diocesan leaders moved these priests to other locations or quietly removed them from public positions. Some of these priests were never even prosecuted for their illegal acts. When the stories of these hidden acts came to light in the 1990’s and later with the lawsuits that followed, some Roman Catholic groups were rendered bankrupt or insolvent. Trust in the Church took a huge blow.
In Evangelical circles, it was discovered that a few televangelists and pastors in large churches were using tithes and gifts and offerings for illegitimate personal use. One pastor siphoned money from his ministry in order to spend it on prostitutes. Another funneled funds into lavish gifts for his own personal use. In one case, a pastor made sure to get close to a member who was dying so that she would change her will to include the pastor as an heir to the property. The family sued.
Please know that very few clergypersons are greedy or have an alternate agenda to manipulate others. It’s only the worldly ones you must watch out for; the ones who are more than capable of using “clever lies” to twist the truth.
Today’s scripture was a warning by Peter for the church in every age. You and I need to be ever vigilant for those “clever lies” that play loosely with the truth. We need to be careful not to be deceived by false teachers and prophets who would twist the gospel for their own benefit. Money has a way of corrupting even the best of people, even pastors and religious leaders. Money placed in the right places has manipulated denominations into supporting LBGQ agendas, sexual gender reexaminations, and social programs that are in NO WAY Biblical. I know personally of money set apart for “mission work” that is being cleverly shifted to political causes. This is occurring in at least ten denominations at the present.
Sin can be cleverly hidden. Your personal sin may be used to manipulate the truth. Your personal offerings may be coopted by unscrupulous individuals to support causes that are against God’s law. Peter claimed this type of greedy sin was occurring already in the first century. He knew it would explode in the End Times. Don’t hide your head in the sand. These “clever lies” can come back to harm you, your family, your community, your country, and the history of the world. Be vigilant against the propaganda and sins utilizing these manipulative tactics. Stand firm in the truth of the gospel. Be pure in heart. Attack the clever lies. Jesus fought for the gospel truth. Peter did the same. You will be in good company to stand with these who tell God’s honest truth in love.
In a discussion about false teachers and false prophets who will exploit the church in the days to come, the letter of 2 Peter is full of warnings for the faithful. 2 Peter makes the bold claim that false teachers will fight for a place inside the church. They will pose as ministers and leaders (2 Peter 2:1). They will twist scriptures for their own purposes. Then, 2 Peter makes the claim in the scripture for today that these false teachers and false prophets will become “greedy”. They will use the gospel to “make up clever lies to get hold of your money” (2 Peter 2:3). They will use worldly tactics to manipulate the faithful. One version of the Bible states in this verse that their goal is to “exploit” the faithful.
The world is known for such tactics. It constantly uses “clever lies” to manipulate the masses. Communists and Socialists have relied on clever lies for decades, manipulating the press and communications for more than a century. Their clever use of propaganda twists the truth, alters history to fit an agenda, and forms an attempt the control the populace.
“Clever lies” have grown exponentially in popularity in the present social media era. Because of this, our government wants to start a “Disinformation Governance Board” in order to promote “the truth”. In reality, based on the person chosen to lead the Board, this was just an attempt by the Biden Administration in the United States to control information in the public sphere and promote certain political and ideological agendas. How is this any different from Socialist propaganda? Again, it is just another worldly tactic by a political group to “get hold of your money”.
The Canadian Government gave more than six hundred million dollars to “support” the Canadian Broadcasting System and various other news organizations. What happened then? Well, these same news organizations began to praise government actions, even when they were detrimental to society. The Canadian news organizations became so biased that ordinary citizens in Canada would interrupt broadcasts in order to call the reporters out as liars. Again, worldly tactics utilizing “clever lies” were used by politicians to manipulate the truth and the masses.
Don’t for a moment think that governments and political groups are the only ones to use “clever lies” to manipulate you. The National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) sued its rival organization in 2016, the PTO. Even before the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) received the lawsuit papers, the PTA was busy explaining to social media why its lawsuit was relevant and what the PTO was doing wrong. Even though both organizations promote classroom education, learning, and parental involvement (all good things!), this was clearly a money and power grab by the PTA in order to limit its rival’s influence.
Lawsuits, media blitzes, Ad barrages and more are simply tactics often used to hide “clever lies” by greedy individuals to “get hold of your money”. Sadly, these same tactics have been and are used by churches to “control the truth” and manipulate the minds of the faithful. During the Middle Ages, people were taught to never “question the church”. During the days of the Inquisition, church authority was promoted as irrefutable. While the Salem Witch trials were being touted as necessary, church leaders ignored how little evidence there was with many of the victims. Over and over, worldly tactics were used to manipulate the church and church people.
Today, clever lies continue to be told, even in the church.
A pastor who was found guilty of having several affairs in his church, sued the Synod to keep the matter private. The Synod, not wanting to pay exorbitant legal fees, signed documents to keep the records private. The pastor moved to his next church and did the same thing. All this became public in an ecclesiastical trial of the pastor. By the way, the Pastor had the information hidden a second time and took a job at a women’s college dorm!
In the Roman Catholic Church, a good number of priests were found to be committing egregious acts within their congregations. In order to keep the money rolling in and the church clean from the stains of these sins, many diocesan leaders moved these priests to other locations or quietly removed them from public positions. Some of these priests were never even prosecuted for their illegal acts. When the stories of these hidden acts came to light in the 1990’s and later with the lawsuits that followed, some Roman Catholic groups were rendered bankrupt or insolvent. Trust in the Church took a huge blow.
In Evangelical circles, it was discovered that a few televangelists and pastors in large churches were using tithes and gifts and offerings for illegitimate personal use. One pastor siphoned money from his ministry in order to spend it on prostitutes. Another funneled funds into lavish gifts for his own personal use. In one case, a pastor made sure to get close to a member who was dying so that she would change her will to include the pastor as an heir to the property. The family sued.
Please know that very few clergypersons are greedy or have an alternate agenda to manipulate others. It’s only the worldly ones you must watch out for; the ones who are more than capable of using “clever lies” to twist the truth.
Today’s scripture was a warning by Peter for the church in every age. You and I need to be ever vigilant for those “clever lies” that play loosely with the truth. We need to be careful not to be deceived by false teachers and prophets who would twist the gospel for their own benefit. Money has a way of corrupting even the best of people, even pastors and religious leaders. Money placed in the right places has manipulated denominations into supporting LBGQ agendas, sexual gender reexaminations, and social programs that are in NO WAY Biblical. I know personally of money set apart for “mission work” that is being cleverly shifted to political causes. This is occurring in at least ten denominations at the present.
Sin can be cleverly hidden. Your personal sin may be used to manipulate the truth. Your personal offerings may be coopted by unscrupulous individuals to support causes that are against God’s law. Peter claimed this type of greedy sin was occurring already in the first century. He knew it would explode in the End Times. Don’t hide your head in the sand. These “clever lies” can come back to harm you, your family, your community, your country, and the history of the world. Be vigilant against the propaganda and sins utilizing these manipulative tactics. Stand firm in the truth of the gospel. Be pure in heart. Attack the clever lies. Jesus fought for the gospel truth. Peter did the same. You will be in good company to stand with these who tell God’s honest truth in love.