Checklist for the Great Falling Away

If there was going to be a great deception in the church, a "falling away," what would it look like? Jesus said that "if it were possible, even the elect would be deceived." 

Here are some characteristics we should expect:

• This deception would tell people to expect a great revival, instead of expecting a great falling away (like the Bible teaches).

• This deception would be close to the real thing, because good counterfeits are hard to distinguish from the original. In order to deceive effectively, the deception will claim to be "all about Jesus."

• This deception would have to be embraced by the majority, because people usually go along with the majority.

• This deception would use the Bible to discredit what the Bible actually teaches. An attack from outside the Bible would be too obvious. When scripture itself is twisted and distorted it is extremely useful in deceiving people.

• This deception could only happen if Christians were being taught to somehow let down their guard. The Bible is full of warnings against falling away and tells us to avoid false teachers and false doctrine, so some other beliefs would have to be repeatedly instilled into people's minds in order for them to ignore the Bible.

• This deception would have to grow not by bringing pagan ideas into the church from pagans, but from trusted Christian leaders. These trusted leaders could have their trust created and propped up artificially by marketing and repeated exposure, in the same way that large corporations create trust through relentless advertising.

• This deception would have leaders who are guilty of major moral failings, greed, dishonesty and/or an ability to twist the Bible. These leaders would have to prop each other up in order to appear like a unified group of highly respected spiritual champions; they would spend a lot of time and energy convincing their followers of how great (and humble) they are. Here's an advertisement in Christianity Today magazine that tells readers who they can trust (because an advertisement wouldn't lie, right?)...

• This deception would flourish if people were taught that the "mind/intellect is bad, but the spirit is good." This false dichotomy would make people comfortable in their ignorance of Christian history, theology and even the Bible itself. But their reliance on emotional experiences and feelings would ensure a constant state of delusion and/or reliance on manipulative leaders.

“As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Vs. 24): For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. (25) Behold, I have told you in advance.”

— Matthew 24:3-14; 24-25

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

— Matthew 7:15-23

“Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”

— 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your ownselves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.”

— Acts 20:28-31