Deception chooses neither its venue nor its audience. It can work in a church as much as it can work in any other place. In fact, the enemy will work harder to deceive those who are in Christ simply because they are in Christ — a truth that Christ Himself spoke of.
In Matthew 24:4-5, Jesus warned us,
"Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many."
These deceivers will come to God's people introducing themselves as Christian (or yes, literally "the Christ"), and many will fall prey to them.
Financial Fraud
One of the reasons why these people will use the name of Christ is to trick simple-minded Christians into making them rich. True enough, we've heard of ministers who became famous not for their ministries or the number of people saved through their preaching but because of the money-related issues surrounding them.
Over the past years, various ministers have been accused, and even convicted, of financial fraud. Thom Rainer, CEO and President of LifeWay Christian Resources, wrote in a blog that current church trends point to even more cases of financial fraud in churches this year (see #4 here). That is not encouraging at all, and it would be wise to save yourself from being a victim if ever it happens.
After all, deceivers will always present themselves to be the "real deal" until you discover that they're not who they say they are.
Save Yourself
Friends, I am writing this article so that I can help you save yourself from being a victim of financial fraud inside the church. Here are some safety measures you can take to do that:
1. Don't Be Naïve
That might sound hard, but an open rebuke is better than hidden love (Proverbs 27:5). Just because people say they are Christian doesn't mean you totally believe them hook, line, and sinker. Don't simply trust them because they said so.
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)
2. Check Their Lives for Authentic Fruit
Before deciding to fully trust people who say they love God or are genuinely Christian, check for fruits in their lives. Men could be so deceptive that even Jesus didn't entrust Himself to them even if they looked like they loved Him (see John 2:23-25). If people truly love Christ, their words and actions will show it.
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt. For the tree is known by its fruit." (Matthew 12:33)
3. Turn Away and Don't Feel Sorry
After looking into these people's lives and seeing inconsistencies with their testimony of loving Christ and then living for their own pleasure, pray for them but don't stay with them. Paul warned Timothy,
"Know this: In the last days perilous times will come. Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, slanderers, unrestrained, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Turn away from such people." (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Yes we are commanded to preach the Gospel to all of creation, but we aren't told to crucify ourselves for their sake. We are told to pray – not pay – for their salvation. This doesn't mean we shouldn't care for them, though; Christ died for them as much as He died for us. Let's pray for them.
