I think these people are totally deceived, including their followers, but it's a choice they've made. It's a pride thing, at least in part - they're convinced that they've got the answers, and don't search the Scriptures like Bereans to see if what they believe lines up with the Word - they pick & choose Scriptures, take things out of context, and ignore what doesn't suit their purposes. Look at the people from the "nutty boards" - they're into everything from numerology to divination to necromancy to false prophecies and lying signs & wonders, but think they're oh-so-spiritual and that what they do is pleasing to God; their pride leads them to believe they're so special that He's giving them all special dreams and messages...and never mind the Canon is closed and God speaks to His church today only through His Word.
I just went through this a couple of days ago with someone who was a long-time friend and with whom I was quite close when I lived in NY. She became extremely offended because I posted a criticism of Joyce Meyers on my FB page, and accused me of being unloving and judgmental - she said it was God's place to judge Joyce, not mine, because I didn't know her personally. I tried to explain the difference between judgment and discernment, but she wasn't having any of it. When I pointed out that women aren't permitted to be pastors
and even gave her Scripture to back it up, she said she didn't agree. Oh, so now the Word is wrong, according to her?
I asked her if she honestly thought that these people who live like kings off the offerings sent to them by the poorest and most desperate who believed their false gospel truly were men (and women) of God, or if she thought if things like kicking old ladies in the face while wearing biker boots because "god" told them to was of the Lord (as Todd Bentley does), and she responded that I didn't know them personally, didn't have a right to judge, and was a "hater."
Obviously, it's not just liberals who hate the truth!
Scripture is pretty clear:
[Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. ~ 2 Thess. 2:9-12
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. ~ 2 Tim. 4:3-4
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. ~ 2 Peter 2:1
With my former friend (who made it clear she wants nothing further to do with me) I explained that those people were teaching a different Jesus - one who can't save them - and sent her a copy of Brannon Howse's
Religious Trojan Horse as well as articles on discernment and the names of good, sound apologists, but she rejected it all. I even reminded her that Jesus said one of the greatest signs of the last days would be deception, but...she's convinced she's right and that's that.
These people are lost, according to the Scriptures quoted; they want to believe what they want to believe. All we can do - regarding those whom we know personally - is warn them, and hope that they'll either listen or that we've planted a seed and they'll wake up before it's too late. At least their blood won't be on our hands.
It takes a lot to flabbergast me, but regarding that friend (please pray for her - her name is Camille), I just couldn't believe how vehemently she defended the pulpit pimps and rejected the truth! Too bad people aren't as loyal to Jesus as they are to these false teachers.
Deception is everywhere, and I'm seeing many whom I once thought were sound Christians falling like flies. My daily prayer is that the Holy Spirit keeps me from being deceived myself - it's a scary world out there, and truth is hard to find.
