"Guarding Against Deception: How Evil Can Twist Religious Truths"

My heart is heavy as I prayerfully approach God, seeking His guidance in writing this post. I understand the weight of addressing such a sensitive topic today.

Religion and the church have been central to my life. For many years, they weren’t just a part of my life—they were my life. Religion has a unique power to unite people in love and harmony, creating a “family” bound by shared beliefs. My religious family has profoundly shaped me, offering support, belonging, and meaning throughout my journey.

I am as spiritual as I am today because of my church. It was there that I learned about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the miraculous gift of His atonement. Through Him, I have been saved from sin and the decay of mortal life. I owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude to my church for the spiritual foundation and structure it provided me over the years.

But several years ago, my life was upended. I discovered that some teachings of my church were, in fact, untrue. The trust I had placed in the institution and its leaders shattered into countless pieces. Leaders I had dedicated my life to following—men I believed were intimately close to the Savior—had betrayed me on a deeply personal level.

The emotions of betrayal and confusion overwhelmed me. If I had been deceived so profoundly by those I trusted, what else might I have been misled about?

This fracture left me with a difficult decision: Should I abandon everything I had been taught and trust no one? If a church is found to be dishonest in some teachings, does that mean all of its teachings are invalid?

For many, the natural response would be to walk away entirely—to disregard it all as a web of lies. But for me, this was a time of deep reflection. Instead of throwing away everything, I chose to examine each shard of broken trust to evaluate its truth. Slowly, I began to piece my faith back together, but this time, I built it on a direct relationship with God. No intermediaries. Just Him and me.

Through this experience, I’ve been compelled to explore the topic I write about today.

Looking at the bigger picture, it makes perfect sense that Satan would seek to infiltrate religious organizations. Deception thrives when it is intertwined with truth. I have once heard that the best lies are those that contain some truth. What better way for Satan to deceive, even the most faithful, than by embedding himself within the teachings and leadership of religion?

Scripture warns us of this very tactic:

2 Corinthians 11:13-14

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”

1 John 4:1

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

Matthew 7:15

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

It’s easy to dismiss these scriptures as referring only to figures like Jim Jones or David Koresh—people whose actions clearly exposed their deceptions. But what if they apply closer to home? What if deception can exist even within our church which we hold dear?

To identify deception, we must use the tools God has given us, such as discernment and the test of fruit. Jesus taught that we could recognize the truth—or falsehood—of a teaching or leader by examining its outcomes:

Matthew 7:20

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

When teachings or actions produce love, peace, and righteousness, they align with God’s truth. But when they lead to division, greed, or sin, they reveal their falsehood. Stating that a church is all deceptive or all true is misguiding. We need to break things down into individual teaching to discover deception.

Key signs of deception in religion include:

*Elevating man-made traditions or teachings above scriptural teachings.

*Exploiting followers for personal or financial gain.

*Promoting fear, hatred, or division instead of love and compassion.

*A lack of accountability among leaders.

It’s also essential to recognize that deception doesn’t have to encompass an entire institution. Satan’s influence can infiltrate specific leaders or teachings, even in churches filled with Christ-like members. For example, a church might demonstrate love and service at the grassroots level while perpetuating dishonest narratives or self-serving doctrines from its leadership. Christlike church: Deceptive corporation.

I often hesitate to share my experiences and the truths I’ve uncovered about my church. The truth can be disruptive—it certainly disrupted my life. Sometimes, it seems easier to stay silent than to risk complicating others’ faith journeys.

So, what is Satan’s ultimate goal in infiltrating churches? Let’s explore some possibilities.

One glaring pattern among false leaders in religion is their shared focus on one thing: money.

When a leader’s motives are tied to financial gain, we should approach their intentions with caution. For some, personal wealth may be the ultimate goal, but with financial gain often comes the desired outcome of the churches true intention…POWER.

Money is power. Say it again—money is power! But why would a religion need mortal power? Shouldn’t the power they seek come from God alone? Precisely. Mortal power is not for God’s purposes but for Satan’s agenda. Consider the difference. God has infinite power and doesn’t rely on anything from this mortal earth to express that power.

Matthew 6:24 teaches, “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and money,” indicating that prioritizing material wealth can conflict with spiritual devotion. The same is true for churches.

Satan on the other hand has spent his time promising money, fame, power, and false promises to mortal people in exchange for their allegiance toward him.

Religions are meant to uplift the downtrodden, feed the hungry, and contribute to the betterment of society. When a religious organization amasses substantial wealth, it raises a critical question: What is their true intent?

If that wealth is not actively being used to fulfill these missions, we must consider the possibility that it is being preserved or directed toward bolstering the cause of the adversary—Satan and his push for mortal domination.

My intent today is not to destroy anyone’s belief. Instead, I hope to encourage discernment and a deeper relationship with God. By identifying deception, we can strengthen our faith, reject evil, and align ourselves with His truth.

To all who read this, I urge you to prayerfully consider the religious teachings you follow. Test them against God’s Word and the fruits they produce. The journey of faith is deeply personal, but with God’s guidance, we can navigate it with confidence and peace.

It is not necessary to abandon a religion solely because you discover dishonesty within it. However, it is crucial to proceed with caution, staying vigilant about the future direction of its leadership. Always take their counsel to God for confirmation. God will never lead you astray, though false leaders certainly might.

Throughout my life, I was taught to “Follow the Leader of the Church” without question—always. Questioning leadership was viewed as an act of apostasy and a sign of weak faith. But I invite you to look beyond this teaching of control. This mindset can and should be challenged by consistently choosing to follow God, not men, regardless of what you’ve been taught.

If there is only one message you take away from this article, let it be this: You and I must remain under the guidance of God for final conformation. By doing so, we can trust that we will follow His plan through the challenges of the upcoming Tribulation Period. Knowing this can prevent your deception and possible loss of your soul through the clever deception of satan.

The stakes couldn’t be higher, but our defense strategy is simple: Trust God! Follow God! Not mortal men. Every one of us is vulnerable to deception by the adversary. From a strategic perspective, it makes sense that Satan would target those with the power to influence many righteous people. Disguised in sheep’s clothing, such individuals may would have the ability to lead others straight into the adversary’s grasp. Stay vigilant and grounded in God’s truth. Ask Him, for He will always tell you if what you are hearing is true or false.

Once again, I give thanks to my church for all of the good which they have taught me. I have learned the need to forgive them for their hurtful deception, although this was difficult for me. I have spent the past several years in decerning the truths from the lies that were taught to me by my church. This new resolve is now my firm foundation for which I continue sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Throughout this journey, there are several religious concepts I’ve been taught that I’m unable to fully validate or deny. Yet, I’m consistently left with a strong impression that these answers are not essential for me to understand at this moment. All spiritual truths will be revealed when we transition into the next life. There is only one ultimate truth, and it remains unchanged by anyone’s beliefs. I feel confident that I have the truths I need right now to complete my mortal journey, and the answers to the remaining questions will come to me in due time.

To my friends who have left a church, and God completely, I invite you to reconsider the priceless gems that you have discarded as a “package of resentment,” directed at the church. Please, revisit your shattering experience. Hold deeply those things that you know to be true. It might very well be necessary for you to separate the two into their own entities: The Church and Your testimony of God and gospel teachings.

You will find your very first step forward today, as you kneel down and talk to God. You know Him already, and He will lovingly embrace you as you ask for His guidance in shouldering you through this transition.

I am willing to say that you still indeed have a testimony of Jesus Christ and the atonement. Think of your feelings as you learned about all that He gave for us, so that we could be washed clean once again and be forgiven for our sins. Can you recall those feelings? Are you feeling those same feelings now?

Do not let the anger of the church’s deception keep you from the spiritual things that you know to be true. Unfortunately, the adversary is using this as another tactic in leading you away from Jesus Christ, don’t let him win. You have a legitimate complaint in being deceived from someone (church) that you once trusted deeply. You feel betrayed, and rightfully so.

You also know the power of forgiveness, as you have found the freeing condition that comes with it. The feeling of “hurt and revenge” is what motivates so many people who have left the church in speaking out against it, and not leaving it alone. They have been betrayed at such a deep level…hurt…and in some cases defeated.

God will hold them accountable for their deception, give that responsibility to Him, for it is not necessary for you to carry it any longer. He understands…I promise. And for what it’s worth… I understand your feelings too, as I, just like you, have had to make a decision on how to proceed. Pray for the strength to get back onto the trail of your spiritual journey. I promise that you will find it COMFORTABLE, familiar in some ways, as well as brand new, as you find some hidden truths of the gospel.

I am deeply grateful for God’s guidance in helping me write this challenging post. I hope you can read it with the spirit in which it was intended. To those still active in a church, I encourage you to continue to seek God’s confirmation above the words of men. And to those who have distanced themselves from God entirely, I invite you to join many of us in rediscovering Him—this time through His confirmation, not the voices of men.

We sit on the twilight of some major events unfolding. We will not be able proceed without the assistance from God. The time is now that we reaffirm our allegiance to Him, and shelter under His watchful eye. There is peace there…Please find Him today.

You can read more of River Wilde’s “End Times” writings at www.riverwilde.blog