The apostle Paul wrote this to the Corinthians—and to us—in 2 Corinthians 11:2-3: “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

       Perhaps the most devastating thing institutional religion has done to the Christian faith is complicate it, causing Christians to be more devoted to rituals and principles than to simply...

      In Matthew 24:4-5, Jesus warns about the troubles to come upon the world at the end of the age: “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will mislead many people.” After the warning not to be misled, He addresses what is likely to be the most serious deception—that many would come saying that He, Jesus, was indeed the Christ yet would still be deceivers. This has certainly been true, as many today are preaching that Jesus is the Christ, but they are...

      The true Christian life is the most difficult life we can live on this earth, but it is also the most fulfilling life we can live. As John wrote in 1 John 5:19, “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” We can be sure the evil one is making this life as difficult as he can for the true followers of Christ, and the Lord allows it for our sake. Those who walk with Christ at the end of the age will walk in a power and glory that no other generation...

      In 2 Timothy 3:1, Paul warns, “Realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.” This statement should bring us encouragement, as Acts 14:22 declares, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” Trials and tribulations are doorways to His kingdom. The greatest trials and tribulations come upon the world at the end of the age because they are a door through which the world will enter the kingdom of God.

      As we covered previously, when the Lord was asked by His disciples about the signs of...

      When the disciples asked the Lord about the signs of the end of the age, the first thing He said was, “See to it that you are not misled” (see Luke 21:8). Obviously, this will be a time dominated by deception. Other biblical prophecies corroborate this. Could deception get any worse than it is now? That answer is yes, and it’s quickly getting much worse.

      The devotion to, or corruption of, the truth is an ultimate point of conflict at the end of the age. To find those of “a different spirit” in...