ONE of the easiest ways to deceive people is to dazzle them with so-called miraculous acts. At that point, many people cease to reason rightly, and begin to buckle under the weight of those signs and wonders, which are only lies. Not surprisingly, the scripture is full of warnings against deception. It is not just an individual that can be deceived; even a whole church can fall prey to the lies of the Devil. Hence the warning: “Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:4).

These are Days of deception and men love falsehood rather than the truth. The Scripture warns that in the last days, there will be “a falling away” from the truth, an irreversible departure from the saving gospel. It predicts the coming of the Antichrist, the “man of sin”, “the son of perdition”. And God’s infallible Word reveals that the spirit of the Antichrist (1 John 4:3), “the mystery of iniquity” (2 Thessalonians 2: 7) is already at work. Already “even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2: 18). The man of sin, the son of perdition will be a great deceiver, who will mislead the great as well as ordinary people. The high and the low, the enlightened and the illiterate, powerful leaders and average citizens, religious and secular minds will all be deceived by him. The activities of the Antichrist will be mysterious, having the hidden power of Satan with deceptive, counterfeit miracles, false signs and lying wonders. That spirit, the mystery of iniquity, is already at work and many miracle-seekers are being deceived. False prophets advertising false miracles are on the increase in many nations of the world. False teachers “handling the Word of God deceitfully”, operating through “hidden things of dishonesty and “walking in craftiness” (2 Corinthians 4:2) are deceiving multitudes in many nations. This is the age of deception and only commitment to the Truth will preserve us from error.

The “man of sin” will demonstrate great signs, wonders and miracles through Satan’s power. To demonstrate power for genuine miracles, we must be men of God and godliness, and such miracles will lead people to repentance and righteousness. Christ’s miracles proved Him to be the Son of God. The miracles of the Antichrist will be performed “after the working of Satan” and will only deceive those who “received not the love of the truth”, “but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” With the end-time falling away from the truth, unwillingness to “endure sound doctrine” and a worldwide “turning away from the truth and turning unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3,4), antichrists and false prophets can easily deceive ignorant, religious people who are “destitute of the truth” (1 Timothy 6:5). Even those who have the rare privilege of hearing the gospel truth, but do not give their heart to Christ in genuine repentance and love for righteousness will be deceived. They are “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3: 7).

It is important to know that not all miracles are of God. The devil and his agents can perform miracles. False prophets and false apostles can perform miracles, signs and lying wonders. The miracles performed by true men of God are done in the power of God by men who are established in the truth. Such miracles are of a moral nature and lead the recipients to saving truth. The lying wonders of false prophets and antichrists damn the souls of men and lead them to perdition.

Further Reading (King James Version): 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Matthew 24:24,25; Acts 8:9,18-23; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Revelation 13:11-16; 16:13,14; 1 John 2:18; Matthew 7:15-23; 2 John 7-11; Mark 13:5, 6, 22, 23; Acts 16: 16-21; 2 Corinthians 11: 3,4, 13-15; Ephesians 4: 14; 1 Timothy 4:1,2; 2 Peter 2:15-22; Galatians 1:6-9; Titus 1:10,11,16; 2 Timothy 3:13,14; Psalms 9: 17, 52:3-5; Matthew 23: 28-33; John 3: 18-20, 36; Acts 13:40, 41; Romans 1: 28-32; 1 Peter 4: 17, 18; 2 Peter 2: 1-3; Jude 4-6.