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 still deceiving people with a gospel contrary to what Jesus preached and doctrines that conflict with the teachings of Scripture.
A case could be made that most in our time believe and promote what the first apostles called “another gospel,” which is different in important ways from the biblical gospel. Both the gospel and sound biblical doctrine have been diluted and, at times, changed from the original message. These have become the beliefs of many—if not most—Christian institutions.
Before we are too troubled by this, we should know that those who make sincere heart commitments to follow Jesus and keep seeking Him will find Him, regardless of how watered down the gospel message they first responded to was or the teachings of most Christian institutions are. If we are sincere lovers of truth, we will find the truth regardless of how distorted or diluted the doctrine is in the church or fellowship we attend.
There seems to be at least some in every Christian institution who are seekers of the Lord and lovers of truth, who have found Him and His truth, and so do not hold to the diluted or changed doctrines of men that the denomination has that they attend. We know from Revelation that even “Mystery Babylon” has true believers in it, because there will be a time when the message is sent to, “come out of her, My people” (see Revelation 18:4). He would not have sent such a message if He did not have people in it.
At this time, the Lord has people in perhaps every institutional church as missionaries to that institution. There have been great moves of God in institutional churches since the 1960s, and millions have been born again, baptized in the Holy Spirit, and have real relationships with God, not just the institution. As Revelation 18:4 indicates, there will be a time for His people to come out, but that time has not yet come.
This has always been true, just as no one will be saved just because they had parents who knew the Lord, but we all must be personally born again and have faith in Him and His atonement. No one will be redeemed because they attended church, regardless of whether it’s a good church. It’s not what our church believes as much as it is what we believe that counts. No one is going to attain position or standing in heaven because they are in a certain church or group.
The question many ask when they see people coming to Jesus after hearing a watered down or perverted gospel is if these are true Christians. I think the apostle Paul’s response was wise when he answered this with, “The Lord knows those who are His” (see 2 Timothy 2:19). To determine who is a real Christian in this life seems to be above the paygrade of anyone who is still here. However, there are false teachers, false shepherds, and false prophets we can discern, and we are given the characteristics for distinguishing them.
To distinguish the deception in the world has become increasingly easy. The world has drifted so far from the truth, and even basic reason. We must be more concerned about the deception in the churches. Are they really Christians if their devotion is more to the institutional dogma and rituals than to Christ? Are they Christians if their doctrines and practices are counter to the teachings of Christ, or are they what the early church called “false brethren?”
These are uncomfortable considerations, but as we see in the New Testament, they are necessary for every follower of Christ. The early church had apostles and elders who resolutely challenged the harmful deviations from Christ and His teachings. The first church the Lord addressed in Revelation, Ephesus, was commended because they, “put those who call themselves apostles to the test, and they are not” (see Revelation 2:2).
This is an uncomfortable but necessary responsibility of all who have been trusted with leadership in the Lord’s household. In studying church history, it seems as though the true church faced cults, sects, and continuous movements and groups claiming to be the true church, though their teachings and practices increasingly deviated from the teachings of the Lord and His apostles. Did the true believers and true churches disappear during this time? No. They grew stronger in the truth and bolder in their witness, as shall those who are true in these times. The harder it is to walk with Him, the more pure and true His followers will become.
© 2025 Rick Joyner. All Rights Reserved.
