Deceiving and Being Deceived

New York governor Elliot Spitzer has resigned in disgrace after it was discovered that he had transported a high-priced prostitute from NY to Washington, D.C. for secret and evidently ongoing sex. It appears to be a mix of illegality, money laundering and immorality.

Spitzer has destroyed his professional life, shamed his family, disgraced his party and troubled his state—all this by a man whose rise to the governorship was built on ferreting out lawbreakers, even prostitutes, as New York’s attorney general. He may also be a tragic contemporary example of end-time folly, the tip of an iceberg of immorality. One statistic says 99% of those similarly engaged in prostitution are never discovered.

The Apostle Paul sketched out the days of prophetic finality in 2 Timothy 3:1-13. Here are some excerpts about the perilous last days: "…men will be lovers of themselves… without self-control… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God… who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts… but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all… evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived."

A man I knew who had previously been tragically involved in sin told me that when he was sinning he could justify anything and that he became a consummate liar. Massive deception accompanies habitual sinning that brings about a kind of immoral insanity. The prodigal son "came to himself" following a temporary insanity because of sin (Luke 15:17).

Historically, even kings fell prey to satanic deceit as in David’s case. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and then sought to cover the crime by trying to intoxicate her husband Uriah and finally having him killed (II Sam. 11 & 12).

Even Christians still troubled by the old nature this side of Heaven need caution. It’s been said, "The best saints need to be warned against the worst sins." Hebrews 3:13 warns, "But exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Consciences can be "seared with a hot iron," as 1 Timothy 4:2 says. A man once told me, "There is no fool like an old fool."

1 Peter 5:8 warns us, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." Satan has no respect for God, the family, the individual, the country or the church.

The degree of moral lapse in high secular places is a sad commentary on living in the end times, a period of tragic deception. We may not be able to counter this except through preaching the Word for the conversion of the soul and being salt and light in our society. We can and must foster spiritual vigilance in our churches and especially in our individual lives.

Dave Virkler