Art of Seduction

Truth courts the understanding first; whereas, error labors to win the affection; and by this approach, the judgment is corrupted. Paul said, “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life” (Rom. 6:17-22). (Read II Cor. 1:12-14.) The Roman Christians were delivered by God’s grace to hear and obey. Hearing under the influence of grace, they obeyed from the heart the gospel, which is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

All error is not heresy, but all heresy is error. Peter said, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (II Pet. 2:1-3). Peter also stated, “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (II Pet. 3:17, 18).

The book of the Christian is filled with errors, but he is not a heretic. A sinner’s whole volume is error, because he is a liar even when he tells the truth. Read Romans 3:10-18. The sinner is just a chip off the old depraved block, and he does nothing but sin.

In order to cover this subject adequately, one must look at it from three different views: (1) the meaning of the heresy of seduction, (2) the manner of the heresy of seduction, and (3) the extent of the heresy of seduction.

The Greek verb planao is used 38 times in the New Testament. It means to lead astray, mislead, or deceive. In the passive voice, it means stray away, go astray, be deceived, or be misled. Doctrine and morals are not divided in a sharp line. In the life of a Christian, being unorthodox does not alter his standing; but it does change his state. No Christian is ever converted in this life to the extent that he needs no further conversions. If a professing believer comes to such a conclusion, his error has developed into heresy.

Heresy comes from the Greek noun hairesis, which is used nine times in the New Testament. It is used when religious parties rise up in assemblies. Paul used this noun when he wrote his first letter to the assembly at Corinth—“For there must also be factions [hairesis] among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you” (I Cor. 11:19). Paul used the same Greek noun, hairesis, when writing to the Galatians. He said, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [hairesis], envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).

The noun hairesis denotes a choosing, destructive opinion, or self-willed opinion that is substituted for truth. Operating from the Biblical foundation, it is imperative that Christians speak definitively about a number of questions being asked today. Heresy, which denotes a choosing or self-willed opinion that is substituted for truth, is called “leprosy of the head” in the Old Testament.

Leviticus is a great study of types regarding God’s covenant people, but in this lesson, the one that concerns us is “head leprosy.” Head leprosy is worse than bad morals. The LORD spoke to Moses, “Moreover, the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement on his behalf before the LORD…then the priest shall come in and make an inspection. If he sees that the mark has indeed spread in the house, it is a malignant mark in the house; it is unclean. He shall therefore tear down the house, its stones, and its timbers, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall take them outside the city to an unclean place” (Lev. 14:29, 44, 45). This shows that the will of the flesh takes form in thoughts and teaching, and this is the most serious form of leprosy.

Leprosy in a garment (Lev. 13:47-59) refers to occupation, habits, or associations. If it was only a spot, the garment was washed; but if it spread the garment was burned. If the plague remained, though it did not spread after washing, then the whole garment was burned. If it did not spread, the spot was torn out of the garment. Believers are to watch against the working of evil in their ways just as carefully as against evil in themselves. “Washing” expresses the action of the word of God upon habits. Leprosy manifests itself in circumstances as well as in personal conduct. Therefore, if sin is only a spot in the garment, the garment is to be washed; and it shall be clean. If, however, the spot spreads, the garment is to be burned, because it is the plague of leprosy. New Testament language states it like this: “The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness” (Luke 11:34).

In II Corinthians 7:1, the “fear” of God spoken of by Paul is the God-begotten fear of sin. The apostle said, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” There are both the negative and positive sides of practical holiness. One must keep the entire personality—“flesh and spirit”—clean from everything that might defile it. There is the continued struggle, signified by the present active participle epiteleo, meaning to bring about progressive sanctification. Discipline may affect us in three different ways: (1) We may complain about that which is for our spiritual good. (2) We may faint, thus rendering ourselves unfit for the discharge of our duties. (3) We may be exercised by it. There is no benefit unless we are exercised by it. Paul said, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1, 2).

The Christian is guilty of errors and may be led astray, but this will not be total or final. The apostle said, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES” (Heb. 10:23-27).

Truth falls into contempt among the ignorant. Many love truth which they cannot defend. Christians are not to make the Bible say what they think. Reason’s proper place is at the feet of saving faith and revealed truth. When people begin to think that it is dull to sit under God’s appointed teachers, they manifest their ignorance. Paul said, “To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions” (I Tim. 1:2-7). Let it be understood that “error” does not destroy the credibility of Christianity. Christ said to the disciples, “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!” (Matt. 18:7). Error is error whether it comes from a Christian or an unbeliever, but the end result is not the same. God’s purpose can never be defeated. Therefore, in the darkness of the world, the light of the elect shines—
• in the world filled with heresies—the truth of God is revealed to the elect;
• in the world filled with hatred for Christ—saints are filled with love manifested by the elect for Christ; and
• in the world of injustice—the Lord Jesus Christ and His redeemed people inherit the promised Kingdom.

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The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.