Ezekiel 13:10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:
Seduction is Satan’s counterfeit for love. For ages, people have often confused seduction with love. While both involve strong emotions, one is rooted in self-benefit and the other in benefiting others. Love gives, seduction takes; love is pure, seduction is corrupt; love is honest, seduction is deceptive. Love is rooted in God—who is Love—while seduction is rooted in Satan, the father of lies. Paul warned us that in the last days, evil men and seducers will grow worse, deceiving and being deceived. This is true today, just as it was in Ezekiel’s time. Jerusalem was filled with false prophets who had unity among themselves because they were all working on the same weak wall, accusing Ezekiel of causing division. Can’t you see how deceptive and seductive this lie was? People are being seduced today with the same lies. The false preachers and prophets of our time are building on the same weak foundation, using the same untempered mortar because they are all contracted by the same entity: Satan. In our era, preaching the Bible is seen as divisive; we have even come to view doctrine as divisive! Yet, 1 Timothy was written so that we might teach no other doctrine. People flock to these false preachers and prophets not because of God's power but due to the seduction of their flesh. They are not told of their sins or the impending judgment of God. Instead, the promises of God are twisted to falsely apply to their wicked lives, leading them to leave church emboldened to sin rather than convicted of it. They leave saying, “I am enough,” instead of “He is enough!” Oh, the seduction of this hour; soon, all that these false prophets have built will come crumbling down.
This brings us to the danger of such ministries. Because their material is cheap, their mortar unprocessed, and their message so appealing, they can build at breakneck speeds. Here in Uganda, a false prophet can amass thousands to their ministry within months. In America, a church can fill stadiums in weeks, and their rapid growth and pragmatism are often mistaken for God's blessing. Yet, the New Testament promises persecution for those who live godly in Christ Jesus, not fortune, fame, and success. Although their “walls” are built quickly, they are based on lies. Just as bricks are laid systematically and interlock perfectly, so are these lies laid course by course. Their mortar is untempered—it lacks the ingredients that make it strong. In Ezekiel’s day, mortar included sand, water, earth, and lime. Without lime, the mixture was just mud: it would dry and hold but not for long. So it is with all false preaching then and now; it collapses as quickly as it rises. There is no substance, no actual unity, no unity of the Spirit. The bond that holds these constructions together is weak and faltering, and sadly, when these walls fall, they destroy thousands, including themselves.
Dear reader, to whom are you listening? Are they crying "Peace, peace"? True peace is found only in Jesus Christ. Before you shout "Amen," ask yourself if you are truly in Him. Have you repented of your sins and given your life to Jesus Christ? Or do you still live in sin and make all your own decisions? Being in Christ is evidenced by a changed life. If you are still the same old person, I seriously doubt that you are in Him. The love of God compels me to urge you to repent and turn to Jesus, believing in Him to save you. He has paid the price for your sins on the cross, resurrected from the grave, and holds the keys to death and hell. He alone can open those doors and lead you out by His power. No Christ, no peace; know Christ, know peace.
Amen!