Apate

March 20

Apate (Greek) noun: "Treachery, deceitfulness." Trick, deceit, and fraud are among the meanings found in classical Greek. The term itself comes from the verb apateo, "to deceive, cheat."

As Christians, we live in an age of great perile. An age in which we are in danger of "Falling away from the faith" without knowing it! An age in which Jesus warned, even the "elect" might possibly be misled. An age in which "a deluding influence" (see 2 Thessalonians 2:11, literally, "a working of error") can and will come upon all who do not "love the truth."

Apate is found just seven times in the New Testament...each usage is incredibly important for those of us living in the "age of delusion."

1-2. The deceitfulness of money. Matthew 13:22/Mark 4:19.

"...The 'apate' of riches choke out the word..."

The Bible warns us that money is "deceitful." It tends to blind us from the word of God, and lead us away from the truth. This is why the Bible instructs us, "Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it" (Proverbs 23:4).

Why? Because much wealth tempts us to trust in our money rather than our Lord. Thus, the Bible warns, "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:9-10). Indeed, "He who trusts in riches will fall" (Proverbs 11:28).

3. The deceitfulness of lust. Ephesians 4:22.

"In reference to your former manner of life,
you lay aside the old self, which is being
corrupted in accordance with the lusts of 'apate.'"

The Bible warns us that lust is "deceitful." This is why the Bible instructs, "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:15-17).

In this "age of delusion" in which we live, the entire world is currently being consumed by the "lusts of 'apate.'"

4. The deceitfulness of human philosophy. Colossians 2:8.

"See to it that no one takes you captive
through philosophy and empty 'apate',
according to the tradition of men,
according to the elementary principles
of the world, rather than according to Christ."

The Bible is either what it claims to be, or it is not. It is either "inspired by God" (see 2 Timothy 3:16) and therefore, "not a matter of one's own interpretation" (see 2 Peter 1:20-21), or it isn't.

When the Bible becomes anything less than, "everything pertaining to life and godliness" we become enslaved by "the corruption that is in the world by lust" (see 2 Peter 1:3-4). The man who strays from God's word by declaring, "That's just your interpretation," has lost everything. There are only two sources of revelation in the world: The Bible...and human philosophy. One is the truth, the other is 'apate'.

5. The deceitfulness of unrighteousness.
2 Thessalonians 2:10.

"And with all the 'apate' of unrighteousness
for those who perish, because they did not
receive the love of the truth so as to be saved."

God's way is righteousness, my way is unrighteousness. God's way is the truth that makes man free. The Devil's way is a lie that makes men slaves. The Bible is clear, the "love of truth" is the only way of escape from "delusion" and the 'apate' of unrighteousness.

6. The deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13.

"But encourage one another day after day,
as long as it is still called 'Today,'
so that none of you will be hardened
by the 'apate' of sin."

All sin is delusion. All sin is unbelief. All sin erodes understanding. All sin leads to death. Whenever we choose to sin, whenever we reject God's word, we become "hardened." "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..." (see Hebrews 3:7,15; 4:7).

"Hardening results from men's persistence in shutting themselves to God's call and command.

A state then arises in which a man is no longer
able to hear and in which he is irretrievably enslaved. Alternatively, God makes the hardening final...God's divine sovereignty in hardening men
is precisely congruent with man's responsibility
for this hardening, hence Psalm 95:7-8...The 'deceitfulness of sin' generates a diving hardening...it is a man's reaction that causes
the hardening... The same sun that melts
the wax hardens the clay."
-The Complete Biblical Library,
Greek/English Dictionary,
Sigma-Omega, p.70.

7. The deceitfulness of False Teachers. 2 Peter 2:13 (context 2 Peter 2:1-22).

"There will be false teachers among you and secretly introduce destructive heresies...
many will follow their sensuality, and
because of them the way of truth will be maligned...They are stains and blemishes,
reveling in their 'apate'...promising them
freedom while they themselves
are slaves of corruption..."

The "age of delusion" is an age in which the "false prophets and false teachers" arise in the Church. Indeed, they have arisen and are rising. They become rich, powerful and influential because the "spirit of the Bereans" has been quenched (see Acts 17:11), thus the people of God are being destroyed (see Hosea 4:6).

"Apate." It appears just seven times and yet, in these last days, it has become "One of the Most Important Words in the Entire Bible."

From Godthoughts Wired by Pastor Brad

This brief study, if we allow it to do so, can transform believers from cultural Christians who enjoy the traditional benefits of living in a society that has been established upon the tenets of faith in Jesus Christ to empowered servants of His eternal Kingdom who understand that the Dominion in which He reigns is the only place where there is joy forevermore.

As Psalm 16:11 tells us, “You make known to me the path of life ...in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” This is not the pleasure that comes through the deceitfulness of riches or sin or the lures of the enemy of the soul. No, this is the “joy unspeakable and full of glory” of I Peter 1:8.

This is the joy that comes through seeing Christ, in faith, believing Him and rejoicing because He has redeemed us from the deceit that surrounds us and would engulf us in its temporary pleasure at the price of our eternal hope.

Let us not fall victim to the seduction described in II Timothy 3:1-13 which says, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

“For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, they are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as was that of Jannes and Jambres before them.

“But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long=suffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

Paul goes on to tell us that the way to avoid this deception—in all its forms, in all its pervasiveness—is by being grounded in the WORD! If we desire to make our faith secure in time and our eternity secure in the hand of our Living Lord, we will anchor ourselves to His truth and the wiles of the enemy through the world and its deceitfulness will have no power over us. Apate will be trampled under our feet as we march forward under the banner of Christ's truth and power and love.