Deceive (ἀπάτη) expresses the concept of misleading someone through untrue statements intended to give them a wrong impression or misrepresentation of the truth.
When the man of lawlessness comes, it will be in accordance with the working of Satan by his inherent ability with signs and lying wonders and with all unrighteous deception to the ones perishing. Those who follow him will have strong delusion upon them because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10.
During Christ’s earthly ministry, the deception of the riches of this world choked out the message of the Kingdom of the Heavens many received, Matthew 13:22. Rather than following the Messiah, whom they believed was Jesus, they allowed the deceitful desire for wealth to lead them away from the promise of God.
One of the derivatives of this word emphasizes a thorough deception. Eve was thoroughly deceived (ἐξαπατάω) by Satan into eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; however, Adam was not deceived (ἀπατάω), 1 Timothy 2:14. This is why sin came into the world through Adam; although, Eve was first to transgress, Romans 5:12. The sons of the unpersuaded use empty words to deceive, Ephesians 5:6. The false teachers among us thoroughly deceive the hearts of the simple, Romans 16:18. If anyone considers himself to be religious but cannot bridle his tongue, he is deceived in his own heart, James 1:26. Our sin nature uses law to thoroughly deceive us, making it impossible to live out our righteousness in Christ through law, Romans 7:11.
Those who intentionally deceive are misleading others by distorting the truth, just as Satan deceived Eve by his craftiness, they seek to corrupt our minds from the simplicity of the Christ, 2 Corinthians 11:3. Through the traditions of men and the basic principles of the world, false teachers will seek to cheat us by using philosophy and empty deceit, Colossians 2:8. We are complete in Christ, touch not, taste not, handle not, and the observation of days are principles of the world for righteousness, not for those who are in Christ, for we govern out lives out from faith not out from law. In these last days, many false teachers will carouse in their own deceptions while feasting among the saints, 2 Peter 2:13. They have forsaken the right way, loving the wages of unrighteousness by imposing tithing on the assemblies. Sin is very deceitful and will cause us to harden our hearts, not listening to God, Hebrews 3:12-13. Many assemblies today seek to please the emotions, exchanging proper doctrine for teachings through which they merchandise the saints. Through their sinful desires to seek their own righteousness, they have hardened their heart, abusing spiritual gifts, seeking signs and wonders so their eyes are pleased, and turning the grace of God into licentiousness. We are to stand away from such assemblies lest the deceitfulness of sin hardens our hearts, while being vigilant against deception by fostering a sense of alertness and caution concerning what is being taught.
As Christians, we are to put off our former conduct. The old man, which is who we were in Adam, grows corrupt according to the deceitfulness of strong desires, Ephesians 4:22. As part of a new creation, we are imputed the righteousness of our head, Who is Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:30. Therefore, when we frame our mind on the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, so that we are seeking to identify and do the desires from the Holy Spirit, we will manifest the quality of righteousness we have in Christ, putting off the former conduct in the old man and no longer being deceived by its strong desires, Ephesians 4:23-24.
