The System of Error; Beware of the Bandwagon; Posers and Transformers Dividing Humans

The systemtization of various pathways of social, political, religious, or moral beliefs are intentionally created so that people have to choose sides. Humans then, becoming divided, create chaos and cloud over our original purpose, which is a relationship with the Creator, Yahweh. Veins of systemized error run through social media attempting to ensnare and gather more followers. When factions start jockeying for their positions, humans tend to become further divided and that distracts us from walking in love toward one another. Have you ever heard a person say that they believe something just because someone with a “big name” said it?  Many people hop on the bandwagon because they assume that the others already marching along cannot all be wrong. Instead, the current trend or trends may very well be systemized error intended for the destruction of mankind. Have you ever seen social media posts where people behave emotionally unstable, hating either a political candidate, or religious leader? Yet all people have really seen is fake media articles, click bait, and meme’s? The naive person who “likes and shares” everything supporting their ideas has only heard what the media or the internet has broadcast, rather than listening and researching the politician or preacher. That is a trap for all of us to avoid. Simply put, Yahweh requires us to know a bit more about a subject if we are going to tell others what we think, so that we can be unashamed and stand approved before God. We cannot announce our opinions of who has cooties if we have not done the research as to cooties themselves, and their potential health hazards. The god of this world has laid traps for us, so let’s try to uncover some of the schemes we are dealing with.

The definition for systematic error is as follows:

Systematic Error: noun, Statistics.

1.     a persistent error that cannot be attributed to chance.

For an error to become persistent it would indicate that there is a perpetual motion to it. Take for example the first century Jews who rejected Jesus. Some religious leaders rejected Jesus and the general population chose sides. As we previously studied, Jesus was of the Essene/Nazarene/Therapeutae order which separated from the temple and followed the Holy Spirit.  While the Pharisees compromised and stayed with the temple, forsaking the Holy Spirit at the time of the Hasmonean era. When the Pharisees made their decision to forsake Jesus, other people followed those religious men, rather than the Holy Spirit or Jesus the Messiah. This rallying of people to join in the Pharisees opinion is the start of systemizing error. This is how the Pharisees could gather people to demand Barabbas be turned loosed rather than Jesus. This is why it seemed that Pharisees and Sadducees followed Jesus around trying to trick him. They were systemizing error. Who was behind it? The god of this world, or as Jesus called him, the prince of this world. But men carried out the plan of intentional error.   

To start systemizing error, there has to be a group of humans leading and swaying the population. There is a word in the Greek that is used three times in three consecutive verses that sums up the intentional workers of systemized error. The word metaschematizo means transform, transfigure, or change the outer appearance. In other words to systemize error, there are some who disguise themselves for the express purpose of fooling others into behaving erroneously; thereby starting a movement of error among many people. The Pharisees had been disguising themselves as spiritual leaders for nearly two hundred years before Jesus’ ministry started. They were not true spiritual leaders; in fact, as we have previously noted, they did not even have any prophets. The Prophets were of the Essene/Nazarene/Therapeutae order. So imagine this, the true spiritual leaders were not in Jerusalem, serving in the temple, yet the people took the Pharisees side to believe what these corrupt men were saying. We know that they were corrupt as Jesus exposed many of their evil ways, but somehow people jumped on the Barabbas band wagon. We should strongly consider whether we fall into this type of behavior in spiritual, political, or social matters. Let’s read what Paul says about people masquerading in order to trick or fool others.

2 Cor 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. KJV

2 Cor 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles [spurious, counterfeits], deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles (special messengers) of Christ (the Messiah). 14 And it is no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light; 15 So it is not surprising if his servants also masquerade as ministers of righteousness. [But] their end will correspond with their deeds. AMP

2 Cor 11:12-15 And I'm not changing my position on this. I'd die before taking your money. I'm giving nobody grounds for lumping me in with those money-grubbing "preachers," vaunting themselves as something special. 13 They're a sorry bunch — pseudo-apostles, lying preachers, crooked workers — posing as Christ's agents but sham to the core. 14 And no wonder! Satan does it all the time, dressing up as a beautiful angel of light. 15 So it shouldn't surprise us when his servants masquerade as servants of God. But they're not getting by with anything. They'll pay for it in the end. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

2 Cor 11:13G3588 G1063For G5108such ones G5570are false apostles, G2040[²workers G1386¹deceitful], G3345changing appearance G1519into G652apostles G5547of Christ.

 14G2532For G3756it is not G2298surprising G1473[³himself G1063¹for G3588 G4567²Satan] G3345to change appearance G1519into G32an angel G5457of light.

 15G3756It is not G3173a great thing G3767then G1499if even G3588 G1249his servants G1473 G3345change appearance G5613as G1249servants G1343of righteousness; G3739whom G3588the G5056end G1510.8.3will be G2596according to G3588 G2041their works. G1473

3345

LSJ Gloss: μετασχηματίζω to change the form of

Dodson: μετασχηματίζω I change the outward appearance, transfigure, adapt I change the outward appearance (the dress, the form of presentment) of something, transfigure; I adapt.

Strong's: μετασχηματίζω to transfigure or disguise; figuratively, to apply (by accommodation)
Derivation: from G3326 and a derivative ofG4976; KJV Usage: transfer, transform (self).

G3326 G4976

Thayer: 1) to change the figure of, to transform
For Synonyms see entry G5863

μετασχηματίζω  metaschēmatizō  met-askh-ay-mat-id'-zo From G3326 and a derivative of G4976; to transfigure or disguise; figuratively to apply (by accommodation)

Posers. Eminence Front. Facade. So we’ve established that there are people disguising themselves to intentionally lead people astray, the devil himself does the same thing. Paul says their end, the end of the masqueraders, will be according to their works. But we bear the responsibility of our actions as well. While we may not lose our salvation by being led astray, we may lose rewards; and if we have taken to social media to announce our erroneous opinions, we bear the responsibility of leading others astray. Shame on us for not being mindful of what we say and do. Take note of Deuteronomy.

Deut 27:18 Cursed is he who misleads a blind man on his way. All the people shall say, Amen.  AMP

Deut 27:18G1944Accursed is G3588the G4105one misleading G5185the blind G1722in G3598the way. G2532And G2046[⁴shall say G3956¹all G3588²the G2992³people], G1096May it be

Moses and the Levites made these announcements of curses just like the Essenes pronounced curses as recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls. While we may not ever intentionally cause a blind person to be misled, what if we cause spiritually blind people to be misled, or immature people to be misled? Simply because we joined a bandwagon on an erroneous path and called others to follow.

We have studied the word planao #4105 before, when we studied people who become addicted to delusion. Those people who are addicted to delusion enjoy systemizing error. We won’t take the time to review that entire message but we will look at this word and some of its variations to understand trends and movements, and how not to be fooled. 

Addicted to Delusion:  http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2015/09/addicted-to-delusion-craft-of-delusion.html

NT:4105 planao (plan-ah'-o); from NT:4106; to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue):KJV - go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way.

Manasseh was a king who was addicted to delusion and he misled people intentionally. Here the word planao is translated “misled”, but let’s also note verse 10 as well.

2Kings 21: 9G2532And G3756they did not G191hearken. G2532And G*Manasseh G4105misled G1473them G3588 G4160to do G3588the G4190wicked thing G1722in G3788the eyes G2962of the lord G5228above G3588the G1484nations G3739which G853the lord removed G2962 G575in front G4383 G3588of the G5207sons G*of Israel

2 Kings 21:9-10 But they would not listen; and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations did whom the Lord destroyed before the Israelites! 10 And the Lord said through His servants the prophets: AMP

Manasseh seduced the people, he systematically led people in the wrong direction, but take a look at verse 10. Yahweh speaks to the Prophets. Remember the Prophets were the Zedeks, descended from Shem and Eber’s school in Jebus. The same school Isaac and Jacob went to and that Abraham helped finance. The very same group of people who were later known as the Essenes/Nazarenes/Therapeutaes. What did Manasseh do?

2 Kings 21:1-8 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He ruled for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 2 In God's judgment he was a bad king — an evil king. He reintroduced all the moral rot and spiritual corruption that had been scoured from the country when God dispossessed the pagan nations in favor of the children of Israel. 3 He rebuilt all the sex-and-religion shrines that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he built altars and phallic images for the sex god Baal and sex goddess Asherah, exactly what Ahaz king of Israel had done. He worshiped the cosmic powers, taking orders from the constellations. 4 He even built these pagan altars in The Temple of God, the very Jerusalem Temple dedicated exclusively by God's decree ("in Jerusalem I place my Name") to God's Name. 5 And he built shrines to the cosmic powers and placed them in both courtyards of The Temple of God. 6 He burned his own son in a sacrificial offering. He practiced black magic and fortunetelling. He held séances and consulted spirits from the underworld. Much evil — in God's judgment, a career in evil. And God was angry. 7 As a last straw he placed the carved image of the sex goddess Asherah in The Temple of God, a flagrant and provocative violation of God's well-known statement to both David and Solomon, "In this Temple and in this city Jerusalem, my choice out of all the tribes of Israel, I place my Name — exclusively and forever. 8 Never again will I let my people Israel wander off from this land I gave to their ancestors. But here's the condition: They must keep everything I've commanded in the instructions my servant Moses passed on to them."  (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

In fifty-five years Manasseh twisted the nation in many different directions. One man, addicted to delusion, systemized enough error to destroy the southern kingdom. Did people follow Manasseh’s error? Yes. The god of this world didn’t need hundreds of people to start a false undertaking, he only needed one guy to lead thousands and thousands astray. But Yahweh was still speaking to the Prophets. So people had a choice, whose group would they follow, Manasseh’s or the Prophet’s? If one rotten apple spoils the entire bunch, we can see that the devil doesn’t need much to steer people in the wrong direction. One charismatic leader can lead or mislead many people. Paul says this:

Gal 6:7-8 Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. AMP

What are we sowing becomes an important question for our own personal benefit. Are we caught up in a chaotic movement and sowing discord, or are we living above the culture and social systems and personally pursuing Spiritual matters? Jesus warns us not to be misled by a prophetess who leads people into doing the wrong things. While this seems obvious to us looking in from the outside, on the inside of a situation like this people can be misled. This is a great understanding for us as to why there are satanic orders that people engage in. People are seduced into believing something is truth when it may not be. In this case, the seduction included physical pleasures which is connecting the body to the error, not just the mind.  

Rev 2:20 But I have this against you: that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess [claiming to be inspired], and who is teaching and leading astray my servants and beguiling them into practicing sexual vice and eating food sacrificed to idols. [1 Kings 16:31; 2 Kings 9:22,30.] AMP

It is clearly evident, that there are many ways we can be led into error; bad leaders, false prophets, and false teachers. Paul fought a good fight against a Jewish clique pushing circumcision. That is another system of error. While it seems religiously correct, it is actually a systematic approach to push people into religious bondage. But eating with non-Jews should not have even been considered wrong, as Jesus did the same. The Message makes this passage very clear.

Gal 2:12-13 Here's the situation. Earlier, before certain persons had come from James, Peter regularly ate with the non-Jews. But when that conservative group came from Jerusalem, he cautiously pulled back and put as much distance as he could manage between himself and his non-Jewish friends. That's how fearful he was of the conservative Jewish clique that's been pushing the old system of circumcision. 13 Unfortunately, the rest of the Jews in the Antioch church joined in that hypocrisy so that even Barnabas was swept along in the charade. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Notice, the group of people promoting error caused others to feel uncomfortable with their liberty in Christ. Sometimes that condemning attitude causes people to follow those pious accusers. The conservative Jewish clique who pushed circumcision made people feel condemned for eating with non-Jews. Peter is made fearful of the deluded religious deceivers, then changes his behavior. Barnabas also becomes afraid of the deluded Jews and he jumps on the bandwagon as well. There were others in Antioch who started to do the same.  Paul does a good job pointing this out for us. He says that none of them were maintaining a steady straight course, and that is what systemized error attempts to do to us, it pushes us onto a crooked path. Look at how Paul corrects the situation.   

Gal 2:14-16  But when I saw that they were not maintaining a steady, straight course according to the Message, I spoke up to Peter in front of them all: "If you, a Jew, live like a non-Jew when you're not being observed by the watchdogs from Jerusalem, what right do you have to require non-Jews to conform to Jewish customs just to make a favorable impression on your old Jerusalem cronies?" We Jews know that we have no advantage of birth over "non-Jewish sinners." 16 We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. How do we know? We tried it — and we had the best system of rules the world has ever seen! Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Here is our charge, speak up! Paul confronted the systemized error loudly and in front of everyone. He squashed that crooked road Peter and Barnabas started to walk down by speaking the truth. It didn’t make Paul popular, but it did break the scheme of the devil. Paul didn’t talk to others about what happened until after he confronted Peter and Barnabas in front of those present at that time. Then Paul wrote to the Galatians and told them what was going on. That way, if the deluded religious Jews came to their town making their people feel uncomfortable for eating with non-Jews, and pushing circumcision, the Galatians would already know that that behavior is wrong and they would not join that movement.

Is it possible to know the scriptures and to misrepresent them? Peter tells us it is. That should be no surprise as the devil knows the scriptures too. He quoted them to Jesus during his temptations. He also altered the direction Yahweh gave Adam when speaking to Eve in Genesis 3. Therefore it is possible that some systemization of error occurs within the institutions we entrust to teach us the Bible because the devil knows what the truth is and how to misconstrue it. Another derivative of planao, plane, is used by Peter to warn us.

2 Peter3:17G1473You G3767then, G27beloved, G4267foreknowing, G5442guard G2443that G3361not G3588by the G3588[²of the G113³unlawful ones G4106¹delusion] G4879having been led away, G1601you should fall from G3588your own G2398 G4740steadfastness!

NT:4106 plane (plan'-ay); feminine of NT:4108 (as abstractly); objectively, fraudulence; subjectively, a straying from orthodoxy or piety:KJV - deceit, to deceive, delusion, error.

Let’s read this in context. It is interesting to note Peter’s warning after reading Paul’s reproof of Peter and Barnabas. Peter walked with Jesus, and he understood the battle Jesus faced. If we remember, a few weeks ago we looked at who the lost sheep were that Jesus was sent to, they were the Pharisees and those that the Pharisees led astray. Those were the people Jesus spoke to, not the Essenes, Nazarenes, or Therapeutaes as he grew up with them and was schooled by them. So Peter’s perspective is that of continuing Jesus’ message to the lost sheep. Paul was a Pharisee, he had been a lost sheep, and had to unlearn all the things he was schooled in. As we noted, Paul took time in the desert with the Damascus community to learn the Essene/Nazarene/Therapeutae ways. Peter though gave Paul quite a bit of credit, noting that Paul was given much wisdom.   

2 Peter 3:14-18 So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. 15 Interpret our Master's patient restraint for what it is: salvation. Our good brother Paul, who was given much wisdom in these matters, 16 refers to this in all his letters, and has written you essentially the same thing. Some things Paul writes are difficult to understand. Irresponsible people who don't know what they are talking about twist them every which way. They do it to the rest of the Scriptures, too, destroying themselves as they do it. 17 But you, friends, are well-warned. Be on guard lest you lose your footing and get swept off your feet by these lawless and loose-talking teachers. 18 Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes! (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Paul was a lost sheep who was now teaching others, yet people were twisting what he was saying. Paul spent many years studying, so the comparison Peter is making is that the ones twisting Paul’s words are ignorant. The Jews who fought so hard against this new movement were illiterate. Notice verse 16 in the literal Greek, Peter says that some people are illiterate and unstable, and they make crooked the things Paul says, as well as the rest of the scriptures.

2 Peter 3:16G5613as G2532also G1722in G3956all G3588the G1992letters, G2980speaking G1722in G1473them G4012concerning G3778these things; G1722in G3739which G1510.2.3[²are G1425³hard to comprehend G5100¹some things], G3739which G3588the G261illiterate G2532and G793unstable G4761make crooked, G5613as G2532also G3588the G3062rest G1124of scriptures, G4314to G3588 G2398their own G1473 G684destruction

The systemization of error within the church can be from illiteracy. Seminaries don’t always make people literate, they mold the students’ perception according to their core religious beliefs. This puts blinders and sunglasses on students, who then present the same lopsided information to others. The narcissistic illiterate gather followers and another religious denomination is born. Again, it is our responsibility to dig out the truth, to study to show ourselves approved so that we can rightly divide the word of truth. While Peter gives people a pass, calling them illiterate, or ignorant and unstable, many are intentionally deluded and spreading the system of error, just like the Jewish clique that made Peter fearful. They had a plan to grow their movement, and tried to get others on their bandwagon. There are people today still expounding those ideas.

Another variation of planao is planos. Planos seems to imply deceivers are a moving target with their contrived error. They are seducers that create multiple systemized erroneous pathways, or posers who change their arguments for their audience.  In looking at 1 Timothy, we see something bigger. A seducing spirit inhabits a poser who is addicted to delusion, and that poser, via the seducing spirit, causes people to leave the faith. That happens all the time. We get upset over people forsaking Yahweh but we don’t understand the systemized plot.

NT:4108 planos (plan'-os); of uncertain affinity; roving (as a tramp), i.e. (by implication) an impostor or misleader; KJV - deceiver, seducing.

(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; KJV

1 Tim 4:1 BUT THE [Holy] Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach, AMP

1 Tim 4:1-10 The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. 2 These liars have lied so well and for so long that they've lost their capacity for truth. 3 They will tell you not to get married. They'll tell you not to eat this or that food — perfectly good food God created to be eaten heartily and with thanksgiving by Christians! 4 Everything God created is good, and to be received with thanks. Nothing is to be sneered at and thrown out. 5 God's Word and our prayers make every item in creation holy. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

It is not unlikely that these doctrines of devils change and morph and move, to capture more people in their web. It only takes one leader to create a bandwagon for others to follow. And as Ambassadors of the Most High God we will be looked at and scrutinized by others. Are we falling victim to schemes of error?  

Paul encourages us on how to live in freedom and liberty. While specifically he is speaking of the law and of circumcision, we can also understand his words in a broader sense. Even though we have the freedom to voice our opinions, we are not forced to voice our opinions. We need wisdom. We need to live in the Spirit.

Gal 5:13-18 It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. 14 For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. 15 If you bite and ravage each other, watch out — in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?

16 My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. 17 For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. 18 Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence? (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Professional liars and seducers are creating veins of error for people to follow, divide over, and fight over. What we feed on is what we become, and if we sow into systematic error we reap systematic destruction. That has been the plan for mankind all along. From Genesis 3, with the subtle suggestions and misrepresentations in the garden, to the temptations of Jesus, to the Pharisees condemning Christians over who to eat with and circumcision. The bait has been laid out in social media, to tempt us to voice opinions. The noise is loud. The divisions are deep. The systematic approach to split mankind with error has been created in social, cultural, political, and religious organizations. It is a plan, not a haphazard path to destruction. How will we respond? Will we live above the fracas or join in the brawl? It is better to leave the bandwagon behind and live in love being led by the Holy Spirit.