We have been taught that we must stand firm in the gospel of Christ, eschewing the false teachings that would lead us astray. But at the same time, “all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; every way of a man is right in his own eyes” (Isaiah 53:6, Proverbs 21:2). In a world of confusion and deception, how can we know whether we ourselves have been led astray, passionately believing things that are actually harmful and wrong?

That is the question that I wish to focus this short series on. Please note, it isn’t entirely the same as the question of, “how can I know if what I believe is right?” That question does not arise until after we have answered “what if what I believe is wrong?” We must first have our false paradigm broken, and be left with nothing, to then make space for the perspective that is true. Conviction of error must precede elation of correctness.

To that end, I wish to point out a metric by which many who have become deceived might recognize such and begin the process of renouncing their false beliefs. The metric is this: in the last days, if your beliefs are mainstream, are popular, are consistent with current trends, then you are almost certainly in the wrong. The scriptures paint a clear picture that in the last days those that are founded on the truth will be in the minority, they will seem strange to the rest of the world, and the depth of their convictions will be offensive. Furthermore, it seems doubtful that those in the majority will even know that they are deceived. They will not seem to be agents of evil, at least not at first. They will think that they are doing what is right, yet they will still be in the wrong.

Over the coming days we will look at the evidence for these claims, and what that means for us as we take a hard and honest look at ourselves, asking ourselves the question, “Lord, is it I?”