Is it possible?

[Jedi Knight]

Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. I have seen different views on this passage and wanted to hear your opinion if Jesus ment it is possible so be on guard,or it isn't? :type:

 

[historyb]

I think He means it isn't, but if it were the elect could be fooled. My mind goes to November if possible even we could have been fooled by the smooth talking

 

[Palatka51]

Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. I have seen different views on this passage and wanted to hear your opinion if Jesus ment it is possible so be on guard,or it isn't? :type:

What part of I F do you not understand? :godisgood: He will not let the very elect be deceived.

 

[Jedi Knight]

"What part of I F do you not understand?" Well the rest of the passage...Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. Was Jesus saying its possible,but listen to what I'm telling you so that you DON'T? BTW I like this passage to tell Mormons about Joseph Smiths"divine visit".:thumbsup:

 

[Palatka51]

Well the rest of the passage...Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. Was Jesus saying its possible,but listen to what I'm telling you so that you DON'T? BTW I like this passage to tell Mormons about Joseph Smiths"divine visit".:thumbsup:

The deception would be very easy if Jesus had not gave a warning. It is He that will not let us be deceived He has made sure of that. Many are because they are not studying His Word and heeding His warnings.

 

[Jedi Knight]

I was thinking about John 10:5 one morning.. "And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." And at lunch "same day"I was reading Matthew 24 when it seemed to tie together. I read John MacArthur footnotes Matthew 24:24 "later that evening" in my study bible and here said that its not possible and referred back to John 10:5. Confirmation or what?

 

[Palatka51]

I was thinking about John 10:5 one morning.. "And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." And at lunch "same day"I was reading Matthew 24 when it seemed to tie together. I read John MacArthur footnotes Matthew 24:24 "later that evening" in my study bible and here said that its not possible and referred back to John 10:5. Confirmation or what?

And there ya go, looks like a confirmation to me. :thumbsup::godisgood:

 

[Jedi Knight]

I found this from A. W. Pink "And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers" (John 10:5). This is very important, for it describes a mark found on all of Christ’s sheep. A strange shepherd they will not heed. This can hardly mean that they will never respond to the call of the false shepherds, but that the redeemed of Christ will not absolutely, unreservedly, completely give themselves over to a false teacher. Instead, speaking characteristically, they will flee from such. It is not possible to deceive the elect (Matthew 24:24). Let a man of the world hear two preachers, one giving out the truth and the other error, and he can discern no difference between them. But it is far otherwise with a child of God. He may be but a babe in Christ, unskilled in theological controversies, but instinctively he will detect vital heresy as soon as he hears it. And why is this? Because he is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and has received an "unction" from the Holy One (1 John 2:20). How thankful we should be for this. How gracious of the Lord to have given us this capacity to separate the precious from the vile!:godisgood:

 

[Jon-Marc]

Note the words "if it were possible". Those who who are born again and grounded in the truth will not be deceived.

 

[Jedi Knight]

Note the words "if it were possible". Those who who are born again and grounded in the truth will not be deceived.

So you say it is possible?

 

[HankD]

Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. I have seen different views on this passage and wanted to hear your opinion if Jesus ment it is possible so be on guard,or it isn't? :type:

Taken in the context of which "the elect" are referenced and from a dispensational point of view,
Jesus is speaking here to those who believe in Him who are citizens of the nation of Israel.
Note the time frame reference:

Matthew 24

21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.​

The "elect" are a collective group within the time frame of this "great tribulation" of verse 21.
Possibly the "elect" are the Jewish group of believers of the 12 tribes of Israel, the 144,000 and as such are "sealed" during the great tribulation.

Revelation 7
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.​

Being "sealed" perhaps gives them this divine protection.​

Purely speculation of course, and maybe even a stretch for some dispensationalists but taken in context, whoever they are, they are a group within this "great tribulation" time frame reference of Matthew 24:21.​

HankD​

 

[Jon-Marc]

So you say it is possible?

Didn't I just say that it is NOT possible? The words are "IF it WERE possible", they would deceive the saved. However, they cannot even though they try. The ones who are deceived are those who don't know the Lord.

 

[Jedi Knight]

"The words are "IF it WERE possible", Sorry Jon if I seem to be slow,but the reason I ask is most translations say"If Possible" leaving out the were.