DECEPTION AND SELF-DECEPTION
Today I briefly want to touch on a topic of incredible importance,
namely, the nature of deception and deceit. As we will
see, there are several perspectives one can examine around this
topic. For example, we might be deceived by another, but we ourselves
can also deceive others. And of course, we can deceive ourselves.
Yet all these involve a lie and the creation of an illusion to
disguise the truth.
How do we know when someone is deceiving us? Surely there aren't
people in the world that would do that to us, are there? We all
want to feel trusting towards others, but often do so at our own
peril, because we haven't assessed the extent to which a person
is worthy of that trust. We believe that by trusting we will encourage
trust, but deception doesn't play by those rules. Indeed, we may
have deceived ourselves that others won't deceive us. So we see
here a connection between self-deception and deception by others.
FALSE PROPHETS
We always need to remember this fundamental scripture:
SIN AND DECEPTION
What would lead us to make such a terrible error of judgment?
DECEIT AND OPPRESSION
THE SOURCE OF DECEPTION
Worshipping the One true God, and Him alone, is central to all
this—and to life. Notice during Christ's encounter with Satan
how Satan, using deceit, attempted to entice Him from the only
God and His Truth.
FREE FROM DECEIT
What is true and what is truth? Without a clear—or at least clearer—perspective
on truth, we might be deceived.
What do the Scriptures have to say about this topic?
Mt 24:11,24 "Then many false prophets will rise up
and deceive many [so deception is one of a number of things that
occur at the end time, along with the loss of love and affection].
There is quite a warning here for the elect, such is the extent
of the deception. What is it about? It is about worshipping an
entity that masquerades as Christ and following a person and what
that person teaches when his teaching is not true; that is, people
present themselves as prophets, but falsely. The parallel verse
in Luke offers an additional insight:
24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great
signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."
Lk 21:8 And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived.
For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time
has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them."
What an enigma! The time may indeed be drawing close—they are
right!—but we are not to follow them. Why not?
Col 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy
and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according
to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
How are we to know what is filled with deception and deceit, and
what is not? How can we be certain? The nature of deceit and deception
is that they disguise the truth, and yet masquerade as the truth
at the same time. Their very nature seeks to hide their reality.
What are we to do?
The prophet Jeremiah was confronted with this sad reality:
Jer 14:12-16 "When they fast, I will not hear their
cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I
will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by
the famine, and by the pestilence." 13 Then I said, "Ah,
Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, 'You shall not see
the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured
peace in this place.'" 14 And the LORD said to me, "The
prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded
them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision,
divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.
15 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy
in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, 'Sword and famine
shall not be in this land'; 'By sword and famine those prophets
shall be consumed! 16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall
be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine
and the sword; they will have no one to bury them; them nor their
wives, their sons nor their daughters; for I will pour their wickedness
on them.'"
Does this seem fair? People duped by deception still receive the
repercussions of their deception! Why would God act so harshly?
(also check out Jer 23:25-32 in regard to the false claims of
prophets of being led by God.)
Jer 17:9-10 "The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked; who can know it? 10 I, the LORD, search
the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to
his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."
We know God is a perfectly loving and just God. There is something
about those who are deceived that permits the deception. Notice
some of the scriptures immediately preceding this verse in Jeremiah:
Jer 17:5-8 Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man
who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs
from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched
places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.
7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is
the LORD. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when
heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious
in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit."
Such a contrast! One trusts in man, the other in God. The results
are profound. If we indeed trusted in God, would we trust in man
and therefore fall for the deception and deceit of a false teacher?
So where does deception start?
Ro 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived
me, and by it slew me.
Sin produces a distortion of perception so that we fail
to see clearly what has really happened. This is why sin can easily
be justified by our minds. That is part of the self-deception.
Without God's Spirit to stimulate our consciences, we end up lying
to ourselves—and this is where sin and its deception take root.
The law and the clarity it should bring to us have been quenched,
and deception and deceit have entered.
Eph 4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct,
the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts.
Lusts are unlawful desires. They are things we want but shouldn't
have. Why? Because we believe they will offer us hope and bring
satisfaction and comfort. That is why they are deceitful: they
can't and never will offer those things. The answer?
Eph 4:23-25 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according
to God, in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, putting
away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,"
for we are members of one another.
Deception and deceit are bedfellows of the lie—mostly to ourselves.
Once we have deceived ourselves, how easy it is to be led astray
by anyone who might attempt to deceive us, especially to follow
the same lusts! Notice:
Ro 16:17-18 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause
divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned,
and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord
Jesus Christ, but their own belly [basic carnal desires], and
by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of
the simple.
There is a connection between self-deception and covetousness.
To see our hopes in anything but God is to hope in futility. To
hope in what is futile is to distort our thinking, to not see
what is real from what is not real, and to lie to ourselves.
This is illustrated in the idolater:
Isa 44:14-20 He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes
the cypress and the oak; he secures it for himself among the trees
of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it. Then
it shall be for a man to burn, for he will take some of it and
warm himself; yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; indeed he makes
a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image, and falls
down to it. 16 He burns half of it in the fire; with this half
he eats meat; he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He even warms
himself and says, "Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire."
17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his carved image.
He falls down before it and worships it, prays to it and says,
"Deliver me, for you are my god!" 18 They do not
know nor understand; for He has shut their eyes, so
that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.
19 And no one considers in his heart, nor is there knowledge
nor understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the
fire, yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted
meat and eaten it; and shall I make the rest of it an abomination?
Shall I fall down before a block of wood?" 20 He feeds on
ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and
he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, "Is there not a lie
in my right hand [he can't acknowledge that he believes in emptiness]?".
Everyone has a religion. Even professing agnostics believe in
a whole range of things that constitute a religion, although they
wouldn't necessarily think of it in those terms. What do we believe
in? Where have we set our hearts? Where do our real hopes lie?
This environment encourages us to say things that will ensure
that we receive support, but is it merely rhetoric, a kind of
lip service where we lie to others and ourselves?
There is also a connection between deceit and deception and oppression,
as we can note:
Hos 12:7 "A cunning Canaanite! Deceitful scales are
in his hand; he loves to oppress."
You may have heard of the recent Senate Inquiry into slavery conducted
in the US. It revealed that up to two million women and children
are abducted into slavery every year, many responding to offers
to work in the US, only to be forced into prostitution and unpaid
labour, with all the trappings of beatings, rape, no contact with
the outside world, no voice to hear them. Two hundred and fifty
cases have been brought to trial, but the sentences were light
because the laws are weak. Why was that? Because of corruption
in legal circles. Deceit and deception seek to further their own
cause, to serve their own lusts for wealth and power and for every
vile thing, no matter how many lives are ruined in the process.
We are not to be naive to the potential for deceit and deception.
Mic 6:11-12 Shall I count pure those with the wicked scales,
and with the bag of deceitful weights? 12 For her rich men are
full of violence, her inhabitants have spoken lies, and their
tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
Pr 26:24-16,28 He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
and lays up deceit within himself; 25 When he speaks kindly, do
not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart;
26 though his hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness will
be revealed before the assembly.
28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, and a flattering
mouth works ruin.
Who is the source of all this?
2Co 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder!
For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform
themselves into ministers of righteousness.
So we have come back to these points: if we are filled with deceit,
we cannot recognise the truth. If we are filled with deceit, we
will be led away by our own lusts. If we are drawn to idols, we
will be deceived by others who proclaim those idols as the truth.
Jn 8:43-45 "Why do you not understand My speech?
Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of
your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want
to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand
in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks
a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and
the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not
believe Me."
Mt 4:3-10 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If
You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the
mouth of God.'" 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy
city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him,
"If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is
written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In
their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against
a stone.'" 7 Jesus said to him, "It is written again,
'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" 8 Again, the devil
took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all
the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him,
"All these things I will give You if You will fall down and
worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with
you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your
God, and Him only you shall serve.'"
Here we see good overcoming evil, clarity of vision and perception,
no self-deception or deceit, and the ability to see clearly and
flawlessly the nature of the traps Satan was laying. It was really
no contest!
Not only could Christ detect deceit with such clarity, but He
also perceived those free of deceit:
Jn 1:47-49 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said
of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"
48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus
answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when
you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
And not only could Christ recognise Nathanael's lack of deceit, but
Nathan in turn could recognise Christ as the Son of God!
49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the
Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
The apostle Paul likewise had this ability:
Acts 13:7-10 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus,
an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and
sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for
so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the
proconsul away from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who also is called
Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10
and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of
the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease
perverting the straight ways of the Lord?"
No hesitation in seeing what was happening. We have to become
like that. Or do we think that is reserved for Jesus and Paul?
Zep 3:13 "The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness
and speak no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their
mouth; for they shall feed their flocks and lie down, and no one
shall make them afraid."
WARNINGS
Eph 4:14-15 that we should no longer be children, tossed
to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things
into Him who is the head, Christ.
There are some specific warnings related to not being deceived.
Let's look at some of these.
1Co 3:18-21 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among
you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he
may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness
with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their
own craftiness"; 20 and again, "The LORD knows the
thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." 21 Therefore
let no one boast in men.
People typically become a little wiser with age. Hopefully, we
start to learn from all our youthful errors. But that's not really
the wisdom we are speaking of here. To boast at the wisdom of
experience is an empty boast.
1Co 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not
inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts
good habits."
Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever
a man sows, that he will also reap.
PUTTING AWAY DECEIT
We are to approach God's Word with the attitude of wanting to
grow in grace and knowledge, not hiding anything from God or from
ourselves, ready to lay ourselves bare before Him, without secret
sins, seeing and seeking the Truth in truth.
1Pe 2:1-2 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit,
hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire
the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.
Let us note the approach Job took to this:
Job 31:5-8 "If I have walked with falsehood, or if
my foot has hastened to deceit, 6 let me be weighed on honest
scales, that God may know my integrity. 7 If my step has turned
from the way, or my heart walked after my eyes, or if any spot
adheres to my hands, 8 then let me sow, and another eat; yes,
let my harvest be rooted out."
We started by looking at conditions at the end at the end of the
age, recalling Mt 24:11, that "many false prophets will rise
up and deceive many."
And:
Mt 24:24 "For false christs and false prophets will
rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible,
even the elect."
In the last days, deception and deceit will indeed reach new levels.
How will the people of God respond?
Rev 14:4-5 These are the ones who were not defiled with
women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the
Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being
firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was
found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne
of God.