Life Marks: Deceived!!!
We all hate to be deceived. We hate to be lied to, and if we buy into the lie and later discover that we have been deceived, we wonder how in the world it happened. It happens when we trustingly hand someone our credit card, who then, when we are not looking, copies the number and the security code on the back. We trusted that person when we shouldn’t have. We were deceived into thinking that the person was “trustworthy.”
We’ve been talking about the mind as the place where lies are introduced and then when we buy into the lie we become deceived. We don’t need false teachers (as we discussed last week) in order for us to be deceived. Remember that the battle ground for truth is in our minds, and it is absolutely critical that we win that battle against the deceptive lies of the evil one if we are going to live a free and productive life. So, let’s take a few minutes to identify some areas where the Bible tells us to “beware” of being “deceived.” I have found quite a few of them. I will cover 4 this week, and save the others for next week.
1) You are deceived if you think that you will not reap the consequences of your actions, whether good or evil. Many philosophies and religions alert their devotees to this truth, which seems to be universal. From a Christian perspective, the Apostle Paul puts it this way, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever we sow we will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh (his own desires) shall reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit (those things that God desires) shall reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:7-8). No one can escape this truth. It is a basic law of humanity. Watch what you sow, because you will reap the fruit of it.
2) You are deceived if you think that you will not be adversely affected by constantly hanging around people with lower ethical standards than you have. Once again, the Apostle Paul put it succinctly, “Do not be deceived, keeping bad company corrupts good morals.” He continues by exhorting us to be “sober-minded” so that we can be aware of the danger of spending significant amounts of time with those who will (possibly unintentionally) play a role in lowering our own moral standards (I Cor. 15:33-34). If you think that you are “strong enough” to not let this happen, just think about the times that you have already fallen prey to this deception, most likely when you were younger. Or think of some of your loved ones (particularly your own children or grandchildren) who have fallen prey to this deception. This is why parents exhort their children to “choose your friends wisely,” and we all need to heed the same advice throughout our lives.
3) You are deceived if you think that the many blessings you have received have come to you either by chance, or by the strength of your own hands, or by the ingenuity of your own devices. Don’t forget to remember the One who “…formed your inward parts, who wove you in your mother’s womb, and who created you in both reverence and wonder” (Ps. 139:13-14). And don’t forget about the unique set of circumstances that came into play in order for you to acquire whatever position in life you may have attained. Whether rich or poor, the Apostle James reminds us that, “….Every good and perfect gift comes from God” (Jas. 1:16-17). We must never forget that ultimately, it is God who decides to bless us, or sometimes, to withhold some blessings from us. He knows what we need, but He also knows that certain things we may want will not really “bless” us, but ultimately destroy us.
4) You are deceived if you think that you are a “religious” person, but consistently tear others down with your tongue. Of course, we have all met these people, “religious” on the outside, but then need to brace ourselves when we happen to “cross” them. Tongue lashings are no fun, and we’ve all been the object of someone’s wrath and verbal abuse. Again, James tells us that this person “…deceives his own heart and in the end, his so-called ‘religion’ is worthless” (Jas. 1:26). And Jesus had much to say about that which comes out of the mouth, identifying the true source of our words as coming from the heart (see Mt. 15:10-20). This is why the Christian life begins with surgery – we are all in need of a “heart transplant.” God needs to give us a “new heart” so that we can be in tune with His own heart. With God’s heart beating within us, we can use the tongue to encourage and bless others, not abuse them or tear them down. So, don’t be deceived, your speech provides a window into your heart and soul.
Well, I think that we’ve covered enough for this week. But before I wrap this up, let me encourage you to take 60 seconds to quickly review this list, and then spend a few moments asking God to show you if there is any area where you may have fallen prey to deception, and if so, ask Him to help you make the appropriate mid-course corrections. Falling into deception hurts our entire being, as well as those whom we love. This is why walking in the truth is so essential. So, identify one or more points of deception, ask God to help you get rid of them, and walk in the truth of God’s Word. You will not regret it.
