SELF-DECEPTION
By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. As Christians, we must be on constant guard against the forces
of evil.
B. The Bible often warns us to not be deceived.
1. The most tragic of all deceptions is when we have deceived
ourselves.
a. If an outside source deceives us, perhaps that same
outside source can correct us, or perhaps we can correct
ourselves.
2. However, if we are self-deceived, correction is far more
difficult.
C. There are five passages in the New Testament, that I know of,
which instruct and warn against deception.
1. Let us examine them.
I. OVER-EVALUATION OF OUR OWN WISDOM. 1 Cor. 3:18-19a
A. Men have always had the problem of flaunting their own wisdom.
1. Prov. 3:5-7; 26:12; Isa. 5:21; Rom. 12:16
a. Many people are very opinionated nowadays.
b. "Many people want to shave their own opinions down
your throat in the nicest way possible!"
B. Often men think they are so wise they can calculate all things
for themselves.
1. The Israelites thought they knew what the future held. Jer.
37:9-10
2. When people profess themselves to be wise, they become
fools. Rom. 1:22-25
3. A person must become a fool (he must realize that he knows
very little) to be wise (to be acceptable to God). 1 Cor.
3:18
C. Men often think they are wise enough to plot their own course
in religion.
1. Jer. 10:23; Prov. 16:25
2. In January, 1987, the U. S. Army disposal unit at Fort
Bliss, Texas, sold several crates at an auction to scrap
dealer Pedro Salas in Juarez, Mexico. When Mr. Salas got
back to his scrap yard, he found a live rocket inside one
crate. Checking further, he found another rocket, and
another. Finally, he had discovered 23 live, high-explosive
missiles designed to be fired from helicopters, capable of
spraying thousands of fragments on detonation. How did such
potentially dangerous munitions end up being sold inside
"empty" crates? An investigation revealed that a young
lieutenant had signed a statement that he had inspected the
crates and that they were empty. Because of that false
statement, the lieutenant's career may be over, the U. S.
government was embarrassed, and worst of all, human lives
were endangered. (From Dan Ames)
3. The young lieutenant, instead of closely examining, made a
false assumption, and suffered bitter consequences.
Likewise, many people today, instead of carefully
investigating, assume that their religion is in God's word.
If they would only investigate, they would see that their
religion is not in the Bible at all. Because of their false
assumption, the damage done to souls will be far greater
than that done by the young lieutenant.
II. BY BEING HEARERS ONLY. James 1:22-25
A. James uses the illustration of one looking into a mirror.
1. If he looks into the mirror and makes no necessary changes
(cleans his face, combs his hair), it will do him no good.
So it is with the one who looks into the law of liberty and
does nothing.
B. Only those who do the will of God will be saved. Matt. 7:21-27
1. First, we must not only hear, but obey, to become a
Christian. Luke 8:12; Heb. 5:7
a. "Faith only" will not save. No doubt many of those who
profess the "faith only" doctrine really don't believe
it, because they do attend worship services in their
various denominations.
b. It they truly believed in "faith only," there would be no
need to do anything.
2. Next, we must not only hear, but we must be active in living
the Christian life.
a. There are thousands of church members today who
attend services and hear the word of God preached, but
go away and never make any response to the word.
b. The Israelites had this problem. They became lukewarm,
and indifferent. Their hearts were not in their service
to God.
(1) The worship became a wearisome task to them.
Mal. 1:13
(2) They were interested in doing whatever they
wanted to do on the Sabbath day. Neh. 13:15-21
(a) Today, many members of the church do whatever they
want to do instead of attending worship.
3. If one thinks he's pleasing to God by hearing the word only,
he deceives himself.
III. BY SAYING WE HAVE NO SIN. 1 John 1:8
A. When one says "I have no sin," he is in sin by his false
assumption and pride.
1. Sin has its many deceptions. Heb. 3:13
2. One of the greatest deceptions is, "sin is not sin."
a. How could one confess his sin, if he does not know it is
sin?
3. Several years ago, one of Norman Rockwell's paintings on
the cover of the Saturday Evening Post was the painting of a
woman buying a Thanksgiving turkey. The turkey was on the
scales and the butcher was standing behind the counter. The
customer, a lady of about sixty, stood watching the
weigh-in. Each had a pleased look on their faces. A quick
glance at the painting shows nothing unusual going on.
However, a closer look shows what they are doing with their
hands. The butcher is pressing down on the scales with his
thumb while the woman is pushing up with her finger.
a. Both of these people would say there is nothing wrong
with a little deception. Both would resent being called a
thief, but that is exactly what they are.
4. Another great deception is thinking we can sin and still get
by.
a. Consider Gal. 6:7-8; Eccl. 8:11; Deut. 29:19-20
b. Some people can commit the worst kinds of
abominations, and still think they have not committed
evil. Jer. 7:8-10
c. One may not be detected or punished for his sins in this
life, but he will in the next. Eccl. 12:14; 1 Cor. 6:9-10
5. Anytime we realize we have sinned, we need to repent. 1
John 1:9; Prov. 28:13
IV. BY THINKING WE ARE STRONGER THAN WE ARE. Gal. 6:3
A. We need "humbleness of mind." Col. 3:12
1. Rom. 12:16 - The KJV and ASV has the word "conceits"
which means "an excessive appreciation of one's own worth
or virtues."
2. Pride is a strong deceiver. Obad. 3; Prov. 18:10-11; 16:18
3. While campaigning for the presidency in August 1928,
Herbert Hoover said, "We are nearer to the final triumph
over poverty than ever before in the history of any land.
The poorhouse is vanishing from among us. We have not yet
reached the goal, but we shall soon be in sight of the day
when poverty will be banished from this nation." Americans
found Hoover's words highly gratifying, and he was elected
by a landslide. Less than a year later, however, the stock
market crashed, beginning the Great Depression.
B. When we become over-confident in our spiritual strength, we are
ready to fall. 1 Cor. 10:12; Mark 14:27-30
1. Let us walk in all humility before God and men.
V. BY NOT BRIDLING OUR TONGUES. James 1:26
A. The "religious" person mentioned in James 1:16 is a worshiper
of God.
1. James had already shown that hearing without "doing" brings
no profit.
2. He now shows that "doing" without "controlling one's
tongue" makes one's worship vain.
B. The misuse of the tongue is one the greatest and most wide-
spread weaknesses. James 3:2-6
C. What gossip does:
1. Gossip perpetuates lies that ought to have died. Prov. 16:27
2. Gossip assassinates character and makes innocent people
suffer. Prov. 18:8
3. Gossip stirs up contention and strife. Prov. 26:20-22
4. Gossip reveals a lack of brotherly love. Prov. 11:13
5. Gossip destroys friendships. Prov. 16:28; 17:9
6. Gossip is a ugly, ungodly, deceitful, and self-destructive
habit that must be repented of and replaced with words that
edify. Prov. 12:18; Eph. 4:29
D. One evening, while waiting for a bus, a man was standing with a
crowd of people looking in the window of a taxidermist shop. In
the center of the window was a large owl that attracted the
attention of all who passed by. The self-appointed expert began
to criticize the job done on it. "If I couldn't do better than
that," he said pompously, "I'd find another business. Just look
at it. The head is out of proportion, the pose of the body is
unnatural, and the feet are pointed in the wrong direction."
Just then the owl turned his head and gave the fellow a broad
wink. The crowd laughed as the critic embarrassingly slipped
away.
1. "If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect
man, able to bridle the whole body as well." (James 3:2
NASV)
Concl.
A. The Christian should regard "self" in many respects as his
greatest enemy, greater than Satan and this world, for these
must have cooperation from "self" in order to conquer.
1. Self is the only thing (or person) which can separate us
from God.
2. Thus, "self" can be our most powerful and deadly enemy.
3. When we recognize "self" as a potential deadly enemy, it
causes us to be on guard.
4. Summarize the main topics in the following chart.
Chart:
SELF-DECEPTION
Over-evaluation of our own wisdom - 1 Cor. 3:18-19a
Being hearers only - James 1:22-25
Saying we have no sin - 1 John 1:8
Thinking we are stronger than we are - Gal. 6:3
Not bridling our tongues - James 1:26