Have you ever been deceived in the business world, or by someone you consider a friend, or even a brother in Christ? Some have been deceived by their spouse. The world is filled with both with people and with things that deceive.
The scriptures have much to teach us about the danger of deception, and the consequences of being deceived. Though deception often comes from others, we deceive ourselves more than we realize. Actually, we would not become deceived so often from outside sources if we would not allow ourselves to be deceived.
We deceive ourselves if we think we can practice sin and still be saved. “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous … He who sins is of the devil … (1 John 3:7,8). The Gnostics, false teachers of that day, taught that one could practice sin with the body and serve God with the spirit. Some Christians were believing this error, even to the point of thinking they had no sin. This was a threat to the church, therefore the apostle John addressed this issue. In Chapter 1:8, he wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ”
Many today believe that same thing. Because we serve a merciful, loving God, some believe that He would never condemn someone to eternal hell because of his sins. So they proceed in their practice of sin, believing that by God’ s grace they will be saved. Such people are deceived! They need to read carefully this short epistle of 1 John as well as related scripture. Sin is Deceitful. It hardens the heart and causes one to fall away from the living God. (Heb 3:12,13) Paul wrote, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. ” (1 Cor. 6:9)
We deceive ourselves if we think we can sow one thing and reap another. God’ s universal law that governs our whole life is – we reap what we sow. In the Galatian letter we read, “Do not be deceaved, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ” (Gal. 6:7,8) In other words, if we think we can sow one thing and reap another, this would infer mockery (insult) to God, that is we would be trying to defy Him, by overriding His universal law of sowing and reaping. Many are so foolish and deceived as to think they can do anything they choose, whether it pleases God or not. This great principle of sowing and reaping applies to the whole life. We would all do well to abide by it instead of deceiving ourselves into believing it does not always apply. Shall we be warned, or shall be ignore the warnings???
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