Self deception ...
 

In light of the last days great deception among us all, it would seem
to be vital that we take stock of:

(a) What is self deception and how can we avoid it?

(b) Why and how would one ever want to deceive one self?

(c) If our hearts are deceitful above all things why then do we still
lean on our own understanding?

Recall: "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding."

And ... "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
your own selves."

And if we know ... and love ... and trust Jesus, won't we then ... do
... what He says?
 
 

1. What can we learn from this first example of self deception?
 

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to
dress it and to keep it.

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the
garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the
LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye
shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the
serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of
the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath
said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God
doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be
opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it
was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise,
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her
husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were
opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves
together, and made themselves aprons.

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the
cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the
presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
 
 

2. What can we learn from this 2nd example of self deception?
 

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and
said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his
brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of
the ground.

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit
of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of
the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had
respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his
offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his
countenance fell.

And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy
countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?
and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall
be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel
his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that
Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
 
 

3. And these commandments ...
 

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which
is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk
not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through
the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their
heart:  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto
lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him,
and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off
concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your
mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness.

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his
neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Neither give place to the devil.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working
with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to
him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which
is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the
hearers.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the
day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil
speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself
for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be
once named among you, as becometh saints;

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not
convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor
covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom
of Christ and of God.

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things
cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk
as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness
and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the
Lord.

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things
which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are
made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is
light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from
the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not
unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the
Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving
thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the
fear of God.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For
the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the
church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is
subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in
every thing.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and
gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a
glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but
that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their
wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For
no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it,
even as the Lord the church:

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be
joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even
as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy
father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That
it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the
flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto
Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of
Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing
service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good
thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he
be bond or free.

And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening:
knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect
of persons with him.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able
to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having
on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of
faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the
wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;
 
 

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and
receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your
souls.

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and
envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere
milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
 
 

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of
sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
 
 
 

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived,
serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy,
hateful, and hating one another.

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of
you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his
tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.