Self Deception

If I had to identify the single most destructive force acting in American churches today, I would probably have to cast my vote for self-deception. Jesus identified it in the Pharisees often, even explaining that many will come to him in the end ready to enter his kingdom, only to hear, “Depart from me… I never knew you” (Mt. 7). James discusses it often in his epistle as he illustrates that true faith must result in obedience. Paul hits on it several times as well.

So how do so many people who mean well wind up abandoning the Gospel for a false hope? Because deception is just that — deception. Satan didn’t go to Eve with a blatant lie. He simply twisted the truth a little. Just enough so it was no longer truth. And deception was born.

Another problem is that we aren’t born with great perception and discernment. We are born blind, deaf, and mute. We’re born dead. Satan comes along and says, “Here’s your gospel! You can have heaven if you repeat after me. And don’t listen to those kiljoy fools! You can have this world too! Keep coming to me, and it’s ALL yours!” And we follow and obey, completely unaware that we’re following the very creature we think we’re fighting.

What, pray tell, then, is the solution? It is the grace of God. To those whom he has chosen he gives life. He gives us sight to see, ears to hear, and a mouth to speak truth. And we breathe Scripture like pure water. We immerse (baptize, in Greek) ourselves daily in the truth. We stare intently into the mirror, just as James urges. And then we do. We do everything the Word says, believing that it is true. We become servants because that’s what Jesus did. We surrender our life and our safety and our possessions to others because that’s what we’ve been called to do. We lose our life for our Savior’s sake, and then we will find it.

But today’s churches look nothing like this. Today we walk around, content to have our tickets to heaven. We sit around bickering about “appropriate worship music” while not caring two hoots that people are dying and going to hell. We make comments like, “There’s no excuse for smelling bad when soap only costs a few cents,” while Jesus screams through his tears, “There’s no excuse for your putrid sins when I paid the price already.” We slam the door of heaven for those who seek it with tears and agony (the very people Jesus came to save), while bragging to their face that WE have our heaven tickets… like it’s some kind of trophy. We, who blasphemingly bear the name of Christ, are the very ones who make our converts twice the sons of hell that we are.

May God have mercy on us. And may our eyes be opened, lest we perish in our self deception.