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Do Not Be Decieved…
Do Not Be Decieved…
Four times in the New Testament we are told “do not be deceived.” These four words should grab our attention because each time they are used to preface a vital warning of self-deception. It is imperative that we take an objective look at the four warnings that follow “do not be deceived” to see if we are deceiving ourselves.
The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6.9)
We cannot do whatever we want and still go to heaven. This is a common form of self-deception we see today. Many people are happy to deceive themselves in this way because it makes doing whatever they want more carefree. Paul emphasizes this dangerous thinking to the Corinthians by listing ten different types of people that will not inherit the kingdom of God, including idolaters, adulterers, and the covetous (1 Corinthians 6.9-10). The same self-deception that we see today in America was prevalent in Corinth in the first century. Thinking you will inherit the kingdom of God when you are unrighteous is perhaps the most dangerous place a person can be. Do not be deceived; the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Evil company corrupts good habits (1 Corinthians 15.33)
The people we spend the most time with are who we will end up becoming like. Evil company is easy to find, and often we are intrigued by such company. Perhaps we choose to spend time with evil company because it feels like a way to get a glimpse of a worldly lifestyle without living sinfully ourselves. An easy justification to spending time in the company of evil would be that we have good habits that will prevent us from adopting the habits of the evil company. Paul tells us not to deceive ourselves with such lies. Be careful who you spend your time with, no matter how good your own habits are. Do not be deceived; evil company corrupts good habits.
God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (Galatians 6.7)
To avoid any confusion, Paul writes very clearly. We must not lie to ourselves; God’s grace does not mean He will be mocked. Therefore, what we sow we will also reap. With our limited view on earth, we can find circumstances where someone appears to have reaped what he did not sow. When looking at others, this self-deception leads to discouragement. Paul encourages us, “let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6.9). Even more dangerous, if we look at ourselves with this self-deception, we will lead ourselves away from God. We will receive the consequences of our actions, either in this life or the next one. Be mindful of the seeds you are sowing. Do not be deceived; God is not mocked.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above (James 1.16-17)
This warning, unlike the previous three, is positive: God is the supplier of all things good. When disasters take place, people often turn to God and ask why He would allow such a thing to happen. However, when good things happen it is easy to deceive ourselves and attribute the credit to something we did. We are often quick to look to God in times of need, but what about in times of abundance? Are we thanking God for every good and every perfect gift He has given us? This final warning, though positive, is a needed warning, nonetheless. As this gift giving season concludes, I hope you look back on the gifts you may have received and focus on the generosity of the person who gave to you. If your focus is on something you did to earn a gift, then you have missed the point of gift giving. When blessings come, if our focus is on what we may have done to earn such a blessing, then we have missed the point of the blessing and we have deceived ourselves with undue credit. Give all the credit to God. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren; every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.
– William Speer
