Self-deceit in all its wretched glory

Self-deceit in all its wretched glory

Self-deceit is tricky business because often we are never able to look at ourselves objectively. We have a way of showing ourselves too much grace or being blind to our own faults, and unfortunately, we are the ones who write the lead scripts of our lives, and so even when we are the antagonist, we can write ourselves in as the protagonist. I mean we own the pens to the stories of our lives. We get to tell the story they way we choose to see it whether it is truth or a lie.

Our minds often have the ability to create a nice delusional bubble, a soft comfortable, self-soothing existence where we are always right and know everything. Some sort of alternative universe where things only happen according to how we see them, never mind those around us who are affected by our actions, or better yet how God sees it all. We walk around so confident about truths that are based solely on stories we sell to ourselves, and that are based on our own fleshy interpretations. These include the scripted lies we tell ourselves about who we are, who we are in other people’s lives and who they are to us, what they did to you, what they owe you or even about the sins we commit, and the list goes on.

There are times we can be living in uttermost deceit and completely ignorant. I once heard a woman brag about the relationship she has with her children and how people are envious of it, yet her children secretly loath her and cannot wait to be rid of her, or a boss who refers to other heads in their department as difficult and horrible, and considers themselves to be a wonderful boss, yet the whole office cannot stand them. What of those who are quick to judge others for their sins yet they themselves have not repented of their own sins; or those who think they are able to love others yet they are unable to love themselves; or people who cannot go a day without alcohol yet believe that they are not alcoholics; or  that spouse who believes they are  the spouse of the year by loving their husband/ wife the way they thinks they want to be loved, yet they have never bothered to ask him/ her what they need in order to feel loved;  or  you believe that you have been wronged yet you are the one who set fire to the flame; or lying to ourselves that our children are okay or that our marriages are okay or that we are  okay, yet we are not, and the list goes on. So often we are so lost in your own self-deceit that we have no time to listen to other people or even open ourselves to listen to the Holy Spirit. Hence, the worst thing about self-deceit is that we never know when it is time to go to God and not only repent, but to ask for help.

Interestingly enough, self-deceit can happen to the best of no one is immune.  The best example I can think of in the bible about self-deceit are the pharisees who thought they were righteous based on the religious rules that they followed, yet they were very far from it. Another is the story of King David when he committed adultery with the wife of Uriah, and after had him killed, but he did not acknowledge the gravity of what he had done or acknowledge. He seemed to have given himself a pass for his actions until he was confronted by the prophet Nathan. Interestingly enough, the prophet of God had to approach David and tell him the story of a random rich man who took a poor man’s only female lamb to prepare a meal for his visitor yet he had plenty of sheep and cows, and interestingly enough, David was immediately outraged by the actions of the rich man and declared that the man should be put to death for his actions and must pay back four times the price of the lamb because he did this and had no pity. He was so lost in his own self-deceit that it never occurred to him that he had done the same thing when he stole Uriah’s wife and proceeded to kill the poor man 

2 Samuel 12

Nathan Confronts David

12 So the Lord sent Nathan to David. Nathan came to him and said, “There were two men in a certain city. One was rich, and the other was poor. 2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cows, 3 but the poor man had only one little female lamb that he had bought. He raised her, and she grew up in his home with his children. She would eat his food and drink from his cup. She rested in his arms and was like a daughter.

4 “Now, a visitor came to the rich man. The rich man thought it would be a pity to take one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveller. So, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared her for the traveller.”

5 David burned with anger against the man. “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives,” he said to Nathan, “the man who did this certainly deserves to die! 6 And he must pay back four times the price of the lamb because he did this and had no pity.”

7 “You are the man!” Nathan told David. “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: I anointed you king over Israel and rescued you from Saul. 8 I gave you your master Saul’s house and his wives. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if this weren’t enough, I would have given you even more. 9 Why did you despise my word by doing what I considered evil? You had Uriah the Hittite killed in battle. You took his wife as your wife. You used the Ammonites to kill him. 10 So warfare will never leave your house because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.

Just looking at the story above isn’t it ironical how when we do something we engage in self-deceit and excuse ourselves, but when someone does the exact same thing or something we are able to see clearly.

So, my question to you today is: could there be ways in which you are deceiving yourself to the point where you are failing to see what is really going on? My only advice to you is that as you reflect upon this, is to realise that unfortunately we are not able to really see ourselves through our fleshy eyes and that is where the Holy Spirit comes in. Seek Him and let Him evaluate you and identify if there is an area where you could be limiting the purpose that God has for your life because of self-deceit recent decisions.

Verses to reflect on

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 

Revelation 3: 17-18

Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing”—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

 Luke 18:9-14

Also, He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you; this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

1 John 1: 8

 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

 Mark 7:21-23

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.

Deuteronomy 11:16

Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them.

Proverbs 26:12

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Obadiah1:3-4
The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock,
Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” says the LORD. 

Romans 12:3

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

I Corinthians 3:18

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

Galatians 6: 3

For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
1 John 1:8

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

1 John 1:10

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

1 Corinthians 15:33

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Isaiah 5:21

 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.

1 Corinthians 3:18

Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.

Galatians 6:3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.

2 Timothy 3:13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2 Corinthians 10:12

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

 2 Corinthians 13:5 

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

 Hebrews 4:12

 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

James 1:22-25 

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it–not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it–they will be blessed in what they do.

Revelation 3:17

Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,

Luke 11:42-52

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the respectful greetings in the market places. Woe to you! For you are like concealed tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it.”

John 8:33-34

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.

Jeremiah 7:9-11

Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known, then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—that you may do all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” declares the Lord.

1 Corinthians 3:18-20

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.”

Proverbs 12:15

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

2 Corinthians 10:12

For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

Isaiah 1:11-17

“What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony? Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting— they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings. I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals. They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them! When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

Isaiah 58:2-7

For day after day, they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarrelling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to lose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Luke 16:15

And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Proverbs 30:12

There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, yet is not washed from his filthiness.

Luke 18:9-14

 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayedthus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you; this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Romans 10:3

For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

Luke 18:9

And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:

Philippians 3:4-6

although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

1 John 1:8

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Proverbs 20:9

Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin”?

Proverbs 16:2

All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the Lord weighs the motives.

1 John 1:5-6

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

Proverbs 30:12

There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, yet is not washed from his filthiness.

Jeremiah 17:9

“The heart is more deceitful than all else. And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

Matthew 23:23-24

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

Luke 16:15

And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Hebrews 3:13

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Luke 18:9-11

And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

Colossians 2:16-18

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,

Proverbs 16:1-3

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The LORD works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster.

James 4:13-17

 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.  If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

John 16:7-8

 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.

Ephesians 6:11

Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.