The Root of the Problem (Part 5): Deception

The Root of the Problem: Why We Sin & How We Can Overcome

An effective tactic used by the devil is deception. Jesus calls him the “father of lies” (John 8:44). Satan used deception to first introduce sin in the beginning. This threat continues even today.

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3).

Christians are not immune from the devil’s deceptive tactics. Paul feared the possibility of the brethren in Corinth falling away, being deceived as Eve was. We should not underestimate Satan’s deceit. After all, he is the one who “deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9).

One of the things that makes the devil so deceptive is that he has others who are aiding him in his work.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Who are Satan’s ministers? They will be those whom you might not initially suspect. Paul says they will be disguised as servants of righteousness. Consider the preacher, elders, and Bible class teachers in the church. Are they servants of righteousness, or merely disguised as such? How would we know?

Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting” (Romans 16:17-18).

The only way to know if one is a minister of Satan is by his message. One may seem like a wonderful person with a genuine interest in serving God and helping others. But ask these questions: Is his message in harmony with the gospel? Is he leading others down a path away from God?

Error is a downward spiral. Satan’s ministers lead people into sin, and many follow them in their apostasy. When this happens, the problem will only get worse.

But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13).

Sin by its very nature is deceptive. Even as Christians we can be “hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13). We are often deceived into thinking that sin is not really all that bad. We must understand the lies that are spread about sin, lest we be deceived and remain comfortable in our sin.

The Lies of Satan

Sin is not sin. Many will boldly deny that a particular action is sinful, though it is plainly condemned in the Bible. Homosexuality is condemned (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10), yet people insist that it is not a sin, but rather an alternate lifestyle. Peter tells us to refrain from the casual use of alcohol (1 Peter 4:3), yet others will say that social drinking is perfectly acceptable, just as long as we don’t get fully drunk. This list could go on and on. What the Bible defines as sin, the world labels as acceptable, normal, and sometimes even praiseworthy.

Sin is not a problem. Some will acknowledge that certain actions are sinful but claim that there is no reason to be concerned when we commit them. They say that God loves us and will therefore save us by His grace no matter what we do. The Scriptures, however, teach us that grace is not a license to sin (Romans 6:1-2; Jude 4). Instead, we are to give up sin (Romans 6:11-12). If we fail to do this, even though we may be Christians, we stand to receive God’s punishment in the end (Hebrews 10:26,29).

Time changes God’s standard. There are many things that have become commonly accepted in our time that were generally looked down upon in previous generations (divorce for any cause, homosexuality, abortion). Does this mean that the values and teachings of the Bible are irrelevant to our modern society? Some will affirm this is the case. But the reality is that our generation is no different than previous ones when it comes to God’s word. God’s standard does not change (1 Peter 1:25; Jude 3). Therefore, we must hold fast to it (2 Timothy 1:13), even though the world may be rapidly changing around us.

Culture changes God’s standard. Just as God’s standard is unchanged by time, it is also unchanged by culture. It is contrary to God’s character for Him to treat one group of people differently than another (Acts 10:34-35). Therefore, we will all be held accountable to the same standard – His word (John 12:48) – regardless of the culture in which we were raised.

Situations change God’s standard. Lying is wrong (unless you do so to save someone’s feelings). Stealing is wrong (unless you are trying to feed your family). Fornication is wrong (unless you truly love one another and intend to get married someday). These are the lies that society tells us. There is nowhere to go in God’s word to show that actions which would otherwise be sinful are actually right in certain situations. Quite the contrary, in fact.

Remember Uzzah who violated the command not to touch the ark (Numbers 4:15). When he transgressed this law, the ark was in danger of falling and being damaged or destroyed. Surely in that situation it would be acceptable – even necessary – to touch the ark and steady it, right? Wrong. God struck him dead because of his sin (2 Samuel 6:6-7). We must not try to justify sin based on the situation in which we happen to find ourselves.

Be Not Deceived

The lies about sin are common. The world tries to convince us that sin is not so bad and that we can engage in it without consequence. Yet as we have seen, the Scriptures teach otherwise. So how do we keep from being deceived? Be on the alert.

Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ, but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting” (Romans 16:17-18).

Paul warns of false teachers who deceive others. But who is it that will be deceived? It will be those who are unsuspecting. Therefore, we must be on the alert. Do not allow yourself to be lulled to sleep and thus let your guard down.

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:14-15).

If we are to avoid being tossed about by various teachings, being deceived through false words, then we must know the truth and grow in it. This context speaks of how God designed the church in order to help us in this growth (Ephesians 4:11-13). If we know the truth, we can keep from being deceived.

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 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” (Hebrews 3:12-13).

As we noted earlier, sin is deceitful. One way we can keep from being hardened by its deceitfulness is through the encouragement of our brethren. We should work to encourage one another and allow ourselves to be encouraged in return so that we can avoid and overcome sin. We are in this together. We ought to be there to help one another.

Summary

When you allow yourself to be deceived, you open the door for sin. Therefore, never let your guard down. Recognize the lies that are told about sin so that you will not fall for them. To keep from being deceived, you must develop a greater knowledge of and ability to handle God’s word.


This material is taken from the book, The Root of the Problem: Why We Sin & How We Can Overcome, published by Gospel Armory, © 2010.


.