For the past month, I’ve been trying to deceive. Not people, but a mature trophy buck I’ve spotted twice on my property. I set up my ladder stand in a tree. I camouflaged it so it blended in with the surrounding trees, and all through the woods, I placed scene pads soaked with the smell of a doe. Now, wearing camo clothes with scene neutralizer, I sit and wait occasionally grunting with my caller to imitate a deer. All this in an effort to fool this buck into thinking a doe is there and no human is around. However, he is old and wise and hasn’t been deceived, yet.
For us humans, we live in an age permeated with deception. Some examples: models, both female and male, appear to present the perfect body on a magazine cover then individuals attempt in vain to emulate their physique unaware the so-called perfect model has been Photoshopped. Those delicious looking pancakes covered with the advertised syrup, it is actually motor oil—it produces a better picture. A commercial with a bowl of fruit looks so tempering you go to the grocery store. However, the fruit in the ad shines because producers coated it with hairspray. That official looking e-mail from your Credit Card Company, Bank, or IRS wanting more information, is a deceptive scam to steal your identity. And of course, there are the politicians—need I say more on that subject.
For Christians, more than any other warning concerning the last days before Jesus returns, deception is at the top of the list. Jesus warned repeatedly, Watch out that no-one deceives you . . . many false prophets will appear and deceive many people (Matt 24:4, 11 NIV). Every writer of the New Testament refers to deception. Even for first century Christians, John wrote, For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist (2 Jn 1:7).
Deception gives a false impression by appearance, a statement, or an influence concealing or misrepresenting the truth. It has been around since the Garden of Eden, the serpent deceived Eve (2 Cor 11:3). Examples and admonitions appear throughout the entire Bible with the final reference in the later part of Revelation; And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev 20:10). So no escaping the fact deception will be around us until the end. This demands our vigilance and discernment. Scripture give multiple means of deception utilized Satan —wealth, riches, lusts, wickedness, sin, empty words, people, bad company, and deceitful spirits to mention a few.
Probably the worst kind of deception is self-deception. Let no man deceive himself (1 Co 3:18). For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself (Gal 6:3). If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless (Jam 1:26). If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us (1Jn 1:8). People can deceive themselves concerning their relationship with God. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven (Mat 7:21). The members of church at Laodicea deceived themselves thinking they were mature Christians because they had become wealthy and needed nothing. Deception blinded them to the fact they were spiritual wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked (Rev 3:17).
The first step in overcoming deception is awareness that not everything you hear and see is truth. Satan is the author of all deception but uses people through smooth and flattering speech to deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting—unsuspecting is the opposite of awareness. Just because it feels right, does not make it true. False prophets, false teachers, deceitful workers, those disguised as apostles of Christ are skilled at manipulating people’s emotions. History records countless stories about hikers, pilots, and boaters who realized they were lost because they felt their compass was incorrect. The Bible must be our compass, which always points to truth.
Paul commended the Bereans for receiving the word and also for examining the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11). More than once, I’ve heard pastors say in these exact or similar words, “Don’t you ever question what I’m teaching you.” That is a good time to exit the door. The apostles invited scrutiny knowing that investigating the Scripture would prove their message was true.
I have sat in my deer stand almost every day for four weeks, but have not deceived him yet. However, I still have six weeks and at some point, he will make a mistake and I will be waiting. That might be what Satan is saying about us. He is persistent because he wants us as a trophy. Don’t expect deception to lessen, But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim 3:13)
Sustaining Word for the Week: Don’t deceive yourself. Be aware that not everything you hear and see is true, know the Bible, scrutinize the teaching you receive, and ask the Holy Spirit for discernment.