The Deceitfulness of Sin

by Chris Simmons

There are many times in our life in which things are not always as they seem to be. Based on what we see or hear, we believe one thing, when in fact, reality is often something else. Spiritually, we also can be deceived into believing or practicing that which is not true. God’s word contains many exhortations and warnings regarding the need to avoid deception since the devil and his angels are endlessly devoted to the propagation of all manners of deceit (II Thessalonians 2:9-10). However, we can not excuse our being deceived as something that we could not avoid. Each one of us is individually responsible and we must love and pursue truth in order to avoid being deceived. We can’t afford to ever forget our personal obligation to “see to it that no one misleads you” (Matthew 24:3).

We must realize that sin itself is deceitful. We read in Hebrews 3:13, “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” There are many ways in which we can be deceived by sin. For one, someone who is a Christian can be deceived into thinking that there is no need to worry about sin any longer, and that we are in no danger of giving way to temptation or being carried away by error and “falling from our own stedfastness” (II Peter 3:17; cf., I Corinthians 10:12-13).

Another way in which we can be deceived by sin, is in thinking that maybe something really isn’t a sin after all. From the very beginning, Satan deceived Eve and then Adam into thinking that partaking of the forbidden fruit wasn’t really a sin (Genesis 3:4-5). Have we allowed Satan to beguile us into thinking that, maybe social drinking really isn’t wrong? Or maybe, adultery or fornication really aren’t actually sins? Perhaps we are deceived into redefining some sins (i.e., adultery) into what they are not. This is the process that we are warned of in Hebrews 3:13 where the deceitfulness of sin hardens our heart and that which once bothered our conscience no longer offends it.

Sin deceives us with its ability to provide “passing pleasures” and the immediate gratification of the flesh rather than waiting in faith and hope for an eternal reward (Hebrews 11:24-26). Sin entices us to look to immediate fulfillment of “the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (I John 2:15), rather than to wait patiently and faithfully for what God has promised.

Sin is deceptive in terms of its cost. If David had known what his sin against Bathsheba and her husband Uriah (i.e., the loss of a child, the guilt, the tragedies within his family) would eventually cost him, would he have been willing to pay it? If Adam and Eve contemplated the price for their sin (i.e., the loss of Paradise and being sent from the presence of God; cf., Genesis 3:16-24; Romans 5:12ff), would they deem their bite of the forbidden fruit to be worth it? The price of sin is deceptive. It’ll cost you more than you think. If left unforgiven, it will cost you your soul.

Many are deceived by sin into thinking that man will not be held accountable at the second-coming of Christ. Paul told the Thessalonians, “let no one in any way deceive you” regarding Christ coming again, to the effect that they had “missed it.” The point of such false teachers is to spread the notion that there is no accountability before God. If Christ had already come, then they could live however they pleased. Yet today, many fall prey to the deception that we are not accountable before God for what we do. The truth of God’s word states differently. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10; cf., Acts 17:30-31).

Thus, we must not allow ourselves to be deceived into thinking that we can continue in sinful practices and still go to heaven. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 6:9-11, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” We have been deceived if we think that we can continue to be fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves or drunkards (or any other sin) and have any hope of inheriting the kingdom of God. To the Ephesians Paul wrote, “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them” (Ephesians 5:5-7). Anyone who comes preaching that you can continue in your sins and still be pleasing before God is speaking deceptive and “empty words.”

We can be deceived into thinking that sin only involves the commission of acts contrary to God’s word and not by failing to do what we know (or should know from God’s word) to be right in His sight. James wrote, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). We have to guard against being deceived into thinking that we can be pleasing before God simply by hearing God’s word and not “doing.” “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (James 1:22). To hear and not be a “doer” of the word is to be one who has a “dead faith” (James 2:17).

Even if we understand that we have sinned and that we will be judged one day by God, man is often deceived into thinking that we have plenty of time to repent and be reconciled to God, later. The point of the context of James 4:13-17, is that we don’t know what tomorrow holds and it is arrogant on our part to presume that we have any ability to determine what tomorrow will hold. To put off obedience to the will of God in order to have our sins forgiven is foolish, because we do not want to hear the same words said to the rich man in Luke 12:20, “You fool! This very night your soul is required of you.”

Understanding the great consequences of being deceived by sin, may we ever love truth, be vigilant against deception and error, and pray that we always “keep deception and lies far from me” (Proverbs 30:7).