If I was to ask you, “have you ever been deceived by others?”, the probability that you would answer ‘yes’ is fairly high, but should I ask you “have you ever been deceived by yourself?”, even the question kind of seems absurd. The idea that one would deceive themselves is not only foreign, but also seems improbable. The Bible however has some very clear cut guidelines regarding deceiving ourselves and each one of us have been guilty of this charge in times past or we continue to be in times present. How can one deceive themselves? James 1:21-22 states “Receive with meekness, the word that can save your souls, and be ye DOERS of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves.” By being merely hearers and not doers of the saving word, we deceive our own selves. Jesus himself said, whoever hears his sayings but does them not is likened unto a fool, who built his house upon the sand, which had a great fall, when the wind and waves beat upon it. (Matthew 7:26-27)
While faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17), faith produces action as mandated in the word of God. Those justified by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (the living Word of God) shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4) and faith (hearing) without actions (doing) is dead (James 2:20), which when extrapolated implies that the just shall live by doing. If we are merely hearers of the word, and not doers, we not only deceive our own selves but we are also dead.
Point(s) to ponder:
A Christian must DO, according to the scripture. The highest accolade that one can receive is “Well DONE, (not well heard), my good and faithful (doing) servant”. Will this be the accolade that Jesus can tell of you/me at the appointed time, or would He liken us to be a fool with shaky and failing foundations. Let us not deceive our own selves and more importantly let us not be dead (with a faith but no action).
James 1:21-22 (KJV)
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Matthew 25:31-40 (KJV)
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
