Beware Self - of Deception!

[Actaeon]

When we suffer from self-deception—Self-deception becomes rooted in our thinking, and visible in our activities. Or, to look at it in reverse – what we do, or how we act is in reality a product of our belief system (right or wrong). Therefore, if our believing is wrong then our actions will be wrong.

For those that have been deceived and are thinking wrong as a result of that deception, then they need to adjust, re-set, and refocus areas of their thinking that have been subjected to deception. Replacing them with truth, and ultimately seeing the conformation of truth in their actions (bring forth fruits worthy of repentance).

Please take a look at the Corinthian Church: The Corinthian church had tremendous access to the Scriptures. They had availability of the Bible. They enjoyed apostolic teaching and writings. The Corinthian church had a pedigree of preachers. Paul had founded the church. Apollos had continued the ministry in the church. Peter and his teaching had been referenced in their midst. Indeed, the Corinthian church was highly gifted. 1 Cor. 1:7, “Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”

BUT… The Corinthian church developed their own “wisdom” and disregarded God’s Word. 1 Cor. 3:1-2, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”

The Corinthian church put man’s wisdom ahead of God’s. Ultimately, they were exalting man’s wisdom over God’s ideas for them. They looked at what they had and said – we are spiritual. The Corinthians were content to boast of their great logic and their supposed well of wisdom that came from their own fleshly desires. They were deceived—self-deceived. They could abuse the gifts of the Spirit and have adultery and incest among them and rather than be shamed they boasted of their liberty in Christ. Self-deception is a darkness of which few lights can penetrate.

Is it possible that the Corinthian scenario could fit much of Pentecost today?

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[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Actaeon

When we suffer from self-deception—Self-deception becomes rooted in our thinking, and visible in our activities. Or, to look at it in reverse – what we do, or how we act is in reality a product of our belief system (right or wrong). Therefore, if our believing is wrong then our actions will be wrong.

For those that have been deceived and are thinking wrong as a result of that deception, then they need to adjust, re-set, and refocus areas of their thinking that have been subjected to deception. Replacing them with truth, and ultimately seeing the conformation of truth in their actions (bring forth fruits worthy of repentance).

Please take a look at the Corinthian Church: The Corinthian church had tremendous access to the Scriptures. They had availability of the Bible. They enjoyed apostolic teaching and writings. The Corinthian church had a pedigree of preachers. Paul had founded the church. Apollos had continued the ministry in the church. Peter and his teaching had been referenced in their midst. Indeed, the Corinthian church was highly gifted. 1 Cor. 1:7, “Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”

BUT… The Corinthian church developed their own “wisdom” and disregarded God’s Word. 1 Cor. 3:1-2, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”

The Corinthian church put man’s wisdom ahead of God’s. Ultimately, they were exalting man’s wisdom over God’s ideas for them. They looked at what they had and said – we are spiritual. The Corinthians were content to boast of their great logic and their supposed well of wisdom that came from their own fleshly desires. They were deceived—self-deceived. They could abuse the gifts of the Spirit and have adultery and incest among them and rather than be shamed they boasted of their liberty in Christ. Self-deception is a darkness of which few lights can penetrate.

Is it possible that the Corinthian scenario could fit much of Pentecost today?

-+-

Actaeon,

I think there is some credibility to what you are trying to say but I might change the wording a bit. Man's self deception is not 'wisdom' by any means. The Bible tells us...and the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. This means that God isn't winking at ignorance of his word and precepts. We have free and unlimited access to truth, the scriptures, and good teaching. There is no excuse for ignorance or self deceit or justification any longer.

Blessings, Rhoni

[rrford]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

Actaeon,

I think there is some credibility to what you are trying to say but I might change the wording a bit. Man's self deception is not 'wisdom' by any means. The Bible tells us...and the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. This means that God isn't winking at ignorance of his word and precepts. We have free and unlimited access to truth, the scriptures, and good teaching. There is no excuse for ignorance or self deceit or justification any longer.

Blessings, Rhoni

I think you missed the italics on the first use of the word "wisdom." That points out the fact that man's wisdom can lead to self-deception. In so doing it shows just how unwise man's wisdom really is.

BTW, great post Acteon. Add the admonition of James concerning the man who looks in the glass and then straightway forgets what manner of amn he is (self-deception) and one sees the folly of considering one wise in their own eyes.

[Just a Shepherd]

Originally Posted by Actaeon

The Corinthian church put man’s wisdom ahead of God’s. Ultimately, they were exalting man’s wisdom over God’s ideas for them. They looked at what they had and said – we are spiritual. The Corinthians were content to boast of their great logic and their supposed well of wisdom that came from their own fleshly desires. They were deceived—self-deceived. They could abuse the gifts of the Spirit and have adultery and incest among them and rather than be shamed they boasted of their liberty in Christ. Self-deception is a darkness of which few lights can penetrate.

Is it possible that the Corinthian scenario could fit much of Pentecost today?

-+-

Good post - I believe that you have identified a spirit within the leadership of the Pentecostal churches. They look at thier pedigrees and great conferences and decide that they have all these things because they are spiritual, when often it is all built upon man's "wisdom."

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by rrford

I think you missed the italics on the first use of the word "wisdom." That points out the fact that man's wisdom can lead to self-deception. In so doing it shows just how unwise man's wisdom really is.

BTW, great post Acteon. Add the admonition of James concerning the man who looks in the glass and then straightway forgets what manner of amn he is (self-deception) and one sees the folly of considering one wise in their own eyes.

Sorry, I guess I missed that one. I did not disagree with his observations about the church of today.

Blessings, Rhoni

[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Actaeon

When we suffer from self-deception—Self-deception becomes rooted in our thinking, and visible in our activities. Or, to look at it in reverse – what we do, or how we act is in reality a product of our belief system (right or wrong). Therefore, if our believing is wrong then our actions will be wrong.

For those that have been deceived and are thinking wrong as a result of that deception, then they need to adjust, re-set, and refocus areas of their thinking that have been subjected to deception. Replacing them with truth, and ultimately seeing the conformation of truth in their actions (bring forth fruits worthy of repentance).

Please take a look at the Corinthian Church: The Corinthian church had tremendous access to the Scriptures. They had availability of the Bible. They enjoyed apostolic teaching and writings. The Corinthian church had a pedigree of preachers. Paul had founded the church. Apollos had continued the ministry in the church. Peter and his teaching had been referenced in their midst. Indeed, the Corinthian church was highly gifted. 1 Cor. 1:7, “Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”

BUT… The Corinthian church developed their own “wisdom” and disregarded God’s Word. 1 Cor. 3:1-2, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”

The Corinthian church put man’s wisdom ahead of God’s. Ultimately, they were exalting man’s wisdom over God’s ideas for them. They looked at what they had and said – we are spiritual. The Corinthians were content to boast of their great logic and their supposed well of wisdom that came from their own fleshly desires. They were deceived—self-deceived. They could abuse the gifts of the Spirit and have adultery and incest among them and rather than be shamed they boasted of their liberty in Christ. Self-deception is a darkness of which few lights can penetrate.

Is it possible that the Corinthian scenario could fit much of Pentecost today?

-+-

Dunno about the application to Pentecost today, but I will attest to you that I take stuff like this and look for areas of personal application.

I miss these types of posts my friend and I am so glad to see you again!

RRFord was a good pinch hitter in your absence at any rate...but he has a tendency to be too controversial.

[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

Dunno about the application to Pentecost today, but I will attest to you that I take stuff like this and look for areas of personal application.

I miss these types of posts my friend and I am so glad to see you again!

RRFord was a good pinch hitter in your absence at any rate...but he has a tendency to be too controversial.

I guess the person who thinks I hate the word of God, men of God, people who follow God, and quite possibly God himself...missed this post.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Actaeon

When we suffer from self-deception—Self-deception becomes rooted in our thinking, and visible in our activities. Or, to look at it in reverse – what we do, or how we act is in reality a product of our belief system (right or wrong). Therefore, if our believing is wrong then our actions will be wrong.

For those that have been deceived and are thinking wrong as a result of that deception, then they need to adjust, re-set, and refocus areas of their thinking that have been subjected to deception. Replacing them with truth, and ultimately seeing the conformation of truth in their actions (bring forth fruits worthy of repentance).

Please take a look at the Corinthian Church: The Corinthian church had tremendous access to the Scriptures. They had availability of the Bible. They enjoyed apostolic teaching and writings. The Corinthian church had a pedigree of preachers. Paul had founded the church. Apollos had continued the ministry in the church. Peter and his teaching had been referenced in their midst. Indeed, the Corinthian church was highly gifted. 1 Cor. 1:7, “Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”

BUT… The Corinthian church developed their own “wisdom” and disregarded God’s Word. 1 Cor. 3:1-2, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”

The Corinthian church put man’s wisdom ahead of God’s. Ultimately, they were exalting man’s wisdom over God’s ideas for them. They looked at what they had and said – we are spiritual. The Corinthians were content to boast of their great logic and their supposed well of wisdom that came from their own fleshly desires. They were deceived—self-deceived. They could abuse the gifts of the Spirit and have adultery and incest among them and rather than be shamed they boasted of their liberty in Christ. Self-deception is a darkness of which few lights can penetrate.

Is it possible that the Corinthian scenario could fit much of Pentecost today?

-+-

Great word here, Elder...it's a tragic thing when one becomes so accustomed to following their own intellect and reasoning that they do not recognize that they are not pursuing the mind of Christ, but rather self.

[Tina]

Another GREAT Post...

Bumping it back to the top for those who said we needed more posts like this... from the counter showing views of this thread, it looks like it was missed by a lot of people.

[ReformedDave]

Greg Bahnsen wrote a short paragraph on the subject concerning the sinner and self-deception. Kind of does away with "the one who's never heard about Christ" theory.


Self-Deception

Until the sinner's heart is regenerated and his basic outlook changed, he will continue to resist the knowledge of God. As we just said, given his defective worldview and spiritual attitude, the unbeliever cannot justify any knowledge whatsoever and cannot come to know God in a saving fashion. This does not mean, however, that unbelievers do not have any knowledge, much less that they do not know God. What we said is that they cannot justify what they know (in terms of their unbelieving worldview), and they cannot know God in a saving way. The Bible indicates that unbelievers do, nevertheless know God - but it is a knowledge in condemnation, a knowledge which enables them to know things about themselves and the world around them, even though they suppress the truth of God which makes such knowledge possible.

According to Romans 1:18-21, unbelievers actually know God in their heart of hearts (v. 21). Indeed, that which is known of God is evident within them so that they are without excuse for their professed unbelief (vv. 19-20). Since He is not far from any of us, even pagan philosophers cannot escape knowing Him (cf. Acts 17:27-28). What unbelievers do is "suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom. 1:18). They are guilty of self-deception. Although in one sense they very sincerely deny knowing God or being persuaded by His revelation, they nevertheless are mistaken in this denial. In fact they do know God, they are persuaded by His revelation of Himself, and they now are doing whatever they can to keep that truth from sight and to keep from dealing honestly with their Maker and Judge. Rationalization and any number of intellectual games will be enlisted to convince themselves and others that God's revelation of Himself is not to be believed. In this way unbelievers, who genuinely know God (in condemnation), work hard - even if habitually (and in that sense unconsciously) - to deceive themselves into believing that they do not believe in God or the revealed truths about Him.

It is the knowledge of God which all believers inescapably have within themselves that makes it possible for them to know other things about themselves or about the world. Because they know God, they have a rationale for the laws of logic, the uniformity of nature, man's dignity and ethical absolutes. Accordingly they can pursue science and other aspects of life with some measure of success - even though they cannot account for that success (cannot provide the preconditions for the intelligibility of logic, science or ethics). For this reason every bit of the unbeliever's knowledge is an evidence supporting the truth of God's revelation, and a further indictment against unbelief on the day of judgment.

The task of apologetics is to strip the unbeliever of his mask, to show him that he has really known God all along but suppressed the truth unrighteously, and that knowledge would be impossible otherwise. Apologetics in this way goes to the heart of the matter. It challenges the heart of the unbeliever's philosophical outlook, and it confronts the self-deception which grips the unbeliever's personal heart.