Deception!
By Evangelist Paul Mershon
January 20, 2012
Paul says, "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth..." Satan is very comfortable in a person who is a liar. John 8:44 calls the devil a liar and the father of lies. Every time you tell a lie, you are acting like the devil; and you've given a place to him. (Adrian Rogers)
“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived”
(2 Timothy 3:13).
Deception
(1) The act of deceiving.
(2) Trickery
(3) Fraud
(4) Double-dealing
(5) Subterfuge
(6) Intentional misrepresentation
(7) The act of misleading
(8) Blatant lying
(9) Pretending to be someone or something that one is not.
(10) Sneaky and sly
Synonyms
artifice, cheating, cozenage, craft, craftiness, crookedness, crookery, cunning, cunningness, deceitfulness, deceit, deceptiveness, dishonesty, dissembling, dissimulation, double-dealing, dupery, duplicity, fakery, foxiness, fraud, guile, guilefulness, wiliness
At the outset of this article, I must be honest in stating that not much shocks me anymore. In my 37 years of preaching the Word of God, both as a pastor and evangelist, I have seen my share of unbelievable things that ought not once be named amongst the children of God. One particularly upsetting thing that I have witnessed over the years within Christian circles is deception. This sinful behavior takes many different forms, but at its very root is a lying spirit. As noted in the opening quote by Adrian Rogers, this behavior has a satanic component. It deeply saddens my heart that we find amongst us those who are deceivers, and yet this behavior is common to all men, including the child of God who is not controlled by the Holy Spirit. May I remind my readers that, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Yes, the human heart is deceitful by nature, and deceit is desperately wicked in any and every form.
What are we to think of folks who had been active members of an independent Baptist church who joined that church knowing full-well that they were in disagreement with portions of the statement of faith and church covenant? For years they were deceptive as to their dissimilar beliefs, remaining silent until they were inevitably discovered to hold unorthodox and unscriptural dogmas wholly contrary to sound doctrine. Inevitably their unbiblical views, when they eventually came to the surface, caused division and strife within that local body of believers, and they were dismissed from the membership of the church for cause. It is unconscionable that anyone claiming the Name of Christ would or could live with this deception for so long and continue on in fellowship with a church that had stated doctrinal convictions with which they were in total disagreement. Not only did their behavior clearly demonstrate extremely poor ethical conduct, but also a lack of integrity that ought never mark the child of God.
Beloved, it is patently dishonest and deceptive to knowingly join a church with which you are in disagreement, whether it be in doctrine or practice, or both. To do so is dishonest and deceptive. I am not speaking here of minor differences or nit-picky nonsense, but major and important disagreements with any portion of the statement of faith, church covenant, or constitution and bylaws. I have seen those folks who knowingly joined a church without ever stating their opposition to differences in doctrine or practice, only to raise those issues once they were members, causing division and untold heartache. Honest people will not join a church with which they cannot, in all good conscience, align themselves.
I was privy to one situation where a family joined a church willingly and willfully knowing that they were in disagreement with the music employed in that particular assembly. If there was any question that they were not going to be compatible with that church they should have never joined it. They were deceptive and dishonest.
In another case a family joined a church who were opposed to youth groups and youth ministries, more in favor of an integrated church. They were unhappy with the leadership of the church because of this, and eventually took an adversarial stand against the youth ministry, along with other ministries a part of that local assembly. They knew going into the membership of the church that they were in strong disagreement with all of this, and yet they said nothing when they presented themselves for membership. They were dishonest and deceptive.
I was witness to yet another church where folks were deceptive about their involvement in new age philosophies and practices, saying nothing when they presented themselves for membership in an independent Baptist church. When their new age activities eventually came to the surface, this caused no end of problems for the church leadership. They were deceptive and dishonest.
In some cases there are those folks who have an agenda and enter into the flock deceptively. The Apostle Paul warned of such when he addressed the Ephesian elders in Acts chapter 20. “Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts 20:26-31). There is no question that there are infiltrators who will enter into churches with an agenda. It behooves the leadership of the church to carefully examine everyone coming for membership, especially those who have made the rounds of numerous churches in the area. There is something wrong with folks who have a history of running from one church to another, whether they have an agenda or not. If they found something to disagree with in those other churches, it won’t be long before they will find something to disagree with when they become members of your church. These sort of folks will generally be silent with any observed differences, doctrinal or otherwise, until after they have been members for a period of time. This is deceptive and dishonest.
Well, my beloved friends, deception is really nothing more than lying. With this in mind, please give pause to consider the following thoughts.
It is a poor thing to talk of living in the heavenlies if we are walking with the world. It is most inconsistent to glory in our privileges in Christ if we are behaving according to the flesh. And so here the apostle emphasizes the importance of true Christian living. He says, in verse 25, "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another . . . ."
The word translated "lying" is simply the Greek word that we have taken over into English, pseudo - "that which is false." We are to put away everything that is merely pretence or sham, and speak every man truth with his neighbor. The Christian is called to be punctilious, to be honest even in little things, not to make bargains that he does not keep. If a business man, he is not to over-state the case when trying to sell something. In Proverbs we read, "It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth" (Proverbs 20:14). Even that is contrary to the Holy Spirit of God. The Christian is called on to be true in everything; true in his behavior, true in his speech.
Notice the motive given, "For we are members one of another." He is thinking especially here, of course, of our relation to fellow-believers, as though he would say, "Why should you attempt ever to deceive a fellow-believer? Why should you ever be false to another child of God? Why should you pretend to something that is not true when dealing with another Christian? Why should you be unfaithful to a member of the same Body to which you yourself belong?" Can you imagine members of our natural bodies being false one to another? What is for the good of one is good for all; and so in the Body of Christ, what is for the good of one member is for the good of all, and the Christian is called to see that he never defaults in any way in his dealings with a fellow-Christian. (Dr. Harry Ironside)
. . . . We ought always speak the truth. David said, "I said in my haste (khawfaz - "suddenly in fear"), All men are liars (by nature)" (Psalm 116:11) . . . . Speaking the truth would resolve most of the problems in the average church. Long ago I gave up the idea of trying to straighten out all of the lies that I hear in Christian circles. I found out that I could spend all my time doing that. Since believers are members of one body, speaking the truth is imperative. (Dr. J. Vernon McGee)
"Sorry, but I just do not trust you anymore. You have been dishonest with me one time too many, and I no longer can place my trust in much of anything you say or do."
No more devastating words could ever be spoken than these. I think that it goes without much saying that trust must be earned and nurtured. What one has worked at for many years in their personal and corporate relationships can be destroyed with a single lie. Just as trust is earned and is not a predisposed matter, so may mistrust be earned in a moment of careless indiscretion.
Nothing betrays and breaks the bond of a trusting relationship like this thing of lying. It is difficult, if not impossible, to trust someone who has intentionally lied to you. It is hurtful and heartbreaking when it is discovered that someone you have placed much trust in has intentionally deceived you and told you something that is patently false. Do not misunderstand. Folks can unwittingly repeat something they feel to be factual that is untrue, and do so without malicious intent. Sometimes a brother or sister in the Lord can say something in all good faith that is not actually true, but did so without forming an intentional lie. But when someone sets out to tell an intentional lie, or designs a statement with intent to deceive, that is an entirely different matter. It is hard to place any amount of trust in a person who has intentionally and hurtfully lied to you.
Of all of the sins fallen man commits, lying is amongst the worst. Sadly, it is the most common of sins amongst professing Christian people. And it is so commonplace in our perverse and spiritually destitute American culture today, as to cause one to realize just how far away from God we as a nation really are. I don't want to come across as overly pessimistic or negative, but the plain truth is that we are a nation of liars! Lying is a way of life in the business world, and it surely is a way of life in the governmental affairs of the nation. From the city council to the U.S. House of Representatives; from the mayor's office to the White House, I have very little trust in the veracity and honesty of those we have elected to represent and serve us.
Of all the aberrant character traits of man, lying is certainly one of the most grievous. For many, lying is a way of life. Lying becomes a part of the persona of those who practice this sin habitually. When a man is not good for his word because he is a known liar, he also hasn't a good name, nor can he ever be looked upon as righteous or just in any way, shape of form. He becomes known for his pattern prevarication. Lying is surely a costly and destructive sin. Ananias and Sapphira not only tried to deceive Peter and others, but they also conspired together to lie to the Holy Ghost (Acts 5:1-11), and it cost them their lives. Listed among the condemning sins of Revelation 21:8 is the sin of lying. "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and ALL LIARS, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Powerful truth, this! A man may profess all he wants to be a child of God, but it is clear to me that the unrepentant liar never having real victory in his life over this sin, and never experiencing the hand of God in chastisement upon him because of it, will one day end up in "the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." Can a truly born-again Christian lie? Surely! But he cannot do so without God's corrective hand upon him, and cannot do so without some form of chastisement. God does not want His children to be liars, and He will definitely correct His own when this sin becomes a compulsive and un-confessed, unresolved pattern in life.
The compulsive liar tends to be so delusional that he believes his own lies, and is no longer convicted by his behavior. The pathological liar generally goes into a state of self-induced denial. A man has become dangerous when he has learned to look others in the eye and lie without blinking, without compulsion, or without qualm of conscience. He can, and will do much damage with his lying, and leave a lot of direct and collateral damage in his wake. The compulsive liar can lie so convincingly that neither his countenance nor body language will betray him. His conscience no longer bears witness against him because he has habituated into a state of mind-numbing fantasy.
For those of you who are a little bit older, you may well remember the old radio program from the 1940s and 1950s, "Fibber McGee and Molly." Millions would tune in week-after-week to laugh at a pathological liar. As Mr. McGee's nickname implies, he was a pattern prevaricator of monumental proportions. A large radio audience would gather around the old Philco or Silvertone and laugh as Fibber McGee told one lie after another. It is a sin-sick society that makes lying a subject for comedy. To make light of this sin that God so hates tells me an awful lot about where we were as a nation back in the "good old days," and how far we have come today. The whoppers that are told as a generally acceptable way of life today would make that old liar, Fibber McGee, blush!
It would be good for us to remember that a so-called "half-truth" is, in fact, a whole lie. That thing we call a "little white lie" is just as dark and filthy in the sight of God as any other lie. The intention of a "half-truth" and a "little white lie" are exactly the same as any lie. They are lies no matter what we call them. Lying takes many different forms, and many have become adept at lying as a matter of "situation ethics," which are not ethical at all. I have heard some say, "Oh, well, it was just a little lie, and it won't hurt anyone." Why not ask God what He thinks of it! The secretary who lies for her boss when he does not want to take a call by telling the caller, "Sorry, sir, but he is not in at the moment. Can I take a message?", is lying straight through her teeth. Once again, situation ethics come into play, and the situation was not ethical in any way. I have heard folks say, who lied for their boss, or someone else in authority, "Well, I was just following orders." Sounds nice, but that will not get the liar off the hook. That's exactly what Hitler's henchmen said as they pled their case before the international tribunal at Nuremburg. "I was just following orders!" The end result was the gallows for most. The liar will always find him or herself hanging on the gallows of their own making!
I have known of two Baptist churches that dismissed their pastors after they were caught in egregious lies. They are the distinct exception rather than the rule. I have known of not one Baptist church that has ever disciplined a church member discovered to have engaged in open, intentional lying that was left un-confessed and un-repented of. It is remarkable to me that we Baptist people tend to see some sins less weighty than others, and some sins less deserving of discipline than others. For some reason, lying would not be viewed as deserving of discipline as would be the sin of adultery, and yet God sees them as equally sinful. One sin is not weightier that any other sin. In the eyes of God ALL sin is exceedingly sinful. When any sin has lost its exceeding sinfulness in the eyes of God's people, we are indeed in much trouble!
Nothing should smite the heart more quickly and thoroughly than the uttering of an intentional lie. This smiting of heart will never be the case with the bold-faced liar who has literally taught his tongue to speak lies. Jeremiah identified the ways of the bold-faced liar when he addressing the sins of his people. He said, "OH that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity" (Jeremiah 9:1-5). I perceive that many men have been unrepentant, uncorrected liars for so long that they are never smitten of heart when they commit this horrid sin.
One thing I have learned is that it is better for me to catch myself in this sin and quickly confess it and correct it than for someone else to catch me in it and destroy that person's trust in me as a friend and servant of the Lord. If a man or woman have lied to another, they must go to that one to whom they have lied and confess it, seeking forgiveness and restoration. Confession of sin and the forsaking of it is the only right and biblical way to restore fellowship with God and man. If pastors, or others in leadership, have lied in a public way, public confession is the only correct way to make the thing right. If a lie told has been hurtful to the Body of Christ in any way, public confession and the seeking of forgiveness is the only way to resolve and clear the matter. It takes humility and meekness to do this, but it is right in the sight of God, and He will always honor it when we do things His way.
I have heard Christian folks laugh and make light of the adage, "Well, speaking evangelistically . . . ." What is meant by this sad thought is that it is not considered to be uncommon for the evangelist to embellish his illustrations with questionable things, or tell stories in the body of his message that appear to be sensational and far-fetched. Perhaps this is true of some men in evangelism, but if it is, these men ought not to be in the pulpit ministry. My point is, why would any of us make light of anything that smacks of a lie? All of us standing before God's people in the sacred desk MUST, at all costs, take great care to be truthful and fastidious in all that we say and do. It is not funny when men lie!
As a final point, consider with me, if you will, what John said about the nature and character of the devil. " . . . . He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). Remember that Satan is a liar and the father of lies. When we lie, we reflect his nature, his character, and follow his example. On the other hand, when we follow the path of honesty, we reflect the nature, character, and follow the example of Almighty God, Who cannot lie (Titus 1:2). As His children, we ought ever and always reflect His character in all that we do and say.
When revival broke out in a large Baptist church in Texas in 1988, one of the things that took place was the open, public confession of sin. Many stood to their feet and confessed to the sin of lying. God breathed fresh upon this church in revival because of their willingness to come clean with him, as well as one another. I was praying with a missionary friend during the invitation season at the end of a church service. As he wept and sobbed, he cried out aloud, "Oh, God, I am such a liar! I confess this sin to you, and ask that you help me to be honest in all of my ways." That kind of praying and confessing of sin will surely capture the attention of God, and glorious restoration is sure to follow. Each and every one of us need to examine our hearts carefully and closely about this, one of the most pervasive and subtle sins amongst God's people in every generation.