Hate to get personal. But, are you deceived?
No?
Are you sure?
This will keep you up at night:
By definition, if we’re deceived we don’t know it!
Hmmm. Okay, deep topic. But if this Blog is about “foundations,” then this concept takes us straight down to bedrock!
Why do you believe what you believe? I’m not talking about preferences or opinions. I’m talking about the key, foundational “pillars” of your life.
Think about it. It’s one thing to be “deceived” for fun. We enjoy watching David Copperfield, Penn and Teller, and folks on America’s Got Talent who professionally “deceive” us as illusionists.
Unfortunately, others also deceive us, and it’s not entertaining. Ever been deceived by a salesperson, a home contractor, or the media? Or “science” (“Everybody believes that xyz…”)? It may take years – if ever – to realize we’ve been duped.
Any deception going on leading up to the last election? Since the last election?
Foundational Principle: We must each carefully examine what we believe, why we believe it, and how we can “truth test” that belief.
So how can we keep from being deceived? Here are some of my thoughts.
- “Follow the money.” If significant wealth can be gained (or not lost) by promoting a particular position, there’s a real possibility that the “facts” are skewed toward a misleading or false conclusion. Do I hear “faulty ignition switches” and falsified diesel tests?
- “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” I often send out quotes from American Founding Fathers, suitable for printing and framing. Please share them! Our founders were concerned about potential abuses and corruption – like we’re seeing today.
- We frequently hear of otherwise intelligent people who “cooked the books” or tweaked research results (etc.) to keep their jobs. Look for – and place great value on – integrity!
- Final thought: If a person will lie for you, or to their spouse, they can just as easily lie to you. Yes; private lives matter.
How can we “come out of” deception? Follow the “Foundational Principle” above, and: Seek out people of integrity who will “be real” – who will tell it to you straight. Then listen to them. This often starts with your spouse!
Also:
- Whenever the Bible says, “Do not be deceived” – pay attention. You will be amazed how many times this word and its derivatives appear in the Old and New Testaments.
- First, it means that you can be deceived.
- Second, you either just read or are about to read something that you need to heed, in order to keep you from becoming deceived!
- If you’re willing to allow God to direct your life, His Word can expose deception and lead you into truth.
- Next principle: The Bible warns against those who preach “another gospel.” Several major religions are based on “revelation” given to a single person, ostensibly by an angel.
- Galatians 1:8, New American Standard Bible (NASB): 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
- Last, the Bible warns against those who specifically don’t want to know the truth!
- 2 Timothy 4:3, New American Standard Bible (NASB): For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires…
Of course, these points are meaningless if you don’t even read the Bible – and few Christians in America do on a regular basis. I suspect that we either choose to intentionally seek truth, or we fall into ever-increasing deception.
My prayer for many months has been that God would: “Reveal truth and lead us to it; expose deception and deliver us from it.”
Will you join me in this prayer?
Question: How else can we avoid deception? Love to hear from you. Click on email link to respond.
Regards,
Bill