Q6. Self-Deceit

[Anne coffey]

Perhaps it would be easier for us to avoid the deception caused by pacifully 

listening without acting if the   New Testament was promoted primarily as a teaching and study tool for Christian growth.This would challenge our passive

response. The reading of the new testament can often be too ritualistic in

places of worship and public gatherings and negates any personal

meaningfulness.We need to be able to hear Christs teaching as though we 

were hearing it for the very first time.

[Carolina]

We are easily fooled into thinking that by listening to Bible teachings that it means we are living out righteous lives because we are sinful and our pride is quick to fool us into self righteousness. It is only through the wisdom of Christ that you are aware if there is self exaltation or if you are in submission to His just will. The nature of the self deception is our original character where we seek the easy way out. No accountability to our actions or inactions. The tree with no fruit. We have to bear our cross daily and die to ourselves to follow Christ. Our goal is to strive towards being Christ-like. Where our lives are a reflection of Christ without having to speak the words "I am a Christian".

[Emmanuel Chindima]

we humans hate to acept the fact we are wrong and it seems everyone looks to pass the blame to someone else when they find fault in themselfs

[Mampho]

Because we think it makes us good people who gives attention to the things of God, it makes us feel proud. The nature of self-deception is when we become only the hearers of the Word but do not make no effort to practice what the Word teaches.

[Lisema Ralitsoele]

Q6. (James 1:22) Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? Listening to the preacher in Church during the Sunday sermon, reading the Bible and watching Gospel programs on tv are all very good practices; but they only fortify our sense of Christian-ness and lead us to self-satisfaction. It doesn’t mean that we’ve got it – that compelling must obey the Word of God sense. And it leads to live life by self - deception until we put what we hear, read and watch into practice by, for example, continual self - chastisement and repentance. What is the nature of the self-deception? It is easy to be captivated by the blessings in Deuteronomy 3 to 13. So, the nature of the self-deception is that we are happy with the promises, but ignore that which qualifies us to receive the blessings. Also, as is written in Luke 13 to 15: Jesus laid His hands on a woman suffering for 18 years with a spirit of infirmity, and healed her. And the ruler of the synagogue remarked with indignation that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. To which Jesus chided him: You hypocrites, you untie your ox and your donkey to lead them to drink on the Sabbath but you object to the deliverance from affinity for this daughter of Abraham!

[Manisha]

Q6. (James 1:22) Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? What is the nature of the self-deception?

We here the Word of God everyday or atleast once a week. We know the Word but if we fail to walk in the Lord's Word, we are like the one that was planted on rocky places.

 

[Perry Ford]

Q6. (James 1:22) Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? What is the nature of the self-deception? We are so easily fooled because we have been programmed to think that because we read something it, we by default become it. The nature of the self-deceit is that we think that we are being righteous, but we really are not. We think because we read something or we act a certain way that means we are righteous but that is further from the true.

[spazzo47]

I think we all have a belief that "I'm not that bad".  I was talking to someone about an upcoming play their theatre will do where a pastor wakes up one day and realizes that he doesn't believe in hell.  One of the key questions that's asked in the play is if there's not hell, then what happens to all the people worse than me?  It's almost like we judge people, and probably ourselves, by comparing with others.  I'm not as bad as the murderer who killed 19 kids and two teachers in Texas, but I'm probably not as good as my pastor's wife who never has a prayer request for herself, she always prays for other people's needs.  

By going to church and listening, we gets points added to that metric.  I may never be as good as the pastor's wife, but, by going to church and making an effort, I must be better than the people on my plane who aren't going to church.  I ran a half marathon once and people in a neighborhood we ran past came out that morning to cheer us on, some with signs that said, "YOu're running circles around the people who are still in bed."  It's that kind of idea.  

The other reason is that we have this idea in our head that something will stick.  I have a friends who believes in "Fake it till you make it."  It's an idea that if you wait long enough and pretend to be happy, optimistic, etc, I eventually will be.  In the case of going to church, we have this belief that people who go to church are good people, so if you go and fake being a better person long enough, you will become one.  

I think in all these examples, what people miss is that there has to be some sort of commitment to something.  If I want to be a good runner, I have to train most days.  Walking 13.1 miles one day is great, but by itself it won't make me fit, strong, or healthy.  If I want to be more like the pastor's wife, I might pick something up by watching her in a small group every week, but I will learn more from spending time with her and seeing how she lives life.  This past Sunday we learned about how closely the disciples followed Jesus around.  It was 24/7, everything that He did.  That's how rabbis taught their students, the students followed them around like ducklings every day.  

[Neil NRG2]

 

Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives?

I guess the devil will try and fool us any which way. Is it part laziness or lack of belief or purpose?

What is the nature of the self-deception?

Falsely believing that by listening to bible teaching that we are good Christians, but James talks of being doers of the Word. To be doers we need to live a Christ-centred life that includes bible study and prayer and acting on what we learn through listening to the still quiet voice of the Holy Spirit within.

 

[Therealizt258]

It is the nature of doing something for spirituality like going to church service and listening to a sermon we feel we our more " righteous" or in the right we miss out that the real blessings is living the lifestyle of Spirtaulity So we compare ourselves to people that are not practicing religion and think we're more holy!

[Irmela]

Q6. (James 1:22)

Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives?

What is the nature of the self-deception?

It is so easy to fall into the trap to believe all is above board when we attend service on a Sunday and read the Word. Meanwhile that is where it ends. Nothing is put into practice. We continue to live a lie and a life pleasing the flesh. This can quite easily not be a righteous life at all.  We need to put that aside and put into practice what we read or are taught. 

Not many people attend services on a regular basis anymore. (I guess beforehand the Bible was not easily available and many were illiterate and so the only place they heard or learnt more was when they attended meetings.  They also seemed to be accountable to each other to put into practice what was heard. ) Congregations are large and not everyone is known by everyone else, so it is easy to just fall into deception , that all is ok. We deceive ourselves into believing that attending service or reading a little in the Scriptures is enough. Meanwhile we lash out in anger, tell lies, covet what others have, jealousy is rife etc.

[haar]

Q6. (James 1:22) Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? What is the nature of the self-deception?

We are probably full of ourselves because of the work we are doing reading, listening and teaching the word that we probably don’t pause to examine if at all we are doing what the word tells to do.

Self-deception is the tendency by many of us to hear the word but do not do what is required.

However, one sad thing I notice is that a lot of times, I am not a good listener/ reader in the first place due to wandering mind that makes me miss what had been said or read. How can I then do what I have not heard or read? Lord God, take total control of my wondering mind and help me to hear well and do what is required. Amen. 
 

[Janzie]

On 12/17/2004 at 1:33 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q6. (James 1:22) Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? What is the nature of the self-deception?

We are easily fooled and think that listening to Bible teaching changes us.  It does not until we are a doer of that Word.  I was memorizing scripture and then realizing that I did good in memorizing but now actually thinking on what I was saying it became life to me and the Holy Spirit bringing it to my remembrance when I needed it.

Don't get too familiar with the Word that you think you are doing it, deceiving yourself. 

 

[HarveyDunn]

On 12/17/2004 at 1:33 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q6. (James 1:22) Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? What is the nature of the self-deception?

Listening to Bible teaching is admirable however what good does it do if it is only heard?  Why waste your time if you aren't going to put into practice what you have heard and learned.  A student is generally required to take a test at the end of the lesson; take what you have learned and put it into practice.  (b) I read and attended Bible study, isn't that enough?

[HarveyDunn]

On 12/17/2004 at 1:33 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q6. (James 1:22) Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? What is the nature of the self-deception?

I believe that born again believers need to be continually discipled, taught and modeled living and practicing the kind of life that Jesus modeled.  Jesus taught and lived what he taught, James is affirming the lessons of Christian life we should practice.  James does well to remind us that what is heard in the holy place must be lived in the market place - or there is no point in hearing at all.

The nature of self-deception comes from satan.  If we can or allow ourselves to be deceived then we are less effective in our witness. 

[Old Jerry]

I think the reason that I am fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that I am living out a righteous live is because I have the word of God in me. But having the word of God in me doesn’t mean that I am practicing what I know. Self-deception is thinking I am doing things the right way when in reality I am not.

[Gaye-Ellen]

You ask this question: Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? What is the nature of the self-deception?

Being fooled and deceived is just one of Satan's deadly d's. He seeks to fool us by mimicking God but with additions. We, like Eve, fall for his deadly d  because we listen but do not discern. Today we are comfortable to listen but not to do. Jesus told the Pharisees that they listened but did not understand and therefore were not doing what God required. Instead, like Eve, they added to the words of God. We fall for that same lie. We think we are righteous just by listening when Jesus requires we take the next step of doing. James said, don't just be hearers of the word but doers as well.  

We are deceived thinking God is pleased by our listening but if there is no application, then it is without merit. 

 

 

[James M]

The scriptures reveal our real condition of heart and mind. Listening to the word or reading it should convict us of sinful acts or attitudes that we need to change. If we ignore and make no attempt to change or improve, then we have not allowed God's to impact our lives and enable us to grow spiritually. That way we decieve ourselves and continue to bear the same flaws or incompleteness that God's "mirror" has reflected in our lives. 

Thus we decieve ourselves by merely reading but not applying God's word in our lives by doing what it tells us.

It can also encourage us to do the right things even more. In that case, we need to not to give up or deceive ourselves in that we've attained a certain level or spiritual status. Instead we should continue doing the right thingsbwith the right attitude thereby attracting God's blessings in whatever we're doing.