Here is a subject which
bears much earnest consideration. The Lord Jesus on a very suitable occasion
cautioned his disciples, “Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation” (Mark
14:38). The danger of entering into that which is not pleasing to God is so
great that watching alone is not enough. The heart must be instructed through
prayer to be able to discern the devices of the wicked one. Scripture says,
“But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you
be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13)
In this verse we have two
things about sin. One, that it is deceitful; and two, that it hardens. As a
usual thing when we speak of sin, thoughts come to mind of that which in its
very appearance is evil, such as robbery, murder, or the like. But is this all
that God counts sin? No, for in the very beginning of the Bible we find that
disobedience brought sin into the world. “For as by one man’s disobedience many
were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous”
(Rom. 5:19).
When the keeping of Eden was committed into the hands of Adam, one command was given unto him, with the death
penalty for disobedience (Gen. 2:17). Once it was given, the enemy of God and
man started to work. How could he thwart the purposes of heaven and earth’s
Creator, and rob Him of the praises of His creatures? Deceit was the approach,
and a successful one it was, for “when the woman saw that the tree was good for
food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make
one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat” (Gen. 3:6).
So we read, “Adam was not
deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Tim. 2:14).
This was but the beginning of Satan’s deception of man. Since then he has tried
every means to turn the heart of man from God. And how easy it is for him to
succeed, for Scripture plainly tells us that, “the heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked:who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). Having that
within us which is susceptible to that which is wrong, Satan finds us a ready
prey.
Though the devil, under
one guise or another, drew the hearts of men from God while under the law, yet
now in this present age under grace he seems all the more vigilant to keep
people from receiving Jesus as their Saviour, and yielding themselves unto Him
as their Lord. How shameful it is that, under the pretense of following just
some simple thing at first, we are drawn away from that blessed One of whom it
is written, “Neither was any deceit in his mouth” (Isa. 53:9). The arch enemy
of all that is called truth would try and cause even those who are sheltered
under the precious blood of the cross to dishonor that One who could say, “I am
the way, the truth, and the life”(John 14:6).
The Scripture gives the
character of this present time when it says, “But evil men and seducers shall
wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). If we will
but take the time to look around us we will see how true it is that deceit is
so often practiced. Pick up almost any magazine or paper with advertisements in
it and you will find in large type merits of that particular product, intended
to make you believe by catchy wording that it will do much more than it really
can. Then in very small type the limitations of that particular item might be
listed.
One thing in connection
with the deceitfulness of sin is the way in which it impoverishes our spiritual
growth. Perhaps the Lord has seen fit to take us through some particular trial,
and when we consider the circumstances, even as Peter did on the water, we get
our eyes off the Lord and look at what we are going through. We may be led to
complain, at least to ourselves, and wish that our lot was different. It may
seem as though circumstances require us to take matters into our own hands to
better them, and all the while we are forgetting that the Lord is over
everything, and even the smallest detail in our lives is governed by Himself.
Is it not a dishonor to Him and a victory for the enemy when we are in such a
state of soul? I am sure that it displeases our Lord greatly to have even the
youngest of us, His own, complain about our lot, for He is only allowing things
to happen that will be for our good. But as we go on complaining, criticizing,
belittling others, or grasping after things for ourselves, our spiritual senses
will be deadened, and eventually reach the state of being hardened, all because
we allowed ourselves, perhaps without thinking, to be dissatisfied.
But the apostle Paul
says, “We are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11). Young people, how are
we to know what his devices are but by the same Word of God that was given unto
Paul. Has anyone ever asked you the question, “What do you get out of life,
seeing you don’t smoke, drink, dance, go to shows, etc.?” To many, when
comparing spiritual things with the things of this world, a loss is suffered
when they give up the things which they would like to have and enjoy down here.
That is the way with Satan; he would make us believe that the treasure which could
be laid up in heaven is not to be compared with the enjoyments of this earth.
Many are deceived by this, not realizing that, “Whatsoever a man sows, that
shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).
Though it is right and
proper to provide a living for yourself and family, it is a common thing for
persons to be so engrossed with work that the Word has little effect in their
lives. “He also who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the Word;
and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the Word,
and he becomes unfruitful” (Matt. 13:22).
Many feel if they sit
through a sermon or perhaps read their Bible regularly, that this is enough,
and well pleasing to God. It is true that to hear the Word is good, and it is
in this way that God speaks to us, but it is not enough. “Be doers of the Word,
and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (Jas. 1:22). Let us practice
the truth that the Word gives to each one of us.
Finally, if the enemy
cannot weigh us down under sin, he will seek to make us think that we are
beyond sinning. But Scripture tells us otherwise:“If we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).