Deception is a cruel and crafty adversary. It mimics truth but its persuasion will lead to death and destruction. It wears the mask of facts but possesses the face of manipulation presenting itself as a friend when in reality it is a foe. We have been warned of its existence and yet we continue to fall victim to its mission. Deception will ride the wave of knowledge that is void of understanding to reshape the shore of truth. It made its first appearance in the Garden of Eden as a serpent to mankind and there we become acquainted with its persona and agenda. A serpent that has over time and the course of human existence fed on man’s desire for knowledge but avoidance of truth, manipulating our intelligence to spin its web of death and has become the beast that now rules the world.
Deception will find its way into every situation no matter how personal or global. It does so because its target is always mankind, whether the individual or the multitude. Jesus identified it with a name when He said, “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.” (John 8:43-44) And Jesus said once again, “The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)
How can we avoid falling into the snare deception sets for us? First, understand that a half truth is simply a lie in disguise. The nature of Satan is to take a partial truth and present it with the intention of manipulating the choices we make to activate the outcome of our destruction. This plot is called temptation. He did it in the Garden of Eden and succeeded. And he attempted it again in the wilderness with Jesus but failed. In his second attempt to secure the demise of all mankind he revealed the key to his craftiness and Jesus revealed the key to our victory over it. First, we must take note that deception will always tailor its message to boost our pride and appeal to what we desire or fear. It will always highlight us as the individual apart from anyone else. With this knowledge and understanding take a look at the account of the temptation of Christ.
“And the tempter came and said to Him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’” (Matthew 4:3) Keep in mind Jesus had been fasting forty days and nights, so He was hungry and by this time desired to eat. In an attempt to arouse pride in the heart of Jesus and appeal to His hunger the first temptation was to turn a stone into bread. Jesus, however, responded, “It is written, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.” (Matthew 4:4) Jesus in that moment took the focus from Himself and placed it back on God. This is a key to our victory over deception and its temptation. He also did not confront it with His opinion or by His own authority but deferred to God’s word and His authority. In the second and third attempt we see Satan take a slightly different approach. “Then the devil took Him into the holy city; and he had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU; AND ON THEIR HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’’” (Matthew 4:5-6) This time Satan took straight from the word of God a truth and inserted it into a situation that was not in context to what God meant. This is a classic example of a half truth becoming a lie in disguise. Jesus however, responded, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’” (Matthew 4:7) Here Jesus gives us yet another key to our victory over deception. We must always frame truth in the context God has assigned it and possess understanding to the complete truth.
To avoid falling prey to the clench of deception we must not seek information that feeds the ego of knowledge, but pursue the truth of God in precepts and principles that are meant to secure our judgement of right and wrong not according to our desires and fears but according to God’s will that serves to benefit all. Paul warned that a time would come and now has that there would be those who seek to only hear what empowers their agendas. They would seek deception and receive it as truth for the justification of their own desires and fears.
Become self-aware of what motivates your heart in the quest for knowledge. It will set you on course in the direction you proceed for the information you seek. Truth is knowledge with understanding that does not agree with our wants or fears but is based on principles and precepts that govern our behavior for the outcome of our well-being. Truth never discriminates and will judge the intentions of and expose the deception that exists in every heart.