The Self-deceiving Heart
—Jesus Made Me Honest With Myself
We have seen that Jesus, if you are one of his followers, gives you a true self image, and imparts to you a self worth, potential, and destiny, beyond your wildest expectations. Accept this from Jesus, and become his follower, and stop being dishonest with yourself.
We humans are clever at being pretenders. We have all heard of the Antichrist, the great deceiver. In fact there are many antichrists (1John 2:18, 2John 1:7) and we are often our own antichrist, deceiving ourselves.
Low self-esteem and refusal to confess our sins are forms of self dishonesty, and besides these we have all sorts of ploys for deceiving ourselves.
Changing the Self-deceiving heart.
1 Get Rid of Pretenses
We pretend we are wise, that our money and possessions are really important, that what we say is smart, that wild and immoral behaviour is having a good time. In these and many other ways we deceive ourselves.
If you wish to see what the Great Guide says about these things, here is a selection of Bible passages to read: Matthew 12:34-37, 1Corinthians 3:18, 1Corinthians 15:33-34, Mark 4:19, 1Corinthians 6:9, Galatians 6:3,7-10, Ephesians 4:22, James 1:26, 3:6, 2Peter 2:2,12-15:
2 Soften Your Hard Heart
These various examples of self-deception seem bad enough, but add one most critical fact: self-deception hardens your heart, and the longer it continues, the more you become "hardened by the deceitfulness of sin". Your conscience becomes "seared as with a branding iron" and it doesn't bleed any more (1Timothy 4:1-2, Hebrews 3:12-15).
This self-deception is the most important problem you have to deal with in your life. If you won't admit your sins and bring them to God, then you stand to lose the wonderful fellowship with God that could be yours (1John 1:8-10, Psalm 32).
3 Be United With Jesus
Many hundreds of years ago, a man called Paul took a good hard honest look at himself and his standing with God. "Oh wretched man that I am!" he exclaimed, "Who shall deliver me...?" The answer was, "Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:15-25).
In the previous chapter, Paul showed that Jesus died so that we could be forgiven of sin and be restored to God's fellowship. We do this by faith in Jesus, repentance from our sins, and baptism into Christ's death (Romans 6:3-8, John 3:16, Acts 2:38-39).
Having submitted by faith to the ceremony of immersion in water, which symbolises the death, burial, and resurrection which Jesus underwent for your sake, you are united with Jesus. You are born again, lovingly accepted as God's heir child, your own name entered into the Book of Life (Romans 6, Ephesians 1).
You are absolutely assured of your inheritance beyond this life, provided that you hold on to your new and true self image, which is God's image of you and in you. Unfortunately most of us don't reckon our own personal potential and worth in those terms. Thus we lead fruitless lives empty of true purpose. This has simply got to change!.
MUSIC OF TRUTH
As a rock does not
shift in the torrent
Nor will truth in a
river of lies.
As the sun shall come
back in the morning
So will truth again
light up the skies.
As the song of a
bird in the treetop
While the wind whispers
moanings and sighs
So is truth in the
ears of the honest
And the music of
truth never dies.
Hear the truth as a
gift sent from heaven.
Live the truth, love the
truth and be wise.
Play the truth as a
tune on your heartstrings,
For the music of
truth never dies.
—Ron Graham