In my opinion, self-deception is most tragic when it is in relation with your identity. If we ask ourselves what really defines us, the answer we give to that question is what we perceive ourselves to be and it undergirds our perspectives and most importantly, our actions, whether we are aware of it or not.
For instance, talking with clarity and confidence at a job interview sends out a good impression; one that you know what you’re talking about and that you might be the right person for the job. But that confidence comes from your own perception of what you have, i.e. in this case, the knowledge that you are equipped for the job. That is a good thing—unless you’re proven wrong and when it comes down to that, your confidence is shaken (If you are honest with yourself).
There is, however, a situation that matters infinitely more. I used the word ‘self-deception’ because it happens often that we pat ourselves on the back and delude ourselves even when it comes to the most important matters in life—as being a Christian for example. Most of us define ourselves to be Christians. But are we?
The Bible is full of examples of people who were not ‘Christian’ but who did the most ‘Christian’ things you will probably be able to do:
- Pharaoh said the “sinner’s prayer” twice: Ex9:27, 10:16.
- Saul prophesied for a whole day (Have you?): 1Samuel19:24.
- Ahab went through an apparently traumatic experience of repentance to the point of tearing his clothes and putting on sackcloth (Have you?): 1Kings21:27.
- Some fasted for days listening to Jesus (Do you love God’s words this way?);
- Nebuchadnezzar had incredible dreams from God of real events impacting the future of nations (Have you lately?): Daniel2.
- Judas Iscariot healed the sick and chased out demons (Have you?):Mat10:5-8.
- Pharisees had mastered the scriptures;
- Others expressed exuberant praise and worship to Jesus (I assume without the help of rock bands or fancy light and sound systems in our modern churches), making a huge commotion crying out ‘Hosanna…’—they were shouting ‘crucify Him’ five days later.
If you’re familiar with these biblical characters, you know they were rejected by God and so if we ever base our confidence in outward actions no matter how amazing or miraculous they might appear, then we might be building on sand.
If it is so, and that nothing of our Christian experience does not match what is listed above in intensity, then why do we keep basing our faith in the form and not the substance? What do we remain with when we take off this form of Christianity?
This is an appeal for us to examine ourselves, so that we won’t congratulate and delude ourselves into thinking we are something we’re really not; being puffed up in self-deception to our shame and our perdition when the day comes when the truth is laid out before us.
‘What then does it really mean to be a Christian?’ you might ask. That, dear brethren, is the real question!
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 7:21
Image credit: There is and There is not – Saturated, Hartwig HKD
