As we have seen, James writes about very practical problems and needs of the Christian life. Although he writes in very practical “how to” kinds of principles, he does not always organize his material into specific paragraphs.
For example, verse 16 is a transitional verse and poses a challenge of understanding for me. Between his teaching on the important subject of trials and temptations and his specific consideration of the goodness of God[1], is a short discussion on deception. Pay close attention to the proceeding verses as well as the next verse:
- v. 13-15: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
- v. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren
- v. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Verses 13-15 deals with sin; verse 16 deception; and sandwich in between is deception. How’s does verse 16 flow into this discussion of sin, deception, and blessings?
The important teaching of verse 16 could be included at the close of the previous verses (v.13-15) or at the start of the next verse (v. 16). I’ve decided to look at the verse by itself.
Understand that the evidence of spiritual maturity will be evident in how we respond to deception. Deception will effect our ability to live practical Christian lives. Therefore, your response to deception will determine your outlook of life’s challenges (v. 1-15) and the blessings of God (v. 17-18).
This verse helps us to recognize and how to respond to deception by presenting three (3) present realities of the attack of deception:
I. Recognize the SOURCE of Deception
Deception is an attack of the enemy. We saw/see his attack in the beginning of creation in Genesis chapter 3 in the story of the fall of Edam and Eve. We discuss the act of their sin but not much of the attack. Often times we tend to overlook the deceptive conversation between the serpent and Eve. God tells Adam and Eve not to touch the tree of knowledge or they will die. The serpent in deception says: “You will not die but adds “surely, you will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." With this deceptive assurance, Adam and Eve ate off the tree that God told them not to. After the act of sin, God calls Adam and Eve, knowing what they have done asked them “what have you down?” Eve explains: “The serpent deceived me and I ate”. Let’s give Eve a break here, Eve has done what many of us struggle with on a daily basis, she didn’t recognize that she was being tricked by the servant. The enemy preys on our vulnerability, weakness, struggles, stresses, and ignorance to the command of God. And the struggle is that many of us mature and immature believers don’t and can’t recognize the attack of the enemy through deception.
From that day forward, the enemy has used (and is using) deception as an instrument to pull the worse out of us.
Deception means craftiness, trickery, cunning, cleverness, shrewdness, evil design. It means a person will do anything and use any means to get what they want.
So what happened to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden happens to us everyday. The devil attacks us with deception to pull us away from God.
Not only did we see deception in the Garden of Eden but we also see deception in the birth of Jesus Christ in Matthew 2 when Herod calls the wise men in hanger to go search for baby Jesus that he might worship Him. Herod had no intentions on worship the young child. Herod wanted to kill Jesus. But Herod’s intentions was flipped because when the wise men saw Jesus they began to worship Jesus and in a dream God warns to not go back to Herod and instead they left their own country.
Adam and Eve yielded to deception but the wise men were protected from deception that no harm would come to them or the Jesus.
Sin is deceptive, and Satan is always seeking to deceive us.[3]
Peter was right when he warned us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).[4]
In contrast, God never deceives. He always deals with truth. Jesus came declaring, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus said if we would know Him we would know the truth, “and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). He proceeded to call the devil “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
And so the wise counsel of James is that we should not be deceived. And, since this verse is the transition between two important paragraphs of truth, it is appropriate for us to apply both truths to the teaching of this verse. First, we should not be deceived regarding the source of evil—that is Satan. He is the one who would tempt us to do evil and who would delight in leading us to sin and death.
Then, we should not be deceived concerning the One who is the source of all good—that is God. He is not only the source of good, but He is the One who is committed to making all things work together for good for His children, those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).
II. Be Aware of Self Deception
Luke chapter 18:9-14 record the story of the Pharisee and Tax Collector. Luke 18:10-14 (Msg)
"Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. [11] The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'
"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.' "
Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
The bible warns us against being more than we think we are.
- Spiritual ignorance is self deception: 1 Cor. 3:18 - Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
- Spiritual Arrogance is self deception: Galatians 6:3 - For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 1 John 1:8 says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
- Hypocrisy is self deception: 2 Tim. 3:13 – “evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived”. And James 1:22 says “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”.
- Religious practices is self deception: James 1:26 - If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.
Practical Christian living is not lying about where we are as Christians but admitting we are sinners trying to be all we can for God.
III. Be On Guard for Scriptural Deception
One of the most prominent deceptions taken place in our day and time is the false teaching of scripture. Many pulpits around the nation are being filled with lies on scripture. People are being deceived about the truth of Scripture. The sad indictment is that many believers are not able to recognize scriptural falsehood. So they go with anything that sounds good but everything that sounds good is not necessarily good in sound.
2 Timothy 2:17-18 says: “And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some”.
What’s the remedy for guarding against scriptural deception? 2 Timothy 2:15 says; “Be diligent (study) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”.
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