A friend became a Christian late in life, after his children were grown and had children. It was his father’s death that brought him to Christ. The finality of death can do that, the reality that we will never see or speak with that person again.
My friend immediately realized the importance of saving his children and grandchildren and set out diligently to win them to Christ. He was strongly committed to prayer and testimony in the hope to win his family. One of his children had become quite successful but had unfortunately developed an alcohol dependency. He lost his life in a heartbreaking accident that may have been due to his alcohol abuse.
In the weeks that followed, his death weighed heavily on my friend. Then, after a few months he concluded that his son had somehow become a Christian and was in heaven. While that may be, it seemed more likely that my friend couldn’t deal with the reality that his son was lost for eternity. That reality was too painful and so he self-medicated with a self-deception.
It is not my intent to criticize him, only to note how easy it is for all of us to delude ourselves when the truth is too difficult or too bitter to accept. Often we seek to blame others for our problems, or simply attempt to amplify their guilt to lessen our own. What struck me, was how often we’re all guilty of creating an alternate reality when the truth becomes difficult.
The Crisis of Self-Deception in the Church
What is striking, is how prevalent this trend is in the church. Christians are to be full of the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13). It is to assure that we have the courage to speak it but also so we can bear the truth. Yet self-deception seems a greater threat to Christians than non-Christians.
Self-Deceptions about Covid
Consider Covid. When the virus first emerged, numerous Christian leaders “weighed in” with claims that proved specious. A mountain of facts emerged but little does it matter. There are still many who refuse to vaccinate despite over 9.35 billion doses safely administered and proven effective. The facts don’t seem to matter. We continue in self-deception. “God will protect us”. After all, our rights are more important than the health of our community and its health care workers.
In a prior Covid post, I debunked this notion that God is obligated to protect us. Paul warns that some are sick and others “sleep” in death for taking communion unworthily (1 Corinthians 11:30). The belief God will protect us presumes we are without sin or failing. The mere presumption shows we’ve already proven unworthy of communion. But even the truth of Scripture doesn’t seem to matter.
Self-Deceptions in Politics
Or consider the evangelical church’s support of Donald Trump. In a prior post, we exposed the lies that Donald Trump is the new Cyrus and God can use an evil man for good. Every Christian knows that God abhors evil and will not tolerate it in His midst. Yet it seems that our dissatisfaction with U.S. “culture” makes us self-medicate in self-deception. The truth doesn’t matter, not when for too many evangelicals, Trump is their savior. Self-deception is the best friend of the dissatisfied.
Self-Deceptions about Wealth
Or consider the incredible popularity of prosperity doctrine. There are countless scriptures that warn against worldly wealth. Even Christ opposed it (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). But again, even the truths of Scripture are no longer germane. For countless Christians who really want to be wealthy, better to self-medicate with self-deception.
Self-Deceptions of Divorce and Remarriage
Because many will find our positions on Covid, Donald Trump and prosperity preaching arguable, we now turn to a self-deception so obvious that even our pastors won’t argue it. It’s the thorny issue of divorce and remarriage. Every Christian knows Jesus called remarriage after divorce adultery – with the possible exception of marital unfaithfulness.
Yet divorce and remarriage is not only an epidemic in the church, it is fully accepted. Yes, the arguments are complex but most remarry without worrying about scriptural truth. They simply do what they want, assuming God will accept them. For many divorced Christians, the reality of living their lives alone is too painful. So we self-medicate with the self-deception that somehow God will accept our choice to disobey Him.
New Testament Warnings Against Being Deceived
The New Testament has much to say regarding our culture of self-deception. It consistently warns believers not to be deceived (Matthew 24;4; Luke 21:8; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Galatians 6:7; 2 Timothy 3:13; Titus 3:3; James 1:16). These warnings provide echoes back to the Edenic test our earthly parents faced (See Genesis 3). Paul even puts one of his warnings in Edenic context (1 Timothy 2:14).
The point of the authors is clear. Our earthly parents were tested and failed. Israel was tested in the wilderness and failed. It points to testing that the church will also face. This is why we are to “watch” – a word the NIV uses 33 times in the New Testament in the context of testing. Note specifically Matthew 24:4; Mark 13:3; Luke 21:8 where we are warned to watch so that we are not deceived as the end approaches.
When the end comes, the beast will deceive the people of the earth (Revelation 13:14). Hence why we must watch so that we are not also deceived. Those who will enter paradise must overcome (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26: 3:5, 12, 21). John’s sevenfold repetition emphasizes it.
This is not an academic point. John reveals that some Christians are deceived, taking membership in the Harlot Babylon (Revelation 18:4) who is the haunt of demons and symbol of end-time idolatry that persecutes the Saints (17:6). For those who may take issue with our view of divorce and remarriage, note that John deftly describes those who are not deceived as a chaste bride-to-be and those who are deceived as an unclean adulteress!
Christ, the new Adam, Overcame
But no Christian needs to be deceived. Jesus succeeded in testing, overcoming the deceptions of Satan. He not only overcame at the beginning of His ministry (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13), but also overcame testing at the end of His ministry (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46). In Christ, we also can overcome if we watch and embrace the truth of God’s word!
But Scripture provides a powerful warning. When Jesus was tested in the garden of Gethsemane (note the Edenic garden echo), he asked His disciples to stay awake, watch and pray – which they failed to do! And unsurprisingly, with Jesus’ arrest His disciples scattered in fear! It emphasizes the need for every believer to be spiritually awake, watching and praying if they are to overcome deception.
The Enduring Importance of Eden
As important as readiness for the end-times is, no Christian should be deceived into thinking that testing won’t happen in their lives. Yes, being in relationship with Jesus and having the indwelling presence of His Spirit in our lives is Edenic! And that’s the point. Though already enjoying Edenic blessing with Christ, we are still subject to Edenic tests just like Adam, Israel, Christ and the Disciples.
It is ordained that every one will face an Edenic test, a choice between eternal life and eternal death. My friend came to realize it is the only important choice each of us must make. Christians have already made this choice but must hold to it to the end. But holding to it means holding to the truth! Jesus said it best: “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:5).
This is the truth we must hold to. If we allow ourselves to be deceived when the truth becomes hard, we risk eternity without Christ, a truth so difficult to accept that no amount of self-medication can relieve the pain of that self-deception.