Deceiving Is Believing

James 1:22, 26 – “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. … If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”

Everybody believes something. Even those who say, “Trust no one,” apparently believe that no one can be trusted; and they who claim that all religion is phony probably believe that life is little more than a pile of manure. Similarly, deception, especially self-deception, is a belief. Probably not as much a denial of a truth, self-deception is likely more an affirmation of a lie, a falsehood, an untruth.

In the passage read from James, the Holy Spirit cautions us against only hearing and talking about the Word of God but not doing It. “Hearers only” are “deceiving [their] own selves.” Someone who “seems to be religious,” who always talks about religious things “and bridleth not his tongue, … deceiveth his own heart,” and “this man’s religion is vain,” worthless, and without profit. Deception comes not from hearing, but from hearing only. Both the doers and the deceived hear, but the deceived stop right there.

Perhaps you have met people like this. You might even have some enjoyable, agreeable conversations; but afterward, you walk away, shaking your head because you know about them and their disobedient lifestyle. Often among the Scriptural passages they have heard are the ones about faithful participation in church.

“But why do I need church when, as I can show you, I’m learning quite well on my own at home? After all, we are ‘saved through faith’ and ‘faith cometh by hearing,’ right? And I hear the Bible on the radio and television, and I read books about it, etc., etc. So I’m saved because I’ve heard and believed.”

“Yeah, but what about ‘Not forsaking the assembling of – ’”?

“Yeah, yeah, I know: Forsake not ‘the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.’ – Hebrews 10:25 See? I knew that! And I believe it, too.”

“Then why aren’t you doing it?”

“Well, first of all, you shouldn’t be judging me, especially since you don’t know that I blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, ….”

“Oh, I’m sorry, but I think I see now: You’re someone who doesn’t believe in the Trinity, huh? You’re someone who doesn’t really get the significance of covenants, or of marriage, or of family, or of baptism, or of the Lord’s supper, huh? You’re someone who believes that a finger can successfully amputate itself from the body and still continue to function just fine on its own, huh? You’re probably someone who doesn’t like four-part harmony or orchestral music either? And I suppose, in a battle, you’d prefer to face the opposing army on your own, wouldn’t you? Or you’d be the type to build a skyscraper all by yourself, huh? Or wait! No, you wouldn’t build the skyscraper, because all you need to do is believe that you can build it all by yourself. If you believe, that’s all that matters, right?... because then the skyscraper will automatically appear on its own if you just believe, right?”