“The worst of all deceptions is self-deception.”
—Plato
The false reality is built upon thousands of lies: some big and some small, told every day and re-told constantly to ensure that most men will believe them.
“If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.”
–Adolf Hitler, Propaganda, the Big Lie and Adolf Hitler: 20 Hitler Quotes on Propaganda
This is stated to introduce self-deception.
Man lies.
Man lies constantly.
Man is a liar.
But the easiest and most convenient target of man’s lies is HIMSELF. Even the world recognizes this.
“We lie best when we lie to ourselves.”
—Stephen King
“The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.”
—Leonardo Da Vinci
“Our capacity for self-deception has no known limits”
—Michael Novak
So man lies to HIMSELF as a matter of fact.
There are MANY reasons man lies to HIMSELF: freedom from pain, relief from mental anguish, other creature comforts.
Man will lie to HIMSELF rather than accept a truth which is unpleasant to him.
This is one reason so many ‘fish for compliments.’
Most men want to hear nice things said about themselves REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THOSE NICE THINGS SAID are true or not.
Which is why they go fishing.
“Do you think this dress makes me look fat?”
The person who asked this question is looking for someone to say, “No, you look wonderful in that dress.” Woe to the person who says what may be the truth: “You know, you do look a little chunky in that dress. Why not find something else to wear?”
IF the questioner wanted the truth, the question would NOT have been asked in the way it was. The one asking the question MAY have been overweight, however slight. But asking the question in the way it was asked is inviting someone else to lie to them; to participate in their self-deception about their weight.
“The only thing infinite is our capacity for self-deception”
—Robert Todd Carroll
Engaging in self-destructive compulsive behaviors is also a sign of self-deception–particularly when the one engaged in the self-destructive behavior LIES to himself about the outcome.
Ten percent of cancer survivors still smoke – Proving that smoking is more than just a “bad habit” or an “addiction.”
These are words modern men invented to wink at sin. When tobacco was first introduced in England, it was called “devil’s weed.” King James I denounced tobacco in positively diabolical terms.
“[a] custome lothsome to the eye, hatefull to the Nose, harmefull to the braine, dangerous to the Lungs, and in the blacke stinking fume thereof, neerest resembling the horrible Stigian smoke of the pit that is bottomelesse.”
So maybe there’s something else going on beyond mere habit when 1 out of every 10 cancer survivor still inflicts the same poison on his body which almost killed him.
Maybe?
Wonder what it might be?
MORE: Addictions, Sin and the Enslaved
—Compulsive Behaviors
God’s Word is not silent on self-deception. IN FACT, so many men will be laboring under deception during the last days, that God will send them a ‘strong delusion’ to assist in their deceptions.
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
–2THESSALONIANS 2:10-12
God’s Word has more on the topic.
“For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”
–Galatians 6:3
“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”
–1CORINTHIANS 3:18-20
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
–James 1:22
There once lived a man who drank bottles of whiskey regularly. As the man aged, he began to lose control over his basic bodily functions. This naturally upset the man.
BUT, he refused to lay the blame on his drinking of whiskey, even though many medical authorities do just that, declaring that regular consumption of alcohol will loosen a man’s control over his own body.
His latest deception ran along the lines of “This too shall pass”–which is a fine line for temporary afflictions. HOWEVER, it is lousy advice for a REGULAR, SELF-INFLICTED BEHAVIOR.
Men regularly LIE to themselves. They do this for a variety of reasons.
STILL, they suffer the consequences of their actions–whether they admit it or not.
The false reality is built upon a great many deceptions.
Deception usually begins with self-deception: one’s self is a constant companion who usually looks the other way when deceived.
Don’t let self-deception carry the reader away to the broad path of destruction.
“…broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat”
–Matthew 7:13
The false reality is one of Satan’s GREATEST tools for deceiving man. As such, the false reality is not only hard to recognize, it is difficult to counteract.
Counteracting the false reality BEGINS with counteracting deception.
Counteracting deception becomes easier IF self-deception is rooted out.
“It is best, if possible, to deceive no one; for he that … begins by deceiving others, will end … by deceiving himself.”
—Charles Caleb Colton
DOES the reader ever tell himself little lies to make unpleasantness easier to bear?
It is not YET too late–although time is surely running out: there is still a LITTLE time to change direction (repent), place your faith (hope) for the future entirely on Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven.
DOES the reader believe he is saved?
Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival
DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
—1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
MORE: QUOTES: ETPR Quotes Collection
MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple
[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: August 11-13, 2023.]
MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
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© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-23. © Mondo Frazier and End Times Prophecy Report, DBKP 2007-2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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