Tag: self-deception

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My last two blog posts conflicted with each other. Two weeks ago, we dealt with the issue of self-conscious humility. Though it sounds strange, claiming you’re humble isn’t a contradiction in terms. (It could be a lie or a mistake, but it’s not always a contradiction!) Jesus, Paul, and the Ephesian church recognized their own humility. This assertion makes sense when you realize that humility is a virtue and virtues are gifts from God. They’re not accomplishments that we can brag about.

Last week, we tried to apply this principle to wisdom, but it didn’t work out. The Bible lists several warnings about regarding oneself as a wise soul.

Something’s wrong here. If virtues are gifts and wisdom is a virtue, then acknowledging one’s wisdom isn’t arrogant. If I can declare myself humble, why can’t I consider myself wise? What’s the difference?

God directed me to a clue when I noticed that the phrase, “wise in your own eyes,” kept popping up in several verses.

This idiom seems to be the key to resolving the problem. There’s something about being wise in your own eyes that’s unacceptable to God and unhealthy for us. But what?

Self-deception.

Read through the following verses. You’ll appreciate that everyone mentioned is fooling themselves with unfounded confidence. The contrasts within each Scripture highlight this.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.” – Proverbs 3:7

A so-called wise person neglects to fear God and avoid evil thoughts, words, and deeds. No one who ignores the ways of the Lord is prudent.

“Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” – Proverbs 26:5

Mature people have the responsibility to correct a fool lest he stick to his risky beliefs and imperil himself.

“Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.” – Proverbs 26:12

Solomon illustrates how threatening self-deception can be. Someone caught up in what he thinks he’s figured out is impervious to reproof. Even a buffoon has a better future than that smug soul!

“The rich are wise in their own eyes; one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.” – Proverbs 28:11

A few people without much status can see right through the thin reasoning of the self-satisfied successful. It doesn’t dawn on these rich folk that their wealth, and the ability to make money, are gifts from God. What they have is great–for the moment. But can it last?

“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” – Isaiah 5:21

Those who congratulate themselves for their insight are on the verge of judgment and they don’t even know it. So it doesn’t occur to them to prepare themselves. And in the end, they’ll be caught off guard.

“Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.” – Romans 1:22-23

Paul doesn’t use the exact phrase, but he refers to the same issue when he comments on the moral decline of the Gentile world. The people who stoop to worshiping the works of their own hands believe that these acts of degradation are somehow shrewd. To turn from the Creator and bow down to something they themselves made is intelligent? Really?

When God’s Word counsels us to not see ourselves as wise, it’s not denying the grace-based nature of virtue. Rather, the Bible is pointing to a character flaw we all have. Each one of us is capable of fooling ourselves. Unaided by the Holy Spirit, we believe what we want to. The end result? Governing ourselves according to unrealistic and treacherous ideas.

But there’s good news! Of course there is; that’s what the gospel is all about! Through God’s grace, Jesus is now our wisdom. To the degree we trust Him, we’re wise.

“To those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” – 1 Corinthians 1:24

“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” – 1 Corinthians 1:30

We grow in wisdom–we become wise–when we look to the Lord Jesus and listen to Him. That’s not self-deception; it’s liberation! In Christ we have the security of knowing that God will reveal to us our ignorance, not to shame us, but to prepare us for the education of a lifetime!

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Living is easier than thinking. For instance, the ancient Greek philosopher Zeno proposed what’s called the dichotomy paradox. If you drive to the grocery market that’s four miles away, at the halfway point, you’ve gone two miles. Half of the remaining two miles is one mile. Half of that mile is a half a mile, and on it goes. When you add up the distances, you get 3.999999 . . . but not four. You never reach it. Yet you succeed all the time. Thinking about Zeno’s paradox can make your head hurt; driving to the store’s a piece of cake. (Unless there’s traffic!)

Here’s another example. Twice in his letter, the apostle James warns against self-deception.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. – James 1:22

“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” – James 1:26

How is it possible to deceive yourself? You can fool other people; you just have to know something they don’t and then lie to them about it. They can trick you, too; it works both ways. But to deceive yourself, you’d have to know both that something is true and something isn’t true at the same time.

If f you’ve learned that two plus two is four, can you also believe that it’s five? How can you hold to both at the same time? That’s impossible!

But maybe not. James leaves a couple of clues about the source of self-deception.

“Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” – James 1:8

“Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” – James 4:8

The Greek word translated “double-minded” is “dipsychos” and means “two-soul.” When you’re double-minded, it’s like there’s two of you.

Double-mindedness causes self-deception. One mind believes one thing, and the other believes something else.

In his letter to the Roman church, the apostle Paul describes this phenomenon.

“For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: and they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” – Romans 8:6-8 (ASV)

Your flesh (your limited, flawed, natural life) has a mind, but so does your Spirit-filled new nature, the one you received when you confessed Jesus as your Lord. You own two minds. If they agreed about everything, your spiritual life would be a breeze. No internal conflicts, no problems. You might not ever discover that your double-mindedness. But they don’t get along, do they?

“For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.” – Galatians 5:17 (NET)

What can you do about this?

Get a good look at yourself in the mirror. In the ancient world, mirrors cost a lot, so they weren’t common. But there was one place where you could gaze at your reflection for free: still water. A pond, a pool, even a puddle – as long as it was calm, you could see your image.

The Lord wants to take you there.

“He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” – Psalm 23:2 (NKJV)

Still water acts as a mirror; so does God’s Word. Read it and act on what you discover.

“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it–not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it–they will be blessed in what they do.” – James 1:23-25

Scripture will reveal the condition of your heart. The Bible exposes the inner conflicts between flesh and spirit, the root of self-deception.

But you can do something about it. By responding to God’s Word, you find your focus. You’re no longer double-minded.

“Unite my heart to fear Your name.” – Psalm 86:11 (NASB)

And God will do it! No more split thinking, fractured attention, and competing desires.

“He restores my soul.” – Psalm 23:3 (NASB)

You’re no longer deceived. Jesus has set you free!

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” – John 8:36

self-deception

Wise in Your Own Eyes

Overcoming Self-Deception

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