Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Deception or deceit (especially on the part of one person toward another) is condemned in hundreds of passages (too numerous to itemize here) throughout both the Old and New Testaments. (A sampling of these verses can be found by going to the website http://www.openbible.info and typing in either of those words.)

However, to me, the most important information that the Bible has to convey to us about deceit is that people should not deceive themselves with regard to their sinful condition in an unsaved state in God's eyes; what God's judgment for that condition will be; their inability to save themselves by their own works or goodness (no matter how praiseworthy they or their works may appear to other people); or their need for the salvation and eternal life that God offers only through faith in Christ.

Paul summarized this when he said (Galatians 6:7-8), "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

January 23 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Good question, Laura! I can find 3 or 4 places that the word "deception" is clearly used. My parents named me "Jack," perhaps after "Jacob," and I'll admit, this is one of my weaknesses. When scared, I sometimes fudge the truth. Jesus is working on me with this now. But first, I'd like to tell you a story. 

Fake Injury

F. E. Smith was a capable lawyer with a quick wit who served as the British attorney general from 1915 until 1919. On one occasion he cross-examined a young man claiming damages for an arm injury caused by the negligence of a bus driver. “Will you please show us how high you can lift your arm now?” asked Smith. The young man gingerly raised his arm to shoulder level, his face distorted with pain.

“Thank you,” said Smith. “And now, could you show us how high you could lift it before the accident?” The young man eagerly shot his arm up above his head.

He lost the case.

Today in the Word, July 1995, p. 27

And now, here are the 3-4 explicit occurences of the term, "deception," in the Bible: 

2 Thessalonians 2:10 (ESV)
“and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”
(NASB also reads: “with all the deception of wickedness…”)

Jeremiah 23:26 (NASB 1995)
“How long is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart,”
(Some other translations use “deceit” instead of “deception.”)

2 John 1:7 (NASB 1995)
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

And my favorite: Obadiah 1:3 (NASB 1995)
“The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,
You who live in the clefts of the rock,
In the loftiness of your dwelling place,
Who say in your heart,
‘Who will bring me down to earth?’”

Marginal note (NASB 1995):
The Hebrew noun behind “arrogance” is often noted in the margin as also meaning pride or presumption. The verb translated “has deceived you” comes from a root meaning to beguile, mislead, or deceive. Some study editions note the idea of self-deception in the margin, though the main text reads “deceived.”

2 days ago • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report