What is Self-Deception? -I

The most dangerous form of deception is self-deception. Scripture warns about deceiving ourselves. "Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. (1 Corinthians 3:18)

Self-deception is when someone:

a. Believes themselves to be that which they are not:

Galatians 6:3 further warns us, saying, "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself."

This form of self-deception involves a person constructing a false self-image, often out of a desire to feel better about themselves or to cope with difficult experiences. They may overestimate their abilities or assume roles that do not align with reality. This can be seen in the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector that Jesus taught.

^10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ¹²I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' ¹³And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' ¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:9-14).

The Pharisee believed himself to be righteous, but his pride and self-righteousness blinded him to his true spiritual condition. In today's context, a person might believe they are righteous due to various reasons; however, similar to the Pharisee in the parable, this person might be blinded by pride and self-righteousness, which could prevent them from recognising their true spiritual condition. We need to be very careful to avoid the pit of self-deception.

1 John 1:8 cautions us, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." In the end, you will believe when you commit sin that you are actually doing the right thing. This is because you have done it so many times for so long that you have convinced yourself it is the right thing.

During the dark and devastating years of Nazi Germany, the Nazis were consumed by a dangerous form of self-deception that led to unspeakable atrocities. They fervently believed in their own racial superiority and convinced themselves that the Jews were the root cause of all their problems. This twisted worldview, fueled by hate and fear, was propagated through every aspect of society, from political speeches to school curriculums.

The Nazis then devised what they called the "Final Solution," a systematic plan to eradicate the Jewish population. They believed in this horrific strategy so deeply that they were able to carry out the mass extermination of Jews with chilling efficiency, killing millions in the process.

The methods the Germans used were shockingly brutal and reflected the depths of their self-deception. In some cases, Jews were forced to dig trenches that would serve as their own mass graves. They were then lined up by these pits and shot in cold blood. The callousness of these acts, carried out by seemingly ordinary people, demonstrated how powerful and dangerous self-deception can be.

The tragedy of the Holocaust serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked self-deception. When individuals and societies allow themselves to believe lies and distortions, they can become capable of committing heinous acts that defy human decency.

What is Self-Deception? -I

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