Deception

In Paul's second epistle to Timothy he describes "the last days" in terms of their "difficult times." (2 Tim 3:1-9) Describing what people will become, Paul offers an alternative to Timothy. Beginning with "Now you followed my teaching ..." (2 Tim 3:10), Paul tells him what to expect -- persecution (2 Tim 3:10-12) and how to avoid the lies (2 Tim 3:16-17). Because the real problem, Paul says, is that "evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Tim 3:13) Deception is the problem -- deception being perpetrated and deception being self-administered. Like God's description of the human heart. It is deceitful and sick and we can't even grasp how bad it is (Jer 17:9).

God's description of the human heart concurs with Paul's warning about the last times where deceit, both given and received, reigns. Jesus calls Satan "a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44) It is his nature, and he imparts that to sinful humans. Even we who are reborn suffer from the residuals.

So what are we to do? If we can't trust "the god of this world" (2 Cor 4:4) and we can't trust our own hearts, where is our remedy? The followers of the god of this world would argue that it's in better thinking. Clearly a case of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. "You can't trust your thinking, so you need to think better." Of course, the argument isn't presented as contradictory and nonsensical as that. They simply deny that they can't trust their thinking ... which you would expect from someone who is self-deceived. John said, "If we say we do not err, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) So if not DIY repair (an obvious foolishness), what?

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16-17)

Out of hand, Natural Man will reject this (1 Cor 2:14). At first glance, it will be denied. "It's written by humans" (which is the remedy they are applying for themselves). "It's full of errors" (without regard to their own hearts full of errors). But even the God's people question it, not realizing what they are questioning. If the source of Scripture is the Divine Being (that we claim to embrace) and God is who He says He is (which we claim to embrace), then this book cannot be mistaken and this book is Truth with a capital "T". Ultimately, if Christ is the Truth (John 14:6), this book is our clearest way to Him. It is a standard against which we can measure our hearts, deceived as they are, and see where we are wrong. It is a sure thing, a reliable measurement, a means of modifying the deceived heart to more closely align with the Truth.

We have been given such a gift in the Scriptures. God breathed them (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21). God superintended them. God maintained them. God said what we needed to know. God illuminates them for us (1 Cor 2:11-12). We have standards in our world -- time standards and measurement standards and standards of practice for various things. If ever there was a truth standard against which we can measure our own thoughts and the ideas of others, this is it. Or we can assume that our deceived and deceitful hearts can be the best standard of truth, snuff out the candle, and curse the darkness.