- Jun 29, 2019
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What does the Bible say about deception? Exodus 20:16, which is one of the Ten Commandments God gave to Moses, says “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” In and of itself, I tell you that it includes those who promote others’ falsities with the full knowledge that indeed that’s what they are. In that, those who promote such falsities, such as the social media, are complicit with those who originate them, and they may do so primarily for monetary profit. As Matthew 6:24 says you cannot serve both God and money, those who run the social media that are involved, at least, have seemingly chosen to serve the latter. Proverbs 20:17 says “Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.” Psalms 101:7 says, “No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.”
What does the New Testament say about deceit? Colossians 3:9 “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.” 1 Timothy 4:1 tells us that “the Spirit expressly says that in later times SOME WILL DEPART FROM THE FAITH BY DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO DECEITFUL SPIRITS..” What does Lord Jesus say about the matter? He says to love thy neighbor as thyself. To the extent, then, that you would not want to suffer some loss in your life by being deceived, you should not deceive others.
What about those who are being deceived? For those to whom being deceived suits their purposes, they love it. They share with friends, and they share with those in public life who have power and influence. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” For those there is a greater cause that matters to them more than the act of deception.
And for some of those and to some extent, who can blame them? Did not Jacob deceive his father Isaac into making Isaac believe that Jacob is his Brother Esau in order that Jacob may receive Isaac’s blessings which were intended for Esau? Note that God does not strike Jacob down for his deception. Turns out that Jacob becomes the father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, from which our Christian faith arose. As Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose,” perhaps it was in accordance to God’s Purpose that Jacob deceive Isaac. After all, Esau was a base individual, and between Esau and Jacob, God may have determined that Jacob would better serve God’s Purpose in promoting His people.
Perhaps the social media who practice deception believe they are doing so for a cause that fits God’s purpose. Perhaps they believe that such deception works to favor those whom they believe are, in accordance with Romans 13:1, better suited as serving as an extension of God than the ones who are subject to the deception. This may all be good if the leaders whom the social media favor are truly serving as an extension of God.
At this juncture, it should be considered that Jacob deceived his father before the Commandment forbidding the bearing of false witness comes into being, as part of God’s Covenant with the Hebrews. If Christians are the heirs according to the Promise that God made to Abraham, which was a Promise made before the arrival of the Ten Commandments, does that mean that Christians need not abide by the Commandment stated in Exodus 20:16? But even so, there are still passages in the New Testament such as Colossians 3:9, 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:3-4 and Lord Jesus commanding us to love thy neighbor as thyself to contend with. And only our heart will know if through deception we are indeed serving God’s Purpose.
What does the New Testament say about deceit? Colossians 3:9 “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.” 1 Timothy 4:1 tells us that “the Spirit expressly says that in later times SOME WILL DEPART FROM THE FAITH BY DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO DECEITFUL SPIRITS..” What does Lord Jesus say about the matter? He says to love thy neighbor as thyself. To the extent, then, that you would not want to suffer some loss in your life by being deceived, you should not deceive others.
What about those who are being deceived? For those to whom being deceived suits their purposes, they love it. They share with friends, and they share with those in public life who have power and influence. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” For those there is a greater cause that matters to them more than the act of deception.
And for some of those and to some extent, who can blame them? Did not Jacob deceive his father Isaac into making Isaac believe that Jacob is his Brother Esau in order that Jacob may receive Isaac’s blessings which were intended for Esau? Note that God does not strike Jacob down for his deception. Turns out that Jacob becomes the father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, from which our Christian faith arose. As Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose,” perhaps it was in accordance to God’s Purpose that Jacob deceive Isaac. After all, Esau was a base individual, and between Esau and Jacob, God may have determined that Jacob would better serve God’s Purpose in promoting His people.
Perhaps the social media who practice deception believe they are doing so for a cause that fits God’s purpose. Perhaps they believe that such deception works to favor those whom they believe are, in accordance with Romans 13:1, better suited as serving as an extension of God than the ones who are subject to the deception. This may all be good if the leaders whom the social media favor are truly serving as an extension of God.
At this juncture, it should be considered that Jacob deceived his father before the Commandment forbidding the bearing of false witness comes into being, as part of God’s Covenant with the Hebrews. If Christians are the heirs according to the Promise that God made to Abraham, which was a Promise made before the arrival of the Ten Commandments, does that mean that Christians need not abide by the Commandment stated in Exodus 20:16? But even so, there are still passages in the New Testament such as Colossians 3:9, 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:3-4 and Lord Jesus commanding us to love thy neighbor as thyself to contend with. And only our heart will know if through deception we are indeed serving God’s Purpose.
