Wednesday, July 6, 2011
James 2:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
I FOOLED ME
There are times that we're fooled by other people. There are other times that we deceive ourselves. While it might seem strange to say that we can deceive ourselves, it is nonetheless true. Perhaps you've seen a singing contest on television in which a person truly thinks that he can win, but in reality he can't hit a note. Many people delude themselves into thinking that they could afford more than they can, but eventually reality hits.
It's a terrible thing when we believe a lie of false teachers and are led astray. Jesus also warns of the danger of deceiving yourself when it comes to faith. We are all too eager to believe that faith is not intertwined with good works (the fruits of faith), or we might convince ourselves that the act of believing is more powerful than what is believed.
Genuine faith means not only hearing the Word of God, but also following through. Mere head knowledge of Jesus is fake faith. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 2:22).
Knowing of the danger of self-deception, we are alert not only to false teachers, but to the enemy within. May the same Holy Spirit who creates faith, preserve a genuine faith in you. It is saving faith in Christ that not only listens, but acts.
