God is true(Rm 3:7). 

There is neither falsehood nor change in God(He 6:17-18; Jas 1:17), 

Thus, He cannot be tempted by anyone nor does He tempt anyone(Ac 5:3; Jas 1:13). 



Faith is acknowledging Him and 

The life of this faith is repenting and putting effort to never be deceived and never deceive. 



While religions promote living truthfully and emulating a role model, 

The role model himself does not know where he comes from and where he is going. 

Hence, putting effort to emulate such and teaching itself is all being deceived and deceiving others. 



The Bible says that, because of sin all men are destined to be destroyed. 

The beginning of sin is being deceived and 

The attribute of a sinner is also being deceived: 

In heaven, the archangel Lucifer deceived himself and sinned, because of which he was thrown down to the earth(Is 14:12-15); 

On earth, he deceived Eve to sin(Ge 3:4); and 

Eve deceived Adam to disobey(Ge 3:6). 

God gave the Israelites the commandment, which Warned them that there is no other true god but the Lord God, 

Thus, they were to not be deceived(Ex 3:3; Lev 19:11, Lev 25:14). 

Consequently, those who were deceived were surely punished. 

And the tablets inside the ark of testimony reminded this. 



Though they put effort to keep the commandment and 

Gave sacrifices for their sins, however, 

They still had sin in their spirit for these were all shadows of the true things to come(He 10:1). 

Hence, they were being deceived. 



Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days(Jn 2:19), 

Because through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body, 

He would judge the false and reveal that He is the true God(Jn 12:31) and that 

His testimony is true and that He cannot lie for 

He knows where He comes from and where He is going(Jn 8:14): 

He came out of the bosom of the true Father(Jn 1:14); 

He came to die(Mt 16:21); and 

He was going to resurrect in three days(Mt 16:21). 

As He died, Jesus said, "It is finished(Jn 19:30), declaring that He: 

Laid down His life according to the Father's true word(Jn 10:17-18); 

Judged the father of lies, the origin of sin(Jn 8:44, Jn 12:31; 1Jn 3:8); and 

With His blood redeemed the sins of men and set them free from the false teacher(Mt 20:28; He 2:15). 

He rose, just as He said He would(Jn 11:25), and 

Testified that His words are true and that He is the truth. 



The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, comes to 

The souls who received the blood of Jesus and 

Fills up those who repent(Ac 2:37-42). 



Repentance is for being deceived: 

For disobedience(Tit 3:3); 

For hating - not forgiving(Tit 3:3); 

For following the counsel of the wicked - the fleshly man, the hopeless man(Ps 1:1; 1Co 15:33); 

For deceiving oneself - hearing but not doing(Jas 1:22-23); 

For being proud - considering oneself to be something(Gal 6:3); and 

For not keeping a tight rein on one's tongue - false holiness(Jas 1:26, Jas 3:5-6). 

The man of the Spirit knows that 

He has been deceived and deceiving and 

He is cut to the heart and repents truthfully. 

Thus, filled with the Spirit 

He puts every effort to only speak the true words, the truth, the gospel. 



O Lord, 

We thought it was our thoughts, our hearts but 

We deceived our loved ones and we deceived ourselves! 

Let us be filled with the Spirit and 

Never be deceived and never deceive again! 

Amen.