HOW TO FOOL YOURSELF

By Doug Pierce

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

I John 1:8

I’m not sure how many folks are aware of this fact, but every one of us, on occasion, fool ourselves. Now it’s one thing to fool someone else, but it’s quite another, when I fool myself. But we do it all the time. It’s true.

Let me give you an example in my own life. I was at the Baptist Hospital recently for my yearly physical. As I was waiting my turn for the nurse to take my blood sample and step on the dreaded scales, I observed something I’d never really paid much attention to before. While watching others in front of me, I couldn’t help but notice how nearly every person (especially those overweight like me), sucked in their tummy just before they climbed up on the scales. Then my turn came and, you guessed it, I sucked in my gut too as I stepped up on the scales and had my weight recorded. Now why did I, and most of the others that day do that? I thought about it later and came to this conclusion…it was because, subconsciously, we all thought we’d weigh less by tucking in our tummies. I look back on that little incident and laugh at thinking sucking in my gut would somehow make me weigh less. It’s funny how we can, whether by habit or subconsciously, fool ourselves by the silly things we do.

FOOLING YOURSELF ABOUT SIN

In our verse for today, the Lord warns of a very serious way we can fool ourselves spiritually. John says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive (fool) ourselves…” It’s obvious that many of the believers to whom John was writing had become lax in their attitudes about sin. Many of them had drifted in their walk with the Lord and they had started thinking, “Well, I can’t help but sin…everybody sins…it’s no big deal…after all, we’re all just sinners.” They had waved the white flag of surrender and compromised in their battle with sin. But John quickly warns them, “My little children, these things I write unto you that ye sin not.” Contrary to popular teaching today, the Bible never encourages nor excuses sin. Jesus, on numerous occasions, said to individuals, “Go and sin no more” (see John 8:11; 5:14). Paul said, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid…” (Rom. 6:1-2). Never get the idea that it’s okay, as believers, to live a sinful lifestyle. When we do, “we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

FOUR WAYS YOU CAN FOOL YOURSELF ABOUT SIN:

#1. When you try to COVER your sin.

Proverbs 28:13a says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper…” How ridiculous it is to think we can hide our sins from God Who knows the number of hairs on our head and can see the sins in our hearts and lives (I Sam. 16:7). When David committed adultery and murder, he tried to cover up his sins. But later he spoke of how he’d deceived himself (Ps. 32:3-5). After about a year of living with his guilt, he turned to the Lord and found forgiveness. Remember this . . . If you try to cover your sins, God will uncover them. But, when you come to the Lord and uncover your sins before Him, He’ll cover them with the cleansing blood of Jesus (I John 1:9).

#2. When you CONFESS but do not forsake your sin.

Again, Proverbs 28:13b says, “…but whoso confeseth AND forsaketh them (sins), shall have mercy.” This verse clearly states there is no forgiveness without repentance or turning from sin. We deceive ourselves by thinking that all we have to do is confess our sin to the Lord yet we’re free to continue on in a particular sin. Too many folks flee from sin, but leave a forwarding address.

#3. When you begin CALLING sin by other names.

John says later (3:4) “…sin is the transgression of the law.” Sin is a willful act of disobedience to God’s Word. Someone has said, “Right is right no matter who’s against it and wrong is wrong no matter who’s for it.” We deceive ourselves whenever we begin calling sin by other names. We try to excuse ourselves by using phrases like, “Well, that’s just one of my faults” or, that’s just my weakness”…” or, “I’m just human” or, “I live in this sinful body.” But having faults and or weaknesses is not willful sin. And, certainly, being human and living in a body has nothing to do with sin. Jesus was human and had a body, yet, He was not sinful nor did He ever sin (Heb. 4:15). Why do we call sin by other names? Obviously, it makes us feel better about sinful living. In modern day America, we call it “affairs” or “abortions” or  “little white lies” or “a slip of the tongue”…but God says it is adultery, murder, lying and gossip! We fool ourselves by calling sin something else. It’s time that we call sin for what it is and agree with God.

#4. When I COMPARE my sins to other people’s sins.

(See Luke 18:10-14). When I sin, I should never look around at others and their failures to try and justify my sinful behavior. Others aren’t my standard, nor yours. But somehow when we fail, we tend to look at others whom we think have sinned worse. When we do that, we fool ourselves!

STOP PLAY AROUND WITH SIN!

John says, “…these things I write unto you that ye sin not. And (But) if any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” I’m not suggesting that you and I can live above sinning. I am saying the Bible teaches that, as believers, we can live without it. Have you been fooling yourself about sin in your life? Do you need to come clean with the Lord today and simply claim His wonderful promise? “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy (forgiveness).” Pray a prayer like The Psalmist prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any  wicked way in me, and lead me in the  way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

I’m asked quite often if this or that is wrong. And I don’t mind being asked. But you don’t have to ask the Pastor if something is a sin or not. Ask the Lord! He’ll show you! And when He shows you, forsake it and trust him for forgiveness and cleansing! He is faithful to “…forgive us and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). Don’t fool yourself about sin any longer! Praise God for the victory over sin that is ours in the cleansing blood of Jesus!

Think it over….

Doug Pierce is a Church planter and a pastor. In 2003 he started, and continues to pastor First Independent Methodist Church in Madison, Mississippi. His #1 priority is to glorify God in all aspects of ministry. He does this through teaching his congregation to Love God, Love One Another, and Love Others to God. Prayer, outreach, and church growth through evangelism are vital parts of his ministry. He and his wife Suzanne live in Madison, Mississippi where they also enjoy their children and grandchildren.

To find out more about Doug‘s ministry visit the FIMC Website

Feature Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay