Sin is deception, a darkness by which one is easily deceived, for where there is darkness there is no sight. In sin we are deceived, for from sin comes deception; as the writer says, “So that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:13) With sin comes shame which causes one to hide, covering up guilt; and that which is covered is not confessed, but hidden away; as Job says, "Have I covered my transgressions like Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom.” (Job 31:33) But when one comes to the light, he has his deeds reproved, to receive salvation, to receive the forgiveness of sins; he passes from deception to truth and enters into God’s grace; as it says, "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." (John 3:21)
And with every lie, a man first deceives himself in order to convince others; as the Scriptures warn, “Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.” (James 1:22) And, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) But if we deceive ourselves, or even others, can it be so with God? "Will it be well when He examines you? Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?” (Job 13:9) For man may deceive a man, but he cannot with God.
Beware of the deception of sin; as Jesus says, “If then the light that is in you is darkness, then how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:23) For many people deceive themselves, thinking “I am light”, but dwell in darkness. As it says, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.” (John 9:41) For “Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; There is no fear of God before his eyes. For it flatters him in his own eyes Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it.” (Psalms 36:1-2) Therefore, fear God!
Just as Saul, even the King of Israel, said, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.” (1 Samuel 15:13) Nevertheless he did sin, even a great sin, even to the punishment of him being rejected as king of Israel; but he says again, “I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.” (1 Samuel 15:20) For he was deceived by sin, thinking he obeyed the Lord, but did not, even to the rejecting of God’s commandment and the LORD God rejecting him as king over all Israel.
And later, Saul persecuted David, following after him to the wilderness to kill him, for he thought David was his enemy; but David writes, “Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me.” (Ps 35:19) Even in Saul’s deception, he was saying, "For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush, as it is this day." (1 Samuel 22:8) For he was deceived into thinking David was trying to slay him when he was not.
For David did not stretch forth his hand to kill the king, even when Saul was in his power, because he had no such intention and never did; as David says, “Now, my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it.” (1 Samuel 24:11) And yet, despite all these things, the king was deceived and hardened to chase after David to slay him; and even another time after this, he persecuted David (1 Samuel 26).
Or even Ahab, when he saw Elijah: “When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is this you, you troubler of Israel?" He said, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and you have followed the Baals.” (1 Kings 18:17-18) “Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous.” (1 John 3:12) And, "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19) For Saul, who was wicked, pursued David, who was righteous. For sin had deceived him, thinking David was his enemy, although David looked out for his welfare, even lamenting when he died with a great cry and great lament (2 Samuel 1:17-27).
Sin tastes sweet in the mouth, but turns bitter in the stomach; as one might say, “How can something that tastes so good be so evil?” It is deceptive; if it were truthful, no-one would willingly choose it — a moment of pleasure for everlasting torment. For, “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
For Nabal, a worthless fellow, after he sinned against David, repaying him evil for good, was about to be slayed; however, he did not know about his error, nor did he see his coming destruction; instead, “He was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk;” (1 Samuel 25:36) Then, a day later, he lay as a stone in bed, since the Lord struck him on account of David, His servant. For sin had deceived him into thinking, “All is well”; nevertheless he was in great danger; as it says, “In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him so that he became as a stone. About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died.” (1 Samuel 25:37) Just as David says, “May their table before them become a snare; And when they are in peace, may it become a trap.” (Psalms 69:22) For Nabal’s table was a snare; and his peace was a trap, thinking all was well.
Likewise, “Just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” (Luke 17:26-30) For they were all deceived by their fullness and fatness, and their worries, even while destruction was near; that is why He says, “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” (Luke 17:33)
Therefore, “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.” (Luke 21:34-35) For, “These are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased in wealth.” (Psalm 73:12) But, “Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end.” (Psalm 73:17) For if we walk by sight, we may be inclined to think, “The wicked are righteous and the righteous are wicked”, for the wicked are well off and the righteous are in rags. However, the Lord Jesus will come and recompense all according to their work in the end.
“Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties.” (2 Peter 2:10) Just as the Amalekite was self-willed, who slew the Lord’s anointed, even Saul, and brought his crown and bracelet to David, thinking he was doing a good deed for the king; however, “David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?" And David called one of the young men and said, "Go, cut him down." So he struck him and he died.” (2 Samuel 1:14-15) And again it says, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, when one told me, saying, 'Behold, Saul is dead,' and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.” (2 Samuel 4:9-10) For sin deceived him, tricking him and beguiling him; he thought he did righteousness unto reward, but sinned unto death. And the same happened to the sons of Rimmon (2 Samuel 4).
Likewise, "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'” (Matthew 7:22-23) At the Lord’s coming, thinking they will obtain reward from the Lord for their righteousness, they will instead go to their own place, that of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Luke 13:27), that of eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Since they were deceived by sin, flattering themselves, counting themselves righteous, all while being lawless; they lied against the truth, against their own life.
Therefore, beware of all lies in which we may lie; and flee for the refuge which is in Christ! For such denial of sins are unforgivable; as it says, "It shall be when he hears the words of this curse, that he will boast, saying, 'I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart in order to destroy the watered land with the dry.' The LORD shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the LORD and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven.” (Deuteronomy 29:19-20) And it says, “In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing, To shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth. Instead, there is gaiety and gladness, Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, Eating of meat and drinking of wine: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die." But the LORD of hosts revealed Himself to me, "Surely this iniquity shall not be forgiven you Until you die," says the Lord GOD of hosts.” (Isaiah 22:13-14) And again it says, “I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever." (1 Samuel 3:14) For what reason? “For the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them.” (1 Samuel 3:13) For although knowing, he denied the truth and did not rebuke them.
The Holy Spirit brings conviction to repentance to forgiveness; but when one continuously stifles Him, this leads to committing the unforgivable sin. For this is an eternal sin, a blasphemy against the Spirit of truth, lying against Him, saying “No sin” while having sin. Such a sin in which prayer will not be heard nor find place for atonement; as John says, “There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.” (1 John 5:16) For Jeremiah, the prophet, prayed for such, even three times, and the Lord God answered him, “As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you.” (Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11)
And what was the reason of this prohibition? "How can you say, 'I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals'? Look at your way in the valley! Know what you have done! You are a swift young camel entangling her ways.” (Jeremiah 2:23) And, “Also on your skirts is found The lifeblood of the innocent poor; You did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things, Yet you said, 'I am innocent; Surely His anger is turned away from me.' Behold, I will enter into judgment with you Because you say, 'I have not sinned.'” (Jeremiah 2:34-35) Or even, "Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known, then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered!'—that you may do all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it," declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 7:9-11) For they lived in sin, yet claimed God’s grace, closing their ears to the conviction of their sins by the Holy Spirit.
“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.” (Hebrews 10:26-27) So why keep lying to yourself? Do you love death? Confess your iniquity! Hide no more! Come into the light and receive the forgiveness of sins! Then the God of truth will see you, and you will become a child of the light. Confess! Deny not!
The Lord God is not your enemy, neither Jesus Christ, His Son. "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." For they hated Him, but He died for them. And Jesus Christ is for you. Come!