Liars and deceivers:
Jezebel was a liar and a deceiver. Lying and deceiving is not an attribute that is limited to just women. Jesus warns us of deceivers and liars in Matthew 24:24. We should recognize the liars and deceivers and protect our souls against them. Hold on to the truth and do not allow anyone to penetrate it.
Lying and deceiving is not an attribute that is limited to just women. Men also exhibit the lying and deceiving qualities just as often and just as much as women do. Taking a look at liars and deceivers and how the very lives of human beings can be ruined is the focus of this writings.
Here we are not talking about those “Little White Lies” you tell those close to you about how they look or the food tastes great. These are niceties and do not attract the soul or the integrity of a person. We are talking about those deceiving lies that attack the character and soul of another human being.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a celebrated English fundamentalist Baptist preacher once said in a sermon that was delivered April 1,1855. “A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” If you hear a lie enough times it becomes true in the mind of the hearer. That is sad when you think about it.
Lies and deceptions can vary from mild to manipulative and cunning to deceitful and dishonest. Manipulative deceivers are those who scheme to hid information until they can use it at their timing. The exaggerating or distorting facts or information for the purpose of controlling other people or getting your way of getting someone to decide in your favor are always hurtful and lead to a lack of trust. The cunning to deceitful and dishonest deceptions are unethical and unprincipled acts of cruelty that is meant to cause harm and stress. These are the schemers and what sometimes we call the habitual liars or deceivers. Their tools are control and cause great harm to those in their way.
Many liars and deceivers are only interested in their own gain. More power, social status, money or even for the thrill of telling lies. Then there are the liars and deceivers who lead people from the doing or going the right way. They lead people away from the truth, and lead them into error away from the path of virtue and into a sinful path.
An unknown person said that “Truth fears no questions.” Protecting yourself from harmful and destructive liars and deceivers is going to take questioning, confidence, critical thinking, observation, and most of all learn who you can trust and to what level they can be trusted.
Do not be afraid to question what you hear. Does it make sense? Is what being said consistent and believable? Have confidence in what you know. Just because someone uses big words or talks a lot does not mean they understand what they are saying or that what they are saying is truthful. Verify what you hear and have confidence that you can understand the truth. If a person is telling you something it is their responsibility to help you understand. Be firm and unwavering in getting that understanding you have a right to have. This will prevent you from getting deceived.
Liars and deceivers do not like to be questioned. The more you question them the more the lies grow and they get tripped up. Their body language and the facial expressions can also be a tip off. If you know the person it is easy to see when their body language is not normal this is a great indicator that something isn’t right. Question why.
Some warning signs that someone is lying when you are watching them can be that their voice is higher than usual. One of my favorite is that the hand-to-face touching will increase especially they cover their mouths or rub their nose. The breathing can be deeper or they mumble their lips looks thinner or tighter, the forehead tightens up and the eyes widen, or they may look to the ground and not in your eyes.
You cannot stop a person from being a liar and deceiver you have to protect yourself from believing and trusting that person. Trust is a very precious thing to possess. Once someone has broken that trust it weakens your ability to trust yourself and your decisions. It is important in these times that you maintained your confidence in what you know and why you know it.
2 Timothy 3:12-17 is a great reminder that everyone who lives godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Evil men and seducers (which are deceivers and imposters) will increase and grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. We are instructed to continue in the things we have learned and been assured of, knowing of whom we have learned these things. You have known the Holy Scriptures from childhood, this knowing of the scriptures makes you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
People can influence others for selfish reasons through being liars and deceivers. They do this by hiding the facts from others and maybe even themselves. People of faith have to be cautious not to be lead astray from the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must protect ourselves from those people who disparage or demean our faith. This is not the time to be defending our belief. Those liars and deceivers cannot be changed and have the possibility of swaying or destroying your faith.
We cannot forget what Jesus told His disciples about the end of the world just prior to his crucifixion. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24). We need to take this seriously that there are liars and deceivers that are out there to trick and deceive.
Recognize that one of the warnings given by Christ Jesus was of liars and deceivers and they cannot be trusted. They will use whatever weakness they can find or invent to control for their own selfishness and deceptions. It is possible that we can even deceive ourselves because of the weakness that a deceiver uses against us. Hold on to the truth and do not allow anyone to penetrate it.
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MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Liars and deceivers:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1853 ,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January) “Liars and deceivers:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1853 ,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Liars and deceivers:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1853 , (accessed).
