The Ultimate Deception

What is deception? When I think about the word deception, I see deception as an act to deliberately deceive or mislead people; in other words to portray lies as the truth.

Collins Concise Dictionary defines the word deception as:

1. The act of deceiving or the state of being deceived.

2. Something that deceives; trick.

There is probably no one alive today who has not been deceived or tricked in their life. So we are all familiar with what deception is.

Who is the greatest deceiver of all? The Holy Bible has the answer. It is Satan, the Devil! Let's look at John 8:44, "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it."

These words were spoken by Jesus Christ to the Jews who did not believe that He was their Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus clearly told them they were doing the Devil's work.

This leads us back to the title of this blog post 'The Ultimate Deception'. So then what is the ultimate deception by Satan?

Salvation by one's own works is the ultimate deception. How many people think they can get to heaven by their own works? God does not work on a merit system. If a person could get into heaven by their own efforts there would have been no need for Jesus to die on a Roman cross for our sins.

Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God did die on a Roman cross for our sins. He was buried and rose again from the dead three days later. Forty days after this He ascended into heaven. Here is proof that our works are not good enough for God to open heaven for us.

Let's look at Ephesians 2:8, 9, "(8) For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast." The apostle Paul told the Ephesian believers in Christ that they were saved by the grace of God through faith in Christ. It was not through their merits but by faith in Christ. It was not by their own works lest anyone should boast before God that they did it themselves. This act of salvation is a gift from God

You can't earn this gift, or pay for it because if you do it is no longer a gift! God will not allow it. Maybe you are still not convinced. Let's look at Ephesians 2:4, 5, "(4) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, (5) even when we were dead in trespasses made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)." Paul is talking to live believers in Christ. Before they were saved they were "...dead in trespasses..." In other words all their works before God were dead works; they were utterly useless and futile.

It is only by the grace of God through faith in Christ and His work on the cross for you that you are saved. There are no strings attached! God does not expect you to work for your salvation because your works are dead works before Him. You cannot earn your way into heaven. Don't let the Devil deceive you. Don't believe his lies.

You can only enter heaven on the merits of the shed blood of Christ for you at Calvary. "...by grace you are saved through faith...not of works..."

Jon Peasey

Words of Life blog www.jrpeasey.blogspot.com

Ebooks author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted. Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted for clarity. Words in bold type emphasise a point. You may notice some verses are quoted with ... at the beginning, ending or elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse, that relate directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]

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