The state of individuals or nations who do not face up to their sin, their spiritual state or their future with any realism. It also describes those who presume upon their relationship with God or their own ability, or who have a misplaced trust in idols.
Those who are deceived over their sin
1 John 1:8 See also Psalm 36:1–4; Jeremiah 2:34–35, Jeremiah 17:9–10; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10; 1 John 1:10
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Those who are deceived over their spiritual state
Revelation 3:17 See also Matthew 23:13–15, Matthew 23:23–33 parallel Luke 11:42–52; John 8:33–34, John 8:39–47; James 1:22–26
You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
Those who are deceived concerning the future
James 4:13–16 See also Jeremiah 5:31, Jeremiah 6:13–14 parallel Jeremiah 8:10–11; Jeremiah 14:14–16, Jeremiah 23:16–18; Ezekiel 13:7–9; Micah 3:5; Luke 12:16–20
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil.
Those who presume on their relationship with God
Jeremiah 7:9–11 See also Deuteronomy 29:14–21; Jeremiah 37:9–10; Matthew 3:8–9 parallel Luke 3:8; Matthew 7:21–23 parallel Luke 13:25–27; Matthew 25:41–46; John 8:39–47
Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered, so we can continue with all these abominations’? Has this house, which bears My Name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Yes, I too have seen it, declares the LORD.
The value of circumcision
Romans 2:17–29; 1 Corinthians 7:19; Philippians 3:2–7
Those who presume on their own ability
1 Corinthians 3:18–20 See also Proverbs 12:15; Jeremiah 49:16 parallel Obadiah 1:3–4; Matthew 26:33–35 parallels Mark 14:27–31, Luke 22:33–34, John 13:37–38; 2 Corinthians 10:12; Galatians 6:3
Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
Those who deceive themselves about the acceptability of their worship
Isaiah 1:11–17 See also Isaiah 58:2–7; Jeremiah 7:2–8, Jeremiah 7:21–29; Amos 5:21–24; Malachi 1:6–14; Matthew 6:5, Matthew 6:7
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you— this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil! Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
Those who have a misplaced trust in their own righteousness
Luke 16:15 See also Proverbs 30:12; Isaiah 65:2–5; Luke 18:9–14
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
Those who have a misplaced trust in idols
Romans 1:20–23 See also Isaiah 44:17–20
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.