God doesn't want anybody lying - to others or to themselves. While many of us think lying to others and giving them false witness is bad and even destructive, lying to ourselves poses a greater danger to our lives and the lives of others around us.
Don't believe me? Keep reading.
In this article we'll be talking about some of the dangers lying to yourself brings. Some may not realize this, but its dangers are real and damaging. I hope to help us break free from its snare.
Without further ado, here are some dangers lying to yourself brings.
1) Walking on the pathway to death
When a person lies to himself, he often takes a personal bias and does what he wants to do. Such people may not realize it, but they convince themselves that what they are doing is not wrong and won't lead to their demise.
Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 both tell us,
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."
Think about that: when we listen to no one else but our own self-convincing lies, we set ourselves on a path called the "way of death."
Consider children. Proverbs 22:15 tells us that
"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him."
Children who are not taught the right discipline will grow up with the wrong mindsets and standards, think that what is wrong is right, and considers their own happiness as the most important thing regardless of how it is achieved (including sinning).
Ever seen a person who thinks everything he does is right and does not want to be corrected, even when the Bible and plain common sense says his actions are wrong?
2) Can't admit our own faults - No repentance
People who lie to themselves are also in danger of failing to repent of their sins.
"I didn't commit any sin," they think, "why should I repent?"
Such a people always think that they are correct. Thus, they convince themselves that they do not commit any sin "based on their motives," and should not be held to account for any wrong they do not believe they have committed.
God's very own "Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron..." (see 1 Timothy 4:1-2)
These people simply refuse to repent. And without repentance, there's no forgiveness of sins.
3) Always blaming others for sinning
Another danger is that when we refuse to admit our sins and convince ourselves that we're clean even though we're not, we will end up blaming others.
Ever wondered what could've happened if Adam and Eve simply repented of their sin in Genesis 3? Instead of Adam blaming Eve and Eve blaming the serpent, it would have been better if they simply repented of their sin.
Of course, sin has already entered the world through Adam, and their repentance cannot undo that. Their repentance, however, will allow them to receive God's forgiveness.
God's loving nature didn't change after the fall of man. His love remained. He even clothed the nakedness of the two, according to Genesis 3:21.
His righteousness and justice, however, demands that sin be punished. And in His love He sent His one and only begotten Son Jesus Christ to receive the punishment for our sakes, so that by believing in Him we can receive the forgiveness of sins and be welcomed into God's family.
Lying to ourselves, blaming others for our sins, and refusing to repent can never allow us to receive that.
And even if we're Christians, God's grace is not a license for us to commit sin and convince ourselves that we're already forgiven even without repenting.
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (1 John 1:8-10)
