The Greatest Deception

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

There is a satanic deception regarding salvation today that sadly is so prevalent that countless people are trusting in it, believing in it, and yet may not even be aware that this dead fall trap will one day cost them their very soul. In order to have this kind of power, this deception would have to be a belief that is very akin to our natural inclinations and logic. It would have to be extremely believable, and make a lot of sense to our human reasoning. In fact, this belief would have to be so persuasive, so cunning, that only one who would diligently strive against it could escape its pervasive grip. This lie, though not taught in the Bible, is common in churches today and many are living by its tenets. This falsehood is the belief in our own goodness, and the hope that it will someday justify us before a Holy God. Whatever form this self righteousness takes, and it has many manifestations, it is the belief that we can contribute in some way to the salvation of our souls through our acts of obedience, service, benevolence, or morality. In this belief not only is the ability to contribute to our justification desirable but it is, in the opinion of many, required to secure our hope of heaven. And so many go about attempting to establish their own righteousness while trusting in this perceived accomplishment as securing their salvation to its completion. Sadly, this could not be further from the truth. In fact, the more we believe in our own goodness and righteousness, the less righteous we actually are, and the less holy. Paradoxically, the potential for holiness achieved in this life seems to be directly proportional to the awareness of one’s true condition before a Holy God, as a wretched sinner, poor, naked and blind. This is precisely why this deception is so deadly, so fatal. It blinds us to our true need, and as a result we never fully come to trust in our only hope, Jesus Christ, and his blood shed for us at Calvary. This is why the apostle Paul denounced his godly works and heritage as dung that he may gain Christ! Christ alone saves, and His righteousness becomes our righteousness when we put our faith wholly in Him. The false hope that we must somehow add to his all atoning sacrifice by ” making him Lord of our life”, repentance of all our sins, or bearing fruit of a life of good deeds, to complete our salvation, actually nullifies it and Christ becomes as Paul said, of none effect to us. It is faith alone in Christ alone, that saves the human soul. No amount of goodness on our part can be added to the work done on our behalf by the Saviour.

Jesus warned, ” enter ye in at the straight gate, for many will strive to enter but will not be able.” The straight gate is faith alone. Jesus said ” I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the father except by me”. He also calls himself the door and states that anyone who enters by Him, will come in and out and find pasture. In other words, will become one of his sheep. He promises, “my sheep hear my voice, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish”. But those who would place their hope in themselves and their own good works to be saved, he refers to as a ” thief and a robber”. What did they steal? They tried to steal God’s glory, in giving away freely so great a salvation, not meritoriously, but by His own goodness, and they stole the eternal life of many a poor soul who put their trust in the false prophet’s pernicious ways.