TEXT:  James 1:16

INTRODUCTION:

A.      SOME OF LIKE TO DECEIVE OTHERS BY PLAYING PRACTICAL JOKES.

B.      MANY USE DECEIT TO THEIR OWN SELFISH END.

C.      YOU CAN NEVER HELP A MAN BY DECEIVING HIM.

          1.       People have lost their lives as victims of practical jokes.

          2.       Almost all crime depends upon deceiving someone.

          3.       If a person is deceived spiritually, he will lose his soul.

D.      IN THIS LESSON WE WANT TO CONSIDER SOME OF THE WAYS A MAN

          CAN BE DECEIVED SPIRITUALLY.

I.      SOME WANT TO BE DECEIVED REFUSING TO ACCEPT

        TRUTH( 2 Thes.2:11-12 )

A.      THE PHILOSOPHY OF MAN IS GREATLY DESIRED BY MEN, YET IS A

          GREAT SOURCE OF DECEIT( Col. 2:8 ).

B.      MANY ACTUALLY LOOK FOR SOME FALSE TEACHING AND DON'T

          CARE IF THEY ARE DECEIVED( 2 Tim. 4:3-4 ).

C.      YET, ALL CAN COME TO KNOW OF THE TRUTH ( John 17:17;  8:32 )

II.     THE PROUD ARE EASILY DECEIVED( Gal. 6:3 ).

A.      GOD DESPISES THE PROUD( 1 Pet. 5:5 ).

B.      THE WORST KIND OF PRIDE IS SPIRITUAL PRIDE( 1 Cor. 10:12 ).

          1.       The Christian must continually guard himself against his own faultlessness     

                   ( 1 Pet. 5:8 ).

          2.       Examine these two prayers( Luke 18:9-14 ).

III.    A MAN WHO CANNOT CONTROL HIS TONGUE AND THINKS

        HE CAN GO TO HEAVEN( James 1:26 ).

A.      Gal. 5:22-23.  We tend to apply temperance to just a few things.

B.      1 Cor. 9:25.  TEMPERANCE IN ALL THINGS, EVEN THE TONGUE.

C.      THIS IS A DISOBEYED COMMAND - HOW?

          1.       Liars and stretchers( John 8:44;  Rev. 21:8 ).

          2.       Angry words( Col. 3:8-9;  James 1:19-20 ).

          3.       Dirty talk( Eph. 3:3-5 ).

          4.       GOSSIP( Prov. 16:27-28;  26:18-28 ).

IV.   ONE WHO CLAIMS SINLESSNESS DECEIVE HIMSELF.

A.      THOSE WHO SAY THEY HAVE NO SINS ARE GUILTY OF AT LEAST TWO

          - PRIDE, AND THAT BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE, AND LYING.

B.      ALL HAVE SINNED( Rom. 3:9-10;  2:23;  1 John 1:8-10 ).

C.      IT IS A HUMAN WEAKNESS TO DENY THE REALITY OF OUR SIN.

D.      BEWARE WHEN:

          1.       we are continually blamed for the faults of others.

          2.       we are continually blaming others, ourselves.

          3.       we continually find ourselves having to defend every act.

V.    THE ONE WHO THINKS THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE TO

        ANSWER FOR HIS SINS.

A.      WE WILL REAP WHAT WE SOW( Gal. 6:7-8 ).

B.      THIS MAKES ME RESPONSIBLE FOR MY OWN DESTINY.

C.      THE RESULT OF SIN IS DEATH( James 1:13-15 ).

VI.   CAN ONE ESCAPE IF HE HEARS GOD'S PLAN OF ESCAPE

        AND DOES NOT FOLLOW IT? ( Heb. 2:1-3;  James 1:22; Mat. 7:21-27 ).

A.      WHAT IS GOD'S PLAN OF ESCAPE?( Mark 16:16 ).

B.      HAVE YOU BEEN BAPTIZED?