"Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking.”
all deceit
The second category of sins has three sins: deceit, hypocrisy, envy.”Deceit” means bait, snare; hence, craft, deceit, guile. It is used of deceptive actions: deceit, cunning, treachery. It means to deceive by using trickery and falsehood – to deceive, to trick into, treachery, any cunning contrivance for deceiving or catching.
The Greek uses this word for a bait for fish. This individual will lure others into a trap. He damages others with maliciousness. He is two-faced and conscious of his deception to achieve his own goals. He adulterates his motives, which are rarely pure. He misleads others to his own advantage. He does not tell the whole truth. He is like a spiritual Trojan horse.
Genesis uses this word for Jacob’s deceit. Jacob engaged in trickery to get his brother’s birthright, “But he said, ‘Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing,’” (Genesis 27:35). This drove a wedge between Jacob and his brother for 20 years.
The new reality of life in Christ means that we be guileless as to what is evil (Romans 16:19). In love we may now overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21) for love neither thinks evil (1 Corinthians 13:5) nor does evil (Romans 13:10). If evil is a force that disrupts fellowship, the love that derives from Christ makes true fellowship possible again.
Guile has to do with what you say as well as what you do. This person uses deceit in words so he uses flattery, falsehood, and delusion. He craftily preys upon the ignorance or weakness of other people to their damage. He intends to deceive and mislead others to their hurt and to his own advantage. The speech of Christians should be guileless. See Matthew 26:4; Mark 7:22; 14:1.
John 1:47 uses “guile” negatively of Nathaniel. This means that Nathaniel was not two-faced. What you saw was what you got. He was honest.
This is not the dishonesty of stealing something from work. This is honesty in our estimation of ourselves and others. We do not acknowledge that we just do not like someone. Why do we not face this problem? Why do we pretend? If we get right with that person, we will get right with God and then personal revival will come. We love to use guile. We use it on ourselves. We use it on others. There are times when we even try using it on God!
I Thessalonians 2:3 uses this word negatively of the teaching of Paul and his fellow-missionaries, “For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.”
It is significant that this word is used in this chapter in reference to the guileless speech of Christ,
“Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth,” (2:22).
Jesus Christ would have no part of guile.
Nor was deceit found in His mouth,” (2:22).
Jesus Christ would have no part of guile.
Deceit is the opposite of sincerity.
Principle:
God wants us to be true blue.
Application:
A person who operates in deceit is like the used car salesman who plays up many features of the car. He tries to give the impression that the car has everything a person needs. He points that the car has a radio, power-locks, power-brakes and power-seats. However, he does not mention the car does not have a heater. He steers the customer away from what might jeopardize the sale.
Are you two-faced? Do you consciously try to deceive to attain your own ends? Do you adulterate your motives in your relationship with others?
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