Bible verses about deceiving yourself
There are many ways you can deceive yourself and believe what you’re doing is right. Many Christians deceive themselves by thinking they can’t stop a certain sin, but truly just don’t want to stop a certain sin. Many people deceive themselves by believing something bad is good. They go out of their way to find a false teacher who will justify their sins when the Bible and their conscience says no.
Before I truly gave my life to Christ, I deceived myself into thinking that a tattoo is not a sin and I got a tattoo.
I disregarded all the passages against it and I disregarded my conscience which was saying, “don’t do it.” I deceived myself even more by believing I was getting a Christian tattoo for God.
Deep down the real reason I got it was it looked cool and if I didn’t think it looked cool I wouldn’t have gotten it. I lied to myself and said, “I’m going to get a tattoo of something memorable for God.” The devil will sometimes trick you into thinking something is OK so don’t believe every spirit. The worst thing to deceive yourself with is thinking there’s no God when the Bible, the world, and existence says there is.
Lying to yourself and telling yourself you’re not sinning.
1. Romans 14:23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
2. Proverbs 30:20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’
3. James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
4. 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.
Thinking you’re a Christian when you don’t live a Christian lifestyle.
5. Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
6. James 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
7. 1 John 2:4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
8. 1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.
9. 1 John 3:9-10 Everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness—the one who does not love his fellow Christian—is not of God.
Thinking you will get away with things.
10. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
11. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
12. Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Saying you don’t sin.
13. 1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
14. 1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
Deceiving yourself with friends.
15. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
Being wise in your own eyes.
16. Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
17. 1 Corinthians 3:18 Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.
18. Galatians 6:3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
19. 2 Timothy 3:13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
20. 2 Corinthians 10:12 Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.
How to know if I’m deceiving myself? Your conscience.
21. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
22. John 16:7-8 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.
23. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
24. 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Reminder
25. James 1:22-25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it–not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it–they will be blessed in what they do.
Bonus
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
