16 Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers.
The first part of this verse is a greek expression that means to err, go astray or wander. The dictionary defines deceived:
- to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid
- Ensnare
- obsolete : to be false to
It seems in our society that we naturally feel that “when we are deceived” it is someone else’s fault. We don’t take responsibility for the thoughts and actions that allowed us to be ensnared, but we blame someone else for what happened to us. Someone deceived us rather than we wandererd away. As Christians, we are not to blame God for our sin, but take responsibility.
I love that James reminds us that we are dearly loved after admonishing us to keep guard.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Jas 1:16). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
