ROMANS 7:11

“for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it, killed me.”

Don’t you hate getting the wool pulled over your eyes? That’s when someone intentionally deceives or tricks you so you can’t see the truth. Usually that do that to gain some kind of advantage over you. Do you know where that saying comes from? It was used to refer to the woolen wig worn by judges. The saying suggested pulling the wig over the judge’s eyes so they couldn’t see clearly and was meant to influence their decision.

Sin does the same thing to us. It pulls the wool over our eyes with one intention – to harm us. Paul states it pretty clearly. He says it deceives to kill. And who is the author of all sin? The devil. John 10:10 gives us his purpose. Jesus says there, “‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;…’” Sin will never lead you to a place of rest. It will always seek a way to destroy you and your testimony.

APPLICATION

The Greek word used for “deceived” is exapataó which is only used six times in the New Testament, all by Paul. Later in Romans 16:18 the word is used to describe people who try to deceive. “For such people are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” We have to watchful for such people.

One of my memory verses in 2 Corinthians 11:3, where the word is used again. “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” Doesn’t that verse perfectly fit the description of pulling wool over someone’s eyes? The devil wanted to trick Eve and take advantage of the situation, trying to bring down God’s plan for mankind. He’s still at work trying to do that.

Exapataó also “emphasizes the end-impact of deception – i.e. missing true reality because ‘biting on the bait that brings the hook!’” (HELPS Word-studies). It’s not the deception itself. It looks at the result of the deception, the damage done because of the deception. We have got to be aware at all times of the devil’s schemes to try to deceive us, to get us to take the bait. It’s then he will set the hook.

O Lord, forgive me for falling to the deceptions of the devil. Give me holy eyes to spot it in advance.

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