Deuteronomy 29:17-21: a reflection

17and you have seen their abominations and their idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which were among them); 18lest there should be among you man, woman, family, or tribe whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that produces bitter poison; 19and it happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, “I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart,” to destroy the moist with the dry. 20The LORD will not pardon him, but then the LORD’s anger and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book will fall on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under the sky. 21The LORD will set him apart for evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this book of the law.

In this warning, Moses describes a particular kind of self-deception. There is a person, he says, who hears the words of the covenant and its warnings, and yet blesses himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart. He hears the warning, and yet reassures himself that he will be fine, though he persists in going his own stubborn way. It is a false self-assurance, a presuming on peace while persisting in sin.

Notice the self-deception Moses describes: presuming peace while persisting in sin. This person hears God's warning, and yet says in his heart, I shall have peace, though I walk in my own stubbornness. He reassures himself that all will be well, that he will escape consequences, even as he persists in going his own way against God. It is a false peace, a presumption that ignores the warning and assumes safety while continuing in sin. He blesses himself where God has not blessed him.

That self-deception is one we can share, for we can presume on peace while persisting in sin. We can hear God's warnings, and yet reassure ourselves that we will be fine, that we will escape consequences, even as we persist in some sin or stubbornness. But such self-assurance is false; to presume peace while walking in our own stubbornness, ignoring God's warning, is a dangerous self-deception. Do not bless yourself with a false peace, saying in your heart, I shall be fine, though you persist in a sin or stubbornness God has warned against. Do not presume on peace while walking in your own way against God; such self-assurance is a deception. Heed God's warnings rather than reassuring yourself that all is well while you persist in sin. The one who says, I shall have peace, though I walk in my own stubbornness, deceives himself; do not deceive yourself so, but take God's warnings seriously, turning from the sin you would presume to continue in, rather than blessing yourself with a false peace while persisting in your own stubborn way.

Lord, in this warning Moses describes a self-deception: there is one who hears the words of the covenant and its warnings, yet blesses himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart. He hears the warning, yet reassures himself he will be fine, though he persists in his own stubborn way. Show me the self-deception: presuming peace while persisting in sin. This person hears your warning, yet says, I shall have peace, though I walk in my own stubbornness; he reassures himself all will be well, even as he persists against you. It is a false peace, a presumption that ignores the warning. That self-deception is one I can share, for I can presume on peace while persisting in sin. I can hear your warnings, yet reassure myself that I will be fine, that I will escape consequences, even as I persist in some sin or stubbornness. But such self-assurance is false; to presume peace while walking in my own stubbornness, ignoring your warning, is a dangerous self-deception. Keep me from blessing myself with a false peace, saying in my heart, I shall be fine, though I persist in a sin you have warned against. Keep me from presuming on peace while walking in my own way against you; help me heed your warnings rather than reassuring myself that all is well while I persist in sin, Lord. Help me take your warnings seriously, and turn from the sin I would presume to continue in, rather than deceiving myself with a false peace.