The Deceitfulness of Sin

Hebrews 3:13 says, “But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called ‘today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Sin is deceitful. That means it doesn’t always look like sin. It doesn’t announce itself. It sneaks in. It hides behind emotions, excuses, and false versions of love. It sounds like, “God understands,” or, “It’s not hurting anyone,” or, “This is just who I am.”

That’s the trap. What starts as compromise becomes comfort. And before long, the heart doesn’t even flinch anymore. That’s what Hebrews warned us about—the hardening that happens when sin is allowed to stick around.

Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”
This isn’t just a warning for the world. It’s a warning for the Church. And many have stopped listening.

Churches today are under pressure to be tolerant. Preachers are told to soften the message. Sin is renamed. Holiness is mocked. And the truth is treated like hate speech. But changing the name doesn’t change the nature. Sin by any other name is still sin.

2 Timothy 4:3–4 says, “For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
We’re not waiting for that day—it’s already here. Many pulpits are full, but the Word is missing. Truth is being exchanged for comfort. And comfort doesn’t convict.

The Church is not called to blend in. We’re called to be salt and light. Salt that loses its taste is worthless. Light that’s hidden has no impact. When the Church tolerates what Christ came to destroy, it loses its voice and its power.

Grace was never meant to excuse sin. It was given to free us from it. Romans 6:1–2 says, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”

Justifying sin doesn’t make it holy. It makes it harder to repent from. That’s the danger. Not just the sin itself—but the mindset that makes peace with it.

We are told to encourage one another daily—because daily, the enemy works to wear us down. Daily, sin tries to slip in quietly. And daily, we need truth to remind us who we are and what God has called us to.

Jesus didn’t die so we could be comfortable in sin. He died to pull us out of it, clean us up, and set us apart.

Truth still matters. Holiness still matters. And no matter what culture says, sin is still sin.

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“What I write is not for everyone, but what I write is meant for someone.” – Dean Butler

I am the author of two books: Embracing God's Wisdom: A Journey of Faith and Reflection and Embracing God’s Wisdom: Paul’s Commands for Victorious Living. Both are available on Amazon.

This work may be shared for ministry or personal use, but please credit the author when doing so. © Dean Butler – Dean’s Bible Blog. All rights reserved.

Please reach out at: hopeinchrist2024@yahoo.com

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service.” (1 Timothy 1:12)