The research evidence showed a need for discernment to combat deception. Discernment is practiced by establishing criteria (i.e., a principle or standard by which something may be judged and then decided), which is crucial to your discernment, but even with the criteria, people reject the truth. At the heart of deception is the rejection of truth. It’s your life, your responsibility to learn how to discern truth. 1 Corinthians 2:11-12 (NIV)

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

James 1:21 (NIV) “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

Your full-functioning, full potential, your eternal destiny, and eternal rewards are determined by truth. Over thousands of years, hollow and deceptive philosophies have been developed based on human tradition and elemental spiritual forces. Colossians 2:8 (NASB95) says, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” Learning the truth is a daunting task with a myriad of complexities. Therefore, most people don’t realize they’re being deceived, and that’s the beginning of the problem–a lack of awareness and understanding of what to accept and do. 

Deception is a phenomenon where the rejection of the truth impairs the formation and evaluation of belief and a full-functioning faith in the Creator. The core of all truth is that God is the Creator. Romans 1:25 (NASB95) “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Most people don’t make enough effort to clarify, define, and understand what they believe. They take one of two paths: 1). the comfortable path that pleads ignorance, or 2). participation in the fantasy of make-believe because it’s easier that way. Belief has two parts:

1). What you’re willing to accept or not accept. 

2). What you’re willing to act on or not act on.

When people say, “I believe that…” What they mean is that they accept “it” as a fact.  For example, “I believe in treating people with respect.” You’re saying that you accept the idea that treating people with respect is a good idea or it’s the right thing to do. However, there is another aspect of belief that carries a deeper significance. When you truly believe something, you act on it. For example, regarding respecting people, you behave with respect towards people, but in actuality, you don’t believe in treating all people with respect. You believe in being respectful to people who are respectful to you, people who like you, people who agree with you, and people who are attractive, intelligent, powerful, or in a position of authority. You may say you believe in treating people respectfully, but, in actuality, there are conditions. Maybe the conditions are political, religious, educational, relational, or social, but conditions exist.

Conditions (i.e., a state that affects how a person thinks, feels, or acts) are shaped and controlled by powerful forces seeking to influence people’s psychological functioning. They are exercised in a manipulated culture of deception. History clearly shows patterns of how cultural components are leveraged using engaging techniques to shape your thinking and behavior. 

A consequential component of cultural influence that fosters deception is the inability to distinguish your reality versus actuality. Your reality is what you make it, and it’s based on your idealistic or notional understanding of things in life and your life. Your reality is the substance of your subjective abilities to make valuations and make decisions. Your reality is your truth, and that’s where you’re deceived. There is no your truth. Typically, people are not skilled in making accurate valuations or evaluations and fail to make decisions resulting in successful outcomes. Psychologically, people are significantly dysfunctional because they don’t understand and accept actuality. Deception is significantly severe when you live only in your reality.