Lies in Disguise: I Love Me

A half-truth that has greatly influenced our culture and the modern church is this one: “Our well-being depends on high self-esteem.”

For the last 40-50 years, our world has been proclaiming the importance of praising, affirming, and approving ourselves and others, especially our children. 

The unsaved world cannot accept the fact that we are fallen, sinful human beings, so they've created the self-esteem lie-in-disguise to claim that all human problems, whether violent crime or depression, are caused because people don't think highly enough of themselves.

Scripture says something quite different:

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Romans 12:3

This self-esteem philosophy is loosely related to the “judge-not” half-truth that tells us not to judge sin and sinners. And studies show that self-esteem philosophy has created a world of self-assured, self-confident adults who lack motivation and self-control. It's also promoted the boundaries movement because self-assured people tend to end relationships if they aren't constantly affirmed. 

Christians must understand that we are called to humility and self-sacrifice, not pride and entitlement. 

“Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Jesus, Matthew 10:38

It's important that we understand the way this self-esteem lie is tangled into many “Christian” teachings. We need to replace self-esteem with God-esteem to have a valid view of ourselves.

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My book Lies in Disguise exposes this destructive half-truth, using understandable explanations and multiple Scripture references to unpack the self-esteem movement and replace it with the God-esteem movement.

Lies in Disguise is available:    

At a discounted price from the publisher for a limited time: Lies in Disguise. 

On Amazon. 

And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

 

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Lies in Disguise: The Most Popular Half-Truth

One of the most prevalent lies in disguise corrupting the modern church is the “judge not” half-truth. It has been cleverly promoted by misusing countless Bible verses. And it has been repeated so often that most Christians innocently believe some aspect of this lie.

Just as Satan presented half-truths to Eve in the Garden, he is promoting this powerful half-truth in the modern church.

The “judge not” heresy is presented as a way to promote love and grace, but it does just the opposite. It actually disables the body of Christ from doing things God commands us to do (1 Corinthians 2:15-16). 

We need to understand the way “judge not” is used in Scripture, specifically in Matthew 7:1-5. We need to know what, how, who, and when we are commanded to judge. And we need to recognize and reject the misunderstandings that the “judge not” teachings have promoted.

You may be surprised how many other half-truths this “judge not” lie has produced.

How can we avoid these lies in disguise? We must read our Bibles, judging all things by God's perfect truth. We must be willing to give up these popular half-truths when we find out they're misleading Christians. We can use free online Bible study tools (e.g., Bible Hub or Open Bible) and study God's Word with other believers (2 Timothy 2:15).

Are you preparing yourself to respond to “judge not” lies in disguise? Ask God for guidance in improving your understanding of His Word (1 Peter 3:15).

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Many popular teachings in the church "blur" the truth. 

In my book, Lies in Disguise, Half-Truths Many Christians Believe, I spend several chapters exploring this dangerous “judge not” lie and the other half-truths it promotes. It's an important starting point for identifying half-truths:

✓ Understanding Matthew 7:1-5

✓ Things we are commanded to judge

✓ Considerations when judging

✓ Judge-not misunderstandings

 

Lies in Disguise can help you understand biblical judgment and equip you to explain it to others. It's a good book for individual and small group study because it's filled with Scripture, and each chapter includes a Digging Deeper section with thought-provoking questions.

 

It's available at Amazon and CLC in the U.S. and at Equipping the Church and Eden in the U.K. 

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“I'm Only Human” Is an Excuse Jesus Disqualified

In the beginning, being human was perfect. Made in the image of God, we perfectly reflected our Creator (Genesis 1:26-27,31).  

But Adam and Eve changed that when they sinned.

Sin entered God's perfect creation, and everyone after Adam was born in Adam's image, an image that still reflected God, but not as it once had (Genesis 5:1-3).

“I'm only human” became a common excuse to justify our sinful nature.

Then Jesus became a perfect human and did what none of us could do: redeem us from our sins.

And everything changed.

Saying “I'm only human” is no longer a valid excuse. It's a decision (and a bad one).

When we come to Christ, we still have a sinful human nature, but we can begin to “throw off ” our old sinful nature and our former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. And we can let the Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes so we can put on our new nature, “created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

It's a daily decision to do this, deliberately and seriously (Philippians 2:12-13).   

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

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In case you're asking: 

Why Do We Suffer for Adam’s Sin?

Have you ever wondered why all of mankind suffers because of Adam's sin? This devotion addresses that question.

Why Did God Create Man with the Ability to Sin?

A one-minute devotion to help you answer this question biblically.

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A Fun Way to Learn Spiritual Discipline

By Marika Marton

We have started practicing a very simple but helpful habit in our Christian home group. Each week, we choose a Bible verse to memorize together and intentionally try to live it out during the following week.

For example, last weekend we chose 1 Corinthians 16:14: “Do everything in love.” It is easy to memorize, but not so easy to practice. Still, we spur one another on to live it out, even when it is difficult.

I encourage you to do the same. You can do this alone, with a friend or family member, or in a small group. Choose a different verse each week—one that helps you become more like Jesus and grow in sanctification.

For instance, you could focus on the fruit of the Spirit one by one: “The fruit of the Spirit is…self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). Practice that specific virtue for a week, and the next time you meet, share your experiences and encourage one another to continue living it out daily.

You may write the verse down as a reminder and repeat it throughout the week, but even more important is being disciplined in that area and actually living it. When you “catch yourself” failing to do everything in love or failing to be self-controlled, pray and ask God to give you strength and help you change.

I believe this simple practice can help us grow in spiritual discipline, change little by little, and become more and more conformed to our Savior.

 

See also: Christians Are Lifelong Students of Jesus and If We Want to Grow in Christ We Need Fellowship.

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Narcigesis - The Narcissist Method of Bible Study

In Greek mythology, Narcissus drowns because he's fixated on the beauty of his own reflection in a pool of water. 

That's why we call arrogant, selfish people narcissists.

I recently discovered a similar word: narcigesis. 

To understand narcigesis, we must first understand exegesis.

Exegesis is the accurate method of Bible study. It involves careful research of the context, history, and original languages of each Bible passage. It gives us an accurate understanding of what Scripture teaches. 

Narcigesis is quite different and quite popular.

This false method views Scripture through a lens of human wisdom and cultural values. It may promise health and wealth, deny personal responsibility, replace God-esteem with self-esteem, or twist Scripture to claim God approves popular sins.

Narcigesis is one reason Colossians 2:8 says, "Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ." 

For more on this subject, see: 

Does God Hate Shrimp?

There are many dumb excuses for ignoring God's moral laws. This one-minute devotion explains how to test which Old Testament laws apply today.

Responding to Revisionist Theology: Don't Overlook Verse 11 
Revisionist theologians claim 1 Corinthians 6:9 is misunderstood. This short devotion explains the meaning, using the original language.

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Lies in Disguise: The Origin

Dear readers, over the next few months, I will be sharing a couple of devotions each week covering some of the subjects in my book, Lies in Disguise. These are devotions, not ads, but they will give you an idea of the book content, helping you decide if it's something you'd like for personal or group study. For a more thorough overview of the book content, see the Lies in Disguise landing page. ~ Gail

Now for the devotion:

Origins are important. Understanding the source of something helps us discern if it's true or false. 

I'm not sure when my interest in studying half-truths began, but I've been studying them for over a decade. Without a doubt, they prove to be the most effective method for misleading people. And Satan loves introducing them in the church where they do the greatest damage to our world. 

Half-truths are nothing new. The first half-truth recorded in Scripture sets the stage for the spiritual battle mankind has faced throughout history. To read a poem I wrote about that first lie in disguise see On the Eve of Destruction.  

I call these half-truths Lies in Disguise because they typically come across as reasonable, logical, and fair-minded when they are actually unreasonable, illogical, and unjust. 

Scripture warns us repeatedly of such things: 
Colossians 2:8; Ephesians 5:6; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Romans 16:17-18.

See the full text of these Scriptures at the bottom of the page.

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I'm deeply concerned about popular half-truths that are damaging people's faith, and that's why I wrote Lies in Disguise, Half-Truths Many Christians Believe. 

It begins by thoroughly explaining the origin of the half-truth method, the first time truth was mixed with error in our world, and the evil and loss it caused. Do you know what part of Satan's lie to Eve was true and what part was false? Do you know that Satan used similar lies throughout Scripture and continues to use them in the modern church?

We need to understand these lies in disguise so we can reject them and warn others.  

See It's Not for the Money. It explains how little I get from each book and why my main goal is getting helpful information into the hands of remnant believers.

Lies in Disguise is available: 

At a discounted price from the publisher for a limited time: Lies in Disguise. 

On Amazon. 

And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

Scriptural warnings:

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”  Colossians 2:8

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.”  Ephesians 5:6

“I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”  2 Corinthians 11:3 

“Watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned...such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.”  Romans 16:17-18

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My 40-Day and 40-Night Challenge

Some of you know that my new book Lies in Disguise, Half-Truths Many Christians Believe came out December 1, 2025. But for some reason, Amazon didn’t start delivering orders until the end of the first week in January 2026. 

And this was only one of many challenges I faced during that time. One day I made a joke about those early orders taking 40 days and 40 nights, and I decided to research events taking 40 days in Scripture:

1. The flood which brought a new beginning (Genesis 7:12).

2. Moses' time on Mt. Sinai which brought new revelation (Exodus 24:18).

3. Elijah's exhausting journey which brought his recommissioning (1 Kings 19:8). 

4. Christ's wilderness temptation which confirmed His sinless character (Mark 1:12-13). 

5. Christ's post-resurrection visits which confirmed His mission (Acts 1:3).

Don’t worry. I’m not comparing my difficulties or my book to any of these important events, but it’s a good reminder that things we do for the Lord sometimes bring a flood of waiting, exhaustion, temptations, delays, and time-consuming purposes.

Because my book deals with popular errors, I believe Satan has made continual attempts to discourage me and interfere with the publication.* 

God’s Word reminds us that living for Him involves sacrifice (Matthew 16:24). We see this in the lives of God’s people throughout Scripture and history, and we find comfort in verses like John 16:33:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 

Jesus gives us peace in the trials! 

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* Another element of my 40-day challenge was discovering a one-word error/typo in three Scripture references in the book, even though my original manuscript quoted them correctly! They can't be corrected until the book has its second printing. One of my friends who has published ten successful books assured me that small printing errors aren't unusual. But I was disappointed. I wished the errors had been in my words, not God's. 😊

I think Lies in Disguise is an important book for remnant Christians because it explains popular errors that God's people have unknowingly accepted, errors that misrepresent the gospel message.

You might enjoy reading these two reviews: An Author and an Army Chaplain Review “Lies in Disguise.”  Lies in Disguise now has normal delivery dates on Amazon, and it's also available at CLC, and in the U.K. at Equip and Eden.

 

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Rejoicing in Detours, Difficulties, & Delays

DIY moves are stressful, and we were bone tired after packing and loading our household goods. After all, we were in our 60s. 

After several hours on the road in our 26' rental truck, we made a rest stop in the middle of nowhere and noticed a badly bent wheel on the trailer that was hauling our car.

A boring four-hour wait for the wrecker ... too late to make our destination ... an unplanned overnight at a hotel .... delayed unpacking.

I was completely cheerful, praising God bummed.

Fortunately, others were praying for us, which is probably why I was able to quickly refocus on these truths:

1. Perhaps God protected us from an accident. Whether He did or not, He could use the delay for our good (Romans 8:28).

2. This was a great opportunity to grow in patience and gratefulness 
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

3. It was a good time to count my blessings and remember how insignificant my troubles really are (Philippians 4:8).

God's truth has a way of turning everything around—if we let it.

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For more insights, see When Things Don't Go as Planned and When God Changes Our Plans.

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Why Philip Yancey's Book is Backward on My Bookshelf

I sometimes buy books with biblical errors for research purposes.(1) I put them backward on my bookshelf so people won't see them and think I recommend them. 

 

The Bible is the only book facing forward that I trust 100%, so I'm not saying I must agree with every word in other books. But I don't display the ones with major biblical errors. This week, I flipped a Philip Yancey book backward because God commands us to judge the fruit of a teacher's message and his life (Matthew 7:15-20).

Yancey recently confessed to having an eight-year affair, sinning against God and his wife of fifty-five years, and helping another married woman violate her marriage, all the while representing Christianity in his ministry and books.

We all sin, and sometimes we fight the same sins for years. But when we enjoy sins for years without fighting them, we seriously damage our witness, our faith, and our discernment. 

And sexual sins are especially damaging because our “bodies are members of Christ himself… All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” See 1 Corinthians 6:9-20.

I pray Yancey will take the steps to restore his faith, marriage, and discernment.

His life should inspire us to be even more deliberate about guarding our hearts (Proverbs 4:23), fleeing temptation (2 Timothy 2:22), taking God's exit plan (1 Corinthians 10:13), and wearing the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). 

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Often, when something like this happens, people use the example of David as a way of excusing such sins. David's sins were fully forgiven because he fully and humbly repented, but he suffered serious life-long consequences. See 6 Characteristics of Sincere Repentance

(1) In this photo, the three books turned backward are Boundaries, Jesus Calling, and The Shack. Each title is linked to an explanation of the errors they contain. See also Should We Care if The Shack, The Chosen, & Jesus Calling Contain Scriptural Errors?

 

See Philip Yancey Confesses Affair

 

A perfect way to improve your biblical discernment. 

 

Lies in Disguise available: 

From the publisher: Lies in Disguise.  

On Amazon. 

And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

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Law-Keeping versus Love-Keeping

We love freedom. We fight for it. We hold it in high regard. 

However, many people think freedom is doing whatever we want - no rules, no right or wrong. 

But Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34).

And the most important type of freedom comes only from God: 

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”  Galatians 5:1

Christians understand that “not everything is beneficial” and we must not be mastered by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12). We seek freedom by seeking to do what God commands, but it's not really about law-keeping; it's about “love-keeping.”

Jesus said, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching” (John 14:23).

Being a Christ-lover means living within His guidelines, limitations, and expectations because we love Him, trust Him, and want to honor Him.

Galatians 5:6 says, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” This means we share God's loving warnings and His life-changing wisdom in His Word.

That's what sets souls free, and we share this with others because we'd like them to enjoy this wonderful, eternal freedom as well!

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See The Reason We Obey and Some Folks Need Law, Others Need Grace.

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