Deceiving and Being Deceived

If you've ever read 2 Timothy, Chapter 3, it probably stood out to you that there were some verses there that you were already familiar with because people like quoting them, from the first few verses...

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2 Timothy 3:1-5

...to the last few verses.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16-17

But between those sets of verses, there are a few verses that stand out to me, and I'd like to share one of them this morning.

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
2 Timothy 3:13

It doesn't surprise me that "evil men" and "seducers" are deceiving others. I mean, they're evil. Treachery and deception are hallmarks of evil men and seducers. But what's this about them "being deceived"? Who's deceiving them and what lies are they falling for?

The deceiver of the deceivers is Satan, "the father of all lies" (unless, of course, my interpretation is incorrect). What lies does he tell his followers? "This will lead to peace and happiness. There's nothing wrong with what you're doing. And even if there were, no one will ever know you did it." And there are many others.

Until now, I've thought of evil men and seducers as villains - people who know that what they're doing is wrong and evil, but that just don't care. I thought they were utterly lacking in empathy or humanity. But now I'm not so sure. The problem could be that they are all too human. Yes, they do evil things and, having been born with a conscience in them, they do, on some level, know better, but what if they have been blinded and deceived into doing what they do? What if they, having fallen for the lies of Satan, have started to lose sight of the fact that they're hurting other people? What if they are being deceived and hurt just as they are deceiving and hurting others? Wouldn't that make them a kind of victim as well?

I'm not trying to excuse or justify the kind of people who do terrible things. I'm just trying to point out  that sin is a terribly tragic thing. It's tragic for the victims of such evil doings, but it's also tragic for the souls of the evil-doers. Sin is destructive to everyone involved, including both the people who do it and all those who suffer as a result.

I've been told that I'd gain an understanding of the human condition. Perhaps that means I'll gain some empathy for my fellow human beings, including the sinners. And perhaps a part of that gaining of empathy is learning, first-hand, how blunderingly stupid human beings can be and often are. I've been fooled by Satan before. I know how cunning he is. I know how easy it is to fall for his lies and be tricked into doing things that are stupid, self-destructive, harmful to others, and generally evil. I'm starting to feel sorry for the people who do horrible things, worse things than I have done, and more directly and deliberately harmful to others, because I know that that's a terrible burden to have on their conscience, and I know how easy it is to be tricked into putting it there.

We are all human - even those who behave as though they were inhuman. We all make mistakes in life, and we all, at one time or another, have been deceived by the evil one. Some mistakes are more evil than others. Some sins are more tragic than others. But all of us, especially the worst of us, have been deceived, so I'm not going to be too quick to label anyone as evil, especially since I believe they have felt, or will likely feel, as much pain as they ever cause. That's what I'd imagine hell is like - feeling all the paint that you've caused others to feel. And some people are being unwittingly tricked into going there.