FROM God's word we learn that a little time from this almost the entire world shall be deceived by Satan. At first thought this seems impossible; but upon careful investigation we find people educating themselves for this very thing. In Heb. 3: 13 (last part) we have the following: "Lest any of you be hardened thru the deceitfulness of sin." It is sin that is so deceitful, and by it—perhaps unwittingly—people educate themselves to be deceived.
While Satan is responsible for sowing the seed and watering it as opportunity affords; man must be held accountable for the way it is digged about and encouraged to grow until it becomes a plant of such enormous proportions that he will have neither the desire nor the power to root it out.
To illustrate: A man acquiring the appetite for alcoholic drinks argues with himself, "Beer is a food, whisky stimulates and strengthens, also keeps me from freezing in very cold weather," etc. Why does he reason with himself thus when he knows he may ruin his life by the habit? Answer: He is endeavoring to educate his conscience not to trouble him in what he is doing, and so is deceiving himself to believe sin is right. Of just such the Lord has said, "Whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."
When the natural heart longs to think, say, or do something that the conscience condemns, it will commence to reason with, and search for, that which will soothe the conscience. If this course is pursued until its age is numbered by years, is it any wonder that the conscience is "hardened thru the deceitfulness of sin"? When people have been educating themselves thus for years, is it to be wondered at that "evil men and seducers . . . wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived"? 2 Tim. 3: 13. Should we stand aghast when God says the day draws on apace that they shall "believe a lie"? 2 Thess. 2: 11.
As "there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect," could one, after having deceived self until that time, expect anything else but to be carried away with the last great deceptions which shall sweep almost the entire world into their nets? Or shall we heed the admonition of the apostle Paul: "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened thru the deceitfulness of sin." Heb. 3: 12, 13.