Self-Deception Its Nature, Evils, and Remedy

These piercing statements apply to Christians because the natural mind is always tending toward deceptive self-righteousness. Also in part he is trying to provoke people who think they are Christians but are "trusting in a refuge of lies," to reconsider. Some topics are: intellectual assent is not holiness; natural gifts and sentiments are not to be confused with true spiritual life; adopting healthy habits is not necessarily spiritual repentance; and zeal for a cause is not necessarily Christian devotedness. The huge participation rate of all mankind in self-deception should give one pause to reconsider these issues. Author Jacob Helffenstein (1802-1884) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the third son of Dr. Samuel Helffenstein, who was part of a family of ministers. Jacob pastored the church in Chambersburg and Fayetteville, Pennsylvania from 1838-1841. From 1842-1869 he moved to the Market Square Church, a Reformed Church of Germantown, PA. In 1856 he changed the church to Presbyterian after dissenting about Mercersburg Theology because it had a tendency toward Romanism.