Reformation is the object we pretend to aim at, but we are perpetually mistaking the subject of it; it is ourselves. It is dreadful (but perhaps not uncommon) self-deceit to present ourselves before God with a lie in our mouths, and hypocrisy in our heart, or a secret unwillingness to be and to do as we pray. (Thomas Adam, Private Thoughts on Religion)
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
The heart is so deceitful that it can see the need of reformation in others and at the same time be blinded to its own need, and perhaps its greater need. The heart is so deceitful that it can see a need to reform from a sin of the heart or deed and yet only desire to go part of the way toward a true repentance and reformation. In other words, it seems that because of our self-deceit we will accept some measure of repentance as a true repentance and some measure of reformation as true reformation. To put it differently yet again, because of self-deceit we are willing to accept partial repentance which is no repentance at all and are willing to accept a partial reformation which is not a reformation at all in terms of what is pleasing to God. Our hearts are full of self-love and pride which makes them deceitful and as such will be satisfied with the slightest reformation and repentance and think of them as true. But God does not accept a repentance or a reformation that is partial.
The honest heart knows that it is too easily satisfied with the first appearance of repentance and reformation and it is pleased with the appearance rather than the reality of it. True repentance and true reformation are costly in terms of pain and suffering and the heart full of self does not want to go through those things. Jesus commands people to deny self and follow Him, and despite what people say today a person must deny self in order to follow Him. If a person does not deny self then a person follows the fleshly self where it wants to go and does not go where the flesh does not want to go. But the person that follows Christ follows Christ follows Christ where He goes and does not go where Christ does not want to go. Either Christ or the flesh will be denied and the other will be followed.
Matthew 13:20 “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
In Matthew 13 we see that the seed is sown in various soils and there are differing results. Regardless of how a person immediately responds to the Word the heart will eventually follow the flesh if the heart has not been changed. Many will receive the word with joy and that immediately, and yet when affliction or persecution arises because of the Word that person will immediately fall away. The problem is that the person did not truly repent of self and instead served self, so when the person heard the Word and it sounded good to self, the person followed self and had joy. But when problems came because of the Word, the person turned from the Word and followed self once again. The person had never denied self at any point.
The same thing is true of the person who heard the Word and appeared to follow it for a while, perhaps for a longer time. But at some point the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth came alone and choked out the word. This is another way of showing how self will follow Christ until the person begins to worry more about the world and the wealth of the world. Once again we see the issue of self. As long as Christ appears to be better than the world, self may want to follow Christ. But when the world and wealth come around and they appear better than Christ, the self exerts itself and follows the world and wealth. The person may not quit going to church and may still claim to be a Christian, but the person is now clearly following self and trying to use Christ to gain things for self rather than using self to gain the glory of God in the face of Christ. Oh the deception of self-love and pride.
God Loves... Himself 
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