How do we know we are deceiving ourselves in our faith?

James 1:22 cautions believers against self-deception, stressing that hearing God's word without putting it into practice leads to a vain faith. This self-deception comes from a prideful belief that one’s understanding of God or religion is correct without resulting in a life changed by that truth. True faith is characterized by action; thus, if someone is not applying God's word to their daily life, they may be deluding themselves into thinking they possess a genuine relationship with Christ.