Numerous different gospels – all promising life eternal, fulfillment and happiness – and most of them are using Jesus’ name and targeting Christians too!
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” – Genesis 3:1
Not too far in when you open the Bible, in the book of Genesis, you could already see that the Devil, Satan’s main weapon in waylaying all of humanity from God’s purpose is to put in a little lie embedded within the selfish desires of our hearts.
He asks the first woman, Eve, “Did God really say…” because he wanted to put in a bit of doubt so that Eve can CONVINCE HERSELF – even deceive herself – to believe that IT’S OKAY to put God’s word aside for a bit.
“Just one bite from one fruit won’t hurt… Right?”
That’s the kind of thinking that a lot of Christians are deceived into today.
We have selfish desires in our hearts – things that we deem pleasurable, happy and even fulfilling.
Satan’s Strategem
The Devil’s strategy today is the same as before – and it works because of how shallow a relationship we have with the Truth – that is Jesus Christ.
The Devil asks you “Did God really say…” and then you begin to fill in the void and realize you are not sure of what God really says because you haven’t really taken the time to study it, pray about it and have a day-by-day relationship with God.
So you convince yourself that God must have meant something else – because God wants you to be happy, right? Happiness must be the end-all, isn’t it?
When you look at all the martyred followers of Christ – that should easily tell you that happiness is far from the end-goal. What God desires for us is to be LIKE JESUS. Then we can enter into His glory and rest – eternally – and be truly happy then.
75% Truths?
Half truths – especially when it’s the one you’d like to hear – are certainly a million times more convincing than either the truth or the lie.
The serpent in the garden of Eden knew that he could not lie to Eve but he also knew that telling Eve the truth would not fulfill his mission of separating God and man (therefore damning the entire human race in to sin and death).
So he told her a half-truth – and that did the most amazing thing of turning Eve around from God’s direct command.
God’s Word is the only truth – and it takes a lifetime of studying, prayer and meditation. If we bend it to what we want it to be because it suits our lifestyle of sin, it is no longer God’s Word – we are living our own lies and we deceive ourselves in order to live a life of sin AND YET BELIEVING that we are still worthy of God’s approval – and get to heaven.
The BIGGEST LIE AND DECEPTION that Satan has woven in our day and age – is that we can do WHATEVER WE WANT and still be worthy of God’s approval and acceptance – and GET TO HEAVEN.
A lot of people have fallen into this pit. Even people I dearly love and care for.
Putting God where we want Him to be
Jesus’ Lordship is the toughest thing about the Christian life. Often people pick where Jesus can be Lord in their lives and block Him off on the other aspects where they want to keep their lifestyle of sin.
This is not uncommon – many people – even Christians struggle with this.
There are certainly many ways to live the Christian life – but it is all according to God’s will in His Word – anything else that is made out of our own imaginations, arguments and self-sourced (or Googled) beliefs is a lifestyle of sin and will lead to spiritual death.
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” – Galatians 6:7
Deception is the enemy’s greatest weapon – he is using it to warp the minds even of Christians – to influence them to compromise and live a life outside of the truth – that is, Christ.
The solution? The cure? The defense?
What else could fight against deception except for the TRUTH?
Truth by definition is exclusive. There cannot be two conflicting truths. Such is the nature of Truth.
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6
There is only one Truth. Devoting your life to knowing this truth is worthwhile – and this truth is Jesus Christ.
Walk with Jesus and you will find life and live it to the full – without succumbing to the deception of the Devil and the folly of the world.
God bless you all.
