Satan and His Minions Construct an Even Greater Deception
If Satan and his demonic minions, sworn enemies of God, work diligently to blind us to the truth of God’s Word, why wouldn’t they build on that by creating another way to God —a way that excludes the redemption with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, and that is based on following rituals and doing good works as a way to get to Heaven?
Now let’s take your knowledge of right and wrong (your moral compass), combine it with your pride and selfishness (your old nature, the flesh) and take an imaginary trip to a meeting of Satan and his demonic minions. Take a deep breath and use your imagination as you read these next paragraphs.
You are now in the war room of Satan and his demonic minions. They are planning their revenge and how to attack God.
Satan: We need a better way to confuse the people of earth so that God cannot redeem them to Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. These people and their souls belong to me, and I’m not going to give them up without a fight. I’ve copied everything God has done so far and twisted it for my own use so that non-believers cannot see the truth of God’s Word. But we’re still losing the battle.
One of his minions: What if you start your own gospel of salvation, one that runs parallel to God’s true plan for salvation?
Satan: What do you mean?
One of his minions: Well you’ve successfully corrupted their souls through sin, so why not build on it?
Satan: Go on.
One of his minions: We know what drives these people; they are no different than we are. Let’s play to their pride and selfishness. You’ve become the master of temptation — use it against their belief in God.
Satan: You’re losing me.
One of his minions: What if you provided them a gospel of salvation that played on their moral compass and their sinful nature? It would be a gospel that allows them to take pride in achieving their way to Heaven through their ability to work for it. Then they can boast to their friends and family about what they’ve done. It would be an alternative to God’s gospel of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Satan: What would you call this gospel, and how would we get this message to the lost?
One of his minions: The Gospel of Good Works is your way to Heaven, but leave out the part that true redemption only comes through grace and the belief in Jesus Christ as your personal savior.
Another demonic minion: Next we establish different kinds of cults for people to follow— ones that suit their individual sinful desires. Then we establish different religions that preach the way to God is by keeping religious rituals and by your own good deeds —things they can do and keep track of, things that make them feel good about themselves. We’ll teach and promote the harder you work at being a good person, the easier it will be to get into heaven. But, from the pulpit and from their religious leaders they will never hear the truth that God’s gospel of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ as the only way to Heaven.
Satan: I like it! This will keep them busy and away from the truth of God’s Word. Let’s put everything we have into establishing these cults and religions. This should really put a kink into God’s plans.
Does this sound weird or a little farfetched? Take a look at 2 Timothy 4:3-4:
“3The time will come when people will not listen to the truth. They will look for teachers who will tell them only what they want to hear. 4They will not listen to the truth. Instead, they will listen to stories made up by men.” (NLV)
Now read Colossians 2:20-23:
“20Since you died, as it were, with Christ and this has set you free from following the world’s ideas of how to be saved—by doing good and obeying various rules—why do you keep right on following them anyway, still bound by such rules as 21not eating, tasting, or even touching certain foods? 22Such rules are mere human teachings, for food was made to be eaten and used up. 23These rules may seem good, for rules of this kind require strong devotion and are humiliating and hard on the body, but they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thoughts and desires. They only make him proud.” (TLB)
Friends, do not sell Satan short and ignore what is going on around you and inside of you. But, God’s Word assures us that Satan and his demonic minions will lose in the end.
In our next chapter you will learn how to turn the life I’ve just described around 180 degrees. Join me as we turn your defeat into glorious victory.
Until next time, my friend, may Mercy, Peace, and Love be multiplied to you.
