Bible Studies – common sense ministries http://commonsenseministries.com Teaching the simplicity of the Bible Thu, 15 Dec 2022 21:17:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 The Anatomy of Sin – Prepare for Battle http://commonsenseministries.com/2020/09/04/the-anatomy-of-sin-prepare-for-battle/ http://commonsenseministries.com/2020/09/04/the-anatomy-of-sin-prepare-for-battle/#respond Fri, 04 Sep 2020 13:55:59 +0000 http://commonsenseministries.com/2020/09/04/the-anatomy-of-sin-prepare-for-battle/

Welcome back, my friends. During this time of uncertainty swirling around us with the Coronavirus, civil unrest, and tension between nations, you need to hold fast to your Faith, Trust, and Hope in the Lord now more than ever.

Each morning when you awake, before you get out of bed, clear your mind and focus on the Lord God of the Universe. Talk to Him, declaring with all your heart, mind, body, soul, and spirit that all your Faith, all your Trust, and all of your Hopes are wrapped up in Him and His Holy Word today, Amen.

Now get up out of bed with the confidence that God, your source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Now you will overflow with confidence through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Five years ago in my series, “The Next Step – Living Your Life Through Jesus,” I spoke about the need to dress properly if you want to survive and successfully do battle with Satan and his minions who will confront you today and every day of your life while you are still here living in this lost world.

Using that lesson as our foundation, let’s prepare to put on the Whole Armor of God to stand firm. God warns us to; Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)

 So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you. Do all this in prayer, asking for God\’s help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. Ephesians 6:13-18 (TLB)

The Whole Armor of God is really a figurative description of the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. The armor is Christ and what He is prepared to be and to do in our life. 

And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. Galatians 3:27 (NLT)

The Apostle Paul uses a metaphor to compare a Roman soldier’s need to protect his body before he goes into battle with a Believer’s need to do the same for his or her spiritual battle. Paul\’s design was to touch on the most important qualities in a Believer’s life, and he adapts a soldier’s armor to explain those qualities.

The difference between the two is that the Roman soldier is going into battle against humans (flesh and blood) who are standing right in front of him. However, Believers are preparing for a spiritual battle — a battle that is going on all around them and in them, one that they can neither see nor defend themselves against under their own power.

The two battles also are different in their armor needs. The soldier’s battle is against external forces, so his armor needs to be on the outside of his body for protection. The Believer’s battle is against unseen forces that attack your very heart and soul. The world cannot see this because the world is unaware of the heavenly realms. The world has no idea what is taking place through you and me.

A Believer’s battle armor needs to be on the inside to guard their spiritual being. All the resources that the Believer needs are drawn from Christ and \”his mighty power.\” 

What is the purpose of a soldier? He fights battles! And that is what God is doing in and through us right now. He has given us the privilege of serving on the battlefield upon which His great victories are won.

So, why is the Apostle Paul so focused on why we need to put on the whole armor of God? Listen to what the he says in Ephesians 6:12 (GNT) 

For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.

The reality, my friends, is that for now, you and I are still living in a world controlled by Satan. But, because you are now a child of God and we are a foreigner and enemy in Satan’s domain, life for us Believers will continue to be a struggle full of conflict and warfare as you serve your Lord here on earth. 

Finally, build up your strength in union with the Lord and by means of his mighty power. Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil\’s evil tricks. Ephesians 6:10-11 (GNT)

This is the process of sanctification. To “sanctify” something is to set it apart for special use; to “sanctify” a person is to make him/her holy. Prior to your salvation, your behavior displayed the control and influence of Satan in your life and your separation from God. 

(I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.” Romans 6:19 (NET Bible)

 Your behavior now should begin displaying your righteous standing before God and separation from the world.

 Little by little, every day, “Believers are being sanctified” and becoming more like Christ.”  “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,” 1 Corinthians 1:30 (NASB)

Through God’s grace and mercy, you were justified (saved), a once-for-all, positional holiness in Christ. Now, God guides you to spiritual maturity (sanctification). He accomplishes this through His instruction manual the Bible, taught to you personally by the Holy Spirit inside of you.

And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns. Philippians 1:6 (TLB)

As your Lord Jesus continues to work and grow in your life through the Holy Spirit, things in your life will naturally begin to change. You may not notice it first, but those around you will begin to see a change. It is a change that affects how you think and your character. They will notice how you’ve become more truthful, honest, and genuine when talking with them. It is your integrity, sincerity and dependability others will see when dealing with you.

Through your sanctification process, which will last your entire life, Jesus is accomplishing remarkable things in you and me. Remember, to “sanctify” someone is to set them apart for special use; to “sanctify” a person is to make him/her holy. 

It is he who saved us and chose us for his holy work not because we deserved it but because that was his plan long before the world began—to show his love and kindness to us through Christ.  2 Timothy 1:9 (TLB) 
Obey God because you are his children; don’t slip back into your old ways—doing evil because you knew no better. But be holy now in everything you do, just as the Lord is holy, who invited you to be his child. He himself has said, “You must be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16 (TLB)

This call to holiness means that we as Believers are to set ourselves apart from the customs and values of this unbelieving world we live in and to live by the character and teachings of Jesus. This means you are no longer allowing your previous unbelief to define you.

My friends, as Believers we are truly free from the control of sin. You must realize now that Satan no longer has control of you like the unbelievers around us, although Satan will work diligently to make you believe he is still in control. It is purely a mind game he is playing with you. Remember, you are a Child of God so stop falling for his lies. 

When life’s temptations sneak up on you, simply say to him, “Satan you aren’t in the driver’s seat anymore, just get in the back seat and keep your mouth shut. Jesus is behind the wheel now.” It’s just another way of saying “Get thee behind me Satan.”

Your new inside body armor will consist of the following

  1.   The Belt of Truth
  2.   The Body Armor (breastplate) of Righteousness
  3.   The Shoes of Peace
  4.   The Shield of Faith
  5.   The Helmet of Salvation
  6.   The Sword of the Spirit (God’s Word)

 This, then, is our six-fold calling. God has equipped us with every spiritual blessing, with every gift we need, so that we might become a soldier for Jesus Christ.

Let’s understand each piece of this armor you’re to put on, and how each piece interacts with the other in order to be properly dressed with “the whole Armor of God.”

 The Belt of Truth

The first thing you begin with is the belt of truth buckled around your waist.  What is truth?  Jesus Christ is the truth. 

 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NLT)

 Jesus is the truth, He is the key to your life, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:3 (NIV)

Paul is talking here about renewing your mind each morning with an attitude of truthfulness, sincerity and honesty so that you are ready to face the “father of liars.”

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NLT)

 It’s important that this belt is tight around you. Why? Because this is who you will be dealing with today in the unbeliever’s world.

 For you are the children of your father the devil and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and a hater of truth—there is not an iota of truth in him. When he lies, it is perfectly normal; for he is the father of liars.  John 8:44 (TLB)

The Body Armor (Breastplate) of Righteousness

The Breastplate of Righteousness is your righteous standing before God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you already have the Breastplate of Righteousness on. 

Remember, justification is God’s declaring those who receive Christ as their personal savior to be righteous/saved (Romans 5:17-19). In Hebrew culture, the heart symbolized the mind or the thinking process and your emotions.

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)
Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.  Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.  They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. Psalm 119:1-3 (NLT)

Do you sometimes sense that spiritual forces are stirring up conflict in your life to hinder your prayers, to hinder your witness, to block your relationship with God and to rob you of your Christian joy?

It is the Breastplate of Righteousness which guards your heart and emotions against the accusations and charges of Satan and secures our innermost being from his attacks. Now your heart can be at peace with the world around you. 

“So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” Romans 5:1 (TLB)

 The Shoes of Peace

In spiritual warfare, it’s vital for the Believer to be wearing the right kind of footwear.

 Ray C. Stedman in his book, Spiritual Warfare, says it best.

“When Paul writes “with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace,” he is talking about a peace in the heart that makes you able to fight. Does that sound contradictory, a peace that readies you for war? Not at all! The best soldier, is one who is at peace with their mission, who believes they fight in a just cause, who has trust in their commanders, who knows they are well equipped, and who believes that victory is assured. That is precisely the peace we have as we prepare to go to war against our enemy! Christ is or peace, our source of assurance and confidence as we face the battle. He is our serenity amid the raging storm of spiritual warfare. No ground can be too rough for Christ. Where He leads, we follow without hesitation, even if He leads us to storm the very gates of hell itself! So, as you walk remember who you are and to whom you belong to, the family of God. Be ready for battle by taking the gospel, with its focus on peace vertically with God and horizontally with other people.” 

 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who tells of peace and brings good news of happiness, who tells of saving power, and says to Zion, “Your God rules!” Isaiah 52:7 (NLV)

The Shield of Faith

Satan’s attacks can sometimes cause us to doubt God. Faith reminds us to trust God, so faith is the protective shield between us and the schemes of Satan.  Faith is the foundation of our belief; it is our confidence and hope in the One we can trust. When we trust God and take Him at His word, we remain grounded in truth, and our faith, loyalty and convictions remain intact. Then the lies of Satan lose their power.

“Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1 (ERV)

 Carrying the shield of faith provides a blanket of protection and is the first barrier against the temptations of Satan that he whispers in your ear and the fiery darts of temptation his demonic minions fire at you all day long.

The Helmet of Salvation

What does Paul mean when he tells us to Put on salvation as your helmet? He is not talking about the day of your salvation, instead he is talking about something to keep our thinking straight amid the confused, chaotic world we live in.

 Paul is telling us to set our minds on the marvelous Grace and Mercy God provides us each day and to fill our thoughts with the future glory we will enjoy when Jesus returns to earth. 

 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Romans 8:22-23 (NLT)

 As we wear the Helmet of Salvation, we gain a clearer mindset that is insulated against the suggestions, desires, and traps that Satan lays for us.

You can now focus on and think about the future glory God has planned for you. 

We were saved with this hope ahead of us. Now hope means we are waiting for something we do not have. How can a man hope for something he already has? But if we hope for something we do not yet see, we must learn how to wait for it. Romans 8:24-25 (NLV)

 Remember, we live in this world, but we are not to be part of this world. So why waste your time thinking about it and all the problems that unbelievers struggle with. Instead, take the advice of the Apostle Paul.

 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT)

The Sword of the Spirit (God’s Word)

The Word of God, the Bible, is the only proper offensive weapon in the Christian’s armory as you enter Satan’s world. The more you read, learn and memorize God’s Holy Word, the better prepared you are for the Holy Spirit to bring to mind the right scripture at the right time when you are tempted. 

The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.  1 Corinthians 10:13 (ERV)

Three times in the desert, Satan tempted Jesus and all three times Jesus defeated him by quoting scriptures from God’s Holy Word. The more you know and understand the Bible, the sharper your sword becomes. 

 “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

 The double-edged sword of the Word of God can penetrate any heart of stone in an unbeliever with whom you are witnessing.

Prayer

Lastly, remember that prayer is necessary as a means by which you will draw spiritual strength from God. Without prayer and reliance upon God, your efforts at spiritual warfare will be empty and ineffective against Satan’s attacks. 

“Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For the spirit indeed is willing, but how weak the body is!” Matthew 26:41 (TLB) 
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Finally, remember each piece of armor is essential in protecting your body, mind and spirit against the unseen warfare that is going on all around you. 

 My friend do not be afraid to go into battle. Your General, the Lord Jesus Christ, will always be at the head of the charge against the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world. He will work in and through you to bring honor and glory to our Heavenly Father’s name. 

It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him comes knowledge and understanding. He provides help and protection for those who are righteous and honest. He protects those who treat others fairly, and guards those who are devoted to him. Proverbs 2:6-8 (GNT)

So, as you can see, the armor the Apostle Paul is talking about is inside of you. Don’t panic and start trying to build your armor by your own strength. It has all been provided to you through Jesus Christ. 

No longer, then, do we judge anyone by human standards. Even if at one time we judged Christ according to human standards, we no longer do so. Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also. 2 Corinthians 5:16-18 (GNT)

Until next time my friend may mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

The Anatomy of Sin
⇐ Victory Over Sin Pt. 2: Trust & Hope | The Wisdom of Fools ⇒

]]> http://commonsenseministries.com/2020/09/04/the-anatomy-of-sin-prepare-for-battle/feed/ 0 The Anatomy of Sin – God’s Grace and Compassion On A Lost World http://commonsenseministries.com/2020/03/08/the-anatomy-of-sin-gods-grace-and-compassion-on-a-lost-world/ http://commonsenseministries.com/2020/03/08/the-anatomy-of-sin-gods-grace-and-compassion-on-a-lost-world/#respond Sun, 08 Mar 2020 20:46:35 +0000 http://commonsenseministries.com/2020/03/08/the-anatomy-of-sin-gods-grace-and-compassion-on-a-lost-world/

“He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matt. 5: 44 – 45

Welcome back, my dear friends. Last month I spoke about how Satan, through his well-planned deceptions has convinced the unbelieving population of the world that they don’t need God to satisfy what they want or do with their life. They have bought into the “I” syndrome preached by Satan. “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.”

 This month I want to continue the study on the deceptive plan of Satan to hide the Gospel of Jesus from you. I will now overlay the one God given gift that exists for the believers and unbelievers alike around the world — God’s Common Grace. 

 Through Common Grace God has shown His compassion and kindness to everyone.

The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. Psalm 145:9

“He is kind to those who are not thankful and to those who are full of sin. Luke 6:35

Satan has taken God’s gift to us and twisted it by deceiving the unbelieving world that all the good, kindness, success and achievement they experience are because of their own human efforts. 

Satan has convinced the unbelieving population that pride, and selfishness are two of the strongest characteristics they possess, and that is why they are successful.

Satan knows that the Lord is good and compassionate to all, which makes his job even easier.  The unbelieving world watches the lives of the so-called believers living around them and sees little or no difference in the way they live (which is truly a shame).

You have died with Christ and are set free from the ruling spirits of the universe. Why, then, do you live as though you belonged to this world? Why do you obey such rules as  “Don\’t handle this,” “Don\’t taste that,” “Don\’t touch the other”?  All these refer to things which become useless once they are used; they are only human rules and teachings. Colossians 2:20-22 (GNT)

 Satan whispers to the unbelievers, see you don’t need God in your life.  Just keep following the human rules and teachings I’ve established and supported by the many false religions I’ve planted around my world. Your success in life depends on you. This whole God thing is a waste of time.

God set up His Covenant with man to be enjoyed by believers and unbelievers alike. He did this so that we could co-exist with each other. God’s Common Grace was meant to:

  • Restrain the destructive power of sin.
  • Restrain human society from becoming altogether intolerable and ungovernable.
  • Make it possible for mankind to live together in a generally orderly and cooperative manner.
  • Maintain man’s conscious sense of basic right and wrong behavior.
  • Distribute, in varying degrees, gifts and talents among all men and women and promote the development of science and art.

 “He is kind to those who are not thankful and to those who are full of sin. Luke 6:35 

In Part 4 of my series on the Anatomy of Sin, I spoke at great length on the Common Grace of God. I listed six ways God sent His love and guidance to the World:

  1. Physically
  2. Intellectually
  3. Morally
  4. Creatively
  5. Socially
  6. Through the Church

Let’s take each of these areas and weave them into an example of how Satan twists them in the mind of unbelievers. He fuels their self-pride and self-righteousness in order to keep them from understanding the implications of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let’s take an imaginary look at the life of an unbeliever who is living under the Common Grace of God without his knowledge. Satan has blinded him to the truth and convinced him that he has accomplished everything on his own.  Watch as Satan takes each area and twists it for his purpose and not Gods.

Let me introduce you to Iamma Unbeliever.

Iamma is just like you or me. He wakes up every morning taking a deep breath of clean air and stretches to wake up. He walks into the bathroom and gazes into the mirror admiring himself and thinking with a smile, I am one strong and healthy individual. My workouts at the gym and my decision to eat healthy are the reasons for how I look. Satan whispers: you’re so smart, you’re doing everything right. You look great!

Iamma has a nicer house than most in his neighborhood. He has a better job. He makes more money than his neighbors and the car he drives is the envy of the neighborhood. I’m obviously doing something right, he thinks. With luck and hard work, I’ve gotten almost everything I’ve wanted he tells himself.  Satan whispers: you’re the best, keep at it and you’ll have everything you’ve ever wanted.

He lives in one of the most beautiful sections of town.  The view from his front porch is magnificent. The trees and flowers are beautiful and, the river that runs past his house is serene. Life couldn’t be better Satan whispers: Look at all you’ve accomplished on your own.

When it comes to his intellect none can compare.  He’s graduated from one of the most prestigious universities in the country. He can grasp truth and distinguish it from error, and his knowledge continues to grow with each day. He’s proud of his ability to teach himself new things without the help of others. Satan whispers: you’re the smartest man on earth.

Iamma’s strong moral conscience is defined by the world’s view. He believes that right and wrong are subjective depending on the situation. He’ll be the first to tell you he’s a strong proponent of relativism. He’ll argue that if what each of us believes is true in our mind, then it’s true and there are no wrongs. Moral truths depend on the individual’s own insight. Satan whispers: you’re such an outstanding moral individual.

SATAN’S ATTACK ON MORALISM

My friends, let me stop right here, because you need to understand that your moral conscience is one of Satan’s key areas of attack on unbelievers as well as believers. His goal is to corrupt your God-given moral conscience of right and wrong, with the world’s moral view of right and wrong.  

We each know right from wrong from God’s perspective. 

They show that in their hearts they know what is right and wrong, the same as the law commands, and their consciences agree. Sometimes their thoughts tell them that they have done wrong, and this makes them guilty. And sometimes their thoughts tell them that they have done right, and this makes them not guilty. Romans 2:15 (ERV)

Satan works hard to influence your God-given sense of right and wrong with the world’s definition of right and wrong, which is completely opposite of God’s.

Satan’s goal is to confuse you to the point that you no longer know God’s right from wrong from the world’s right from wrong. Overtime through our educational system, media outlets, and false religions, we are bombarded with the message of tolerance, that there are no right or wrongs just differences of opinion and that we need to be “tolerant” and “accept” everyone.

For the unbeliever it is very easy to buy into the world’s definitions of right or wrong. Why is it so easy for unbelievers?  Romans 3:11-12 spells it out clearly. 

No one has ever really followed God’s paths or even truly wanted to.  Everyone has turned away; all have gone wrong. No one anywhere has kept on doing what is right; not one. (TLB)

Back to Iamma’s story.

In Iamma’s spare time, he loves to play his guitar, which he learned to play himself. He often performs for Sunday morning church services and has a band that gets together to play for wedding receptions and graduations. He just loves when strangers come up to him and tell him how good he is. Satan whispers: no one can play the guitar better than you.

He strongly supports his local, state and federal politicians and understands that sometimes they need to bend the rules in order to satisfy the needs of the government. Satan whispers: there’s nothing wrong with a little white lie every now and then.

He supports law and order and the judicial systems to the point that it doesn’t infringe on the rights of an individual or group. He often questions police actions when it comes to enforcement. Satan whispers: you’re right to be suspicious of the police; they can’t be trusted.

Iamma’s proudest of how active he and his family are in their local church.  He attends every Sunday when it’s not baseball, golf, football or basketball season; he volunteers for anything the church may need help with, if it’s convenient. His wife teaches in the children’s ministry, and his children are always part of the Christmas play. When it comes to knowing and understanding the Bible, he’ll tell you that’s the minister\’s job not his. Satan whispers: you are such a religious person, you have surely earned your way into Heaven.

Satan knows that he has Iamma in his grasp and looks forward to the day when he welcomes him to his eternal home in Hell. Satan whispers: you should be proud of yourself, you have really made a success of your life and it has all been accomplished through your hard work, luck and determination.

Did you notice how Satan takes the various areas of God’s Common Grace and twists them giving credit to man for accomplishing what God has already given them.

God’s Common Grace has provided every successful opportunity of Iamma’s life, and he doesn’t know it. Satan’s whispers have succeeded in keeping the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ hidden from him.

The truly sad part of this story is that Iamma is like so many others who are traveling through life believing they are living a good Christian life that will get them into Heaven. Their false feeling of security is perpetuated by Satan’s lies and the humanistic religions and philosophies that support those lies. These worldly views have turned unbelievers away from the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Listen to God’s warning.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6 (NIV)

  • That’s it in a nutshell, my friends. There is only one way to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ, period:
  • No matter what the marred and tainted desires of your heart tell you.
  • No matter what your thought process, controlled by your pride, and your selfishness tells you.
  • No matter what your false religion tells you about how good works will get you to heaven.
  • No matter what this world filled with every possible tempting pleasure that your prideful and selfish marred and tainted heart desires tells you.
  • No matter how our worldly educational institutions try to convince you about the origin of man by discrediting the Bible, tells you.
  • No matter what television, radio, movies, and the internet, or the latest self-help novel, newspaper or magazine tells you.I’ll say it again,

God tells you.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6 (NIV)

I would encourage, no, plead with you, to go back to my fourth lesson in this series and reread the end of the lesson. I would pray that this time you read it from your heart and not just your mind. Today is the day of your salvation — don’t let it slip by.

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from the punishment of sin. Romans 10:13 (NLV)

So now that you know whether you’re a believer or unbeliever, what we are up against when it comes to Satan and the world’s attacks; what can you do?

For the believer, the Word of God tells us exactly what to do. God’s Word gives you the road map on how to become victorious over Sin. This is how I will be finishing out the series. Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people? When the Bible talks about spiritual warfare what does it mean to you? How do you dress to do battle with this lost world and all its evil influences? These are just some of the topics’ I’ll dive into with you over the coming months.

For the unbelievers who are still with us, unfortunately none of what I’m going to write about from God’s Word will apply to you. God’s promises and instructions are only for His Children, the body of believers, the promised ones who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. You are welcome to read along, something in it along the way may change your heart of stone into flesh.

Next month, I will begin looking at how to be victorious over Sin. Until next month, my friends, may His mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

The Anatomy of Sin

⇐ The Deceptive Kingdom of Satan | Victory Over Sin, Part 1 ⇒

]]> http://commonsenseministries.com/2020/03/08/the-anatomy-of-sin-gods-grace-and-compassion-on-a-lost-world/feed/ 0 The Anatomy of Sin – The Gospel of Satan http://commonsenseministries.com/2019/07/12/the-anatomy-of-sin-the-gospel-of-satan/ http://commonsenseministries.com/2019/07/12/the-anatomy-of-sin-the-gospel-of-satan/#respond Fri, 12 Jul 2019 15:04:19 +0000 http://commonsenseministries.com/2019/07/12/the-anatomy-of-sin-the-gospel-of-satan/ Read more "The Anatomy of Sin – The Gospel of Satan"

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If the Good News we preach is hidden, it is hidden to those who are lost in sin. The eyes of those who do not believe are made blind by Satan who is the god of this world. He does not want the light of the Good News to shine in their hearts. This Good News shines as the shining-greatness of Christ. Christ is as God is. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NLV)

Welcome back, my dear friend. As I closed last month’s study, I prayed that I had laid a solid foundation concerning “Sin” in your mind. It’s important for you to remember that we naturally do corrupt things because we are naturally corrupt people. This is the essence of what it means to be fallen. Let’s now dive back into God’s Word and learn how Satan uses your sinful mindset to preach an alternative gospel — The Gospel of Satan.

Before we begin, let me clarify for you who all has a sinful nature. You’ll quickly find out that you are in excellent company when it comes to those who have or had a sinful nature.

Every individual you read about in God’s Word had a sinful nature, everyone: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, King David, King Solemn, Ester and Ruth, the entire Jewish nation, Joseph and Mary, all twelve disciples and even the apostle Paul.

Let’s bring it back to today. Every leader of every nation or country around the world has a sinful nature. Every leader of every man-made religion along with all of their priests, pastors, ministers, rabbis, nuns, lay leaders, and choir directors all have the same sinful nature as you and me. All of the business leaders of the world’s largest corporations have a sinful nature. All of the heads of any media outlet (television, radio, film, newspapers and the internet) have a sinful nature. All of the military leaders of every nation or country and their troops have a sinful nature. Everyone that is living now and all that have passed away have or had a sinful nature. I think I’ve pretty much covered everyone. If I did miss mentioning someone, yes they have a sinful nature too.

The world’s population stands at 7.5 billion. If you can believe statistics, they tell us that there are 2 billion Christians around the world, or 26.6% of the total population. That leaves 5.5 billion following Satan’s gospel in one form or another. Now do you understand what is at stake for Satan and his minions? This is why they work so hard to keep the Good News hidden.

Let’s spend a few moments to understand who this angel Satan truly is.

  • Personal Names Attributed to him.
  • Thirty-five times he is called “The Devil,” which means “The Accuser” or “Slanderer” — accusing the saints before God and criticizing the character of God before men.
  • Fifty-two times he is called “Satan,” which means “Enemy” or “Adversary.” He is God’s enemy and man’s adversary.
  • “Satan” refers to his character: the malignant Adversary of all good —in God or His creatures.
  • “Devil” refers to his mode of carrying out his evil designs: by lying, slanders, false accusations, evil misrepresentation.
  • He is termed “The Prince of this world” (John 14:30), which defines his position in relation to our earth.
  • He is named “Beelzebub” (Matt 12:27), which regards him as the head of the demons.
  • He is spoken of as the “Wicked One” (Matt 13:19) which refers to him as the prime mover of all wickedness.
  • He is styled “Apollyon,” that is “Destroyer” (Rev 9:11), which links him with the Bottomless Pit.
  • He is referred to as “The Prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2), which points to his present home and sphere of operations
  • He is called “The god of this world” (II Cor 4:4) because he is the inspirer and director of all false religions.
  • He is termed “Liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44) because he is the hardened opposer of the truth.
  • However, with all of these vile and disgusting descriptions of Satan’s personal attributes, there is one attribute he really doesn’t want you to know about. I believe it is his most destructive and deceptive attribute of all.

It is no surprise! The devil makes himself look like an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14 (NLV)

From the beginning of our youth we were taught that Satan wore a red suit, cared a large pitchfork and had a long tail and that he ruled over the lost in Hell. He was the boogeyman who lurked around at night trying to catch and eat us. He roamed the earth bringing disease and destruction wherever he desired.

Let’s step back and think about those descriptions. If they were true, and some are, wouldn’t we be able to see who he was and resist following him and his Gospel? Before I explain my thoughts to this question, let’s go a little deeper into his personal characteristics that go along with his attributes.

Personal Characteristics

Satan was created by God and given the same characteristics as you and me.

He has Intelligence: He uses this for deceptive activities.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11 (NKJV)

He has a Memory: He knows the Bible forwards and backwards and always misquotes it to his advantage. When tempting Jesus in the wilderness, he always misquoted scripture to change its meaning.

and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ Matthew 4:6 (NKJV)

He has Knowledge: He knows his time is short on earth.

Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.” Revelation 12:12 (NLT)

He has a Will: His will is to be like the God who created him.

For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. 4 I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most-High.’ Isaiah 14:13-14 (NLT)

He Speaks with God: As our accuser in Heaven he constantly argues with God and “accuses” the believers here on earth of doing evil.

Satan replied to the LORD, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” Job 1:9-11 (NLT)

Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Joshua. Zechariah 3:1 (NLT)

He has Emotions: He has the same emotions as you and me.

Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. Ezekiel 28:17 (TLB)

He has Leadership and Organizational Skills: He will raise up and lead the greatest army of all time for his final battle with the Lord.

When the thousand years’ end, Satan will be let out of his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations of the world and gather them together, with Gog and Magog, for battle—a mighty host, numberless as sand along the shore. Revelation 20:7-8 (TLB)

Now let’s remind ourselves of God’s description of Satan.

‘The Lord God says: You were the perfection of wisdom and beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; your clothing was bejeweled with every precious stone—ruby, topaz, diamond, chrysotile, onyx, jasper, sapphire, carbuncle, and emerald—all in beautiful settings of finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. I appointed you to be the anointed Guardian Angel. You had access to the holy mountain of God. You walked among the stones of fire. Ezekiel 28:12-14 (TLB)

With all of these descriptions regarding the attributes and characteristics of Satan, doesn’t the red suit and pitchfork sound a little silly? How about a disgusting and gross boogeyman? I don’t think so. Satan is not that stupid to use those approaches. Although he is delighted that the world believes those stories, which I’m quite sure he started.

Listen to the words of Jesus:

Jesus Teaches about the Light of the World

Jesus spoke to all the people, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will not walk in darkness. He will have the Light of Life.” John 8:12 (NLV)

Remember how the Bible described Satan?

It is no surprise! The devil makes himself look like an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14 (NLV)

Remember, Satan’s approach is to deceive through trickery and includes all the methods that would be part of that. It has to do with cunning and skill applied to no good purpose.

What better way for Satan to influence and blind the world of the Good News of Jesus Christ than by imitating Jesus Christ and implementing an alternative gospel? A gospel the meets the needs of and agrees with our sinful natures. Thus, let me introduce you to:

The Gospel of Satan

Christless Christianity

Then Jesus used another story to teach them. Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like a man who planted good seed in his field. That night, while everyone was asleep, the man’s enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and then left. Later, the wheat grew, and heads of grain grew on the plants. But at the same time the weeds also grew. Then the man’s servants came to him and said, ‘You planted good seed in your field. Where did the weeds come from?’

“The man answered, ‘An enemy planted weeds.’

“The servants asked, ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’

“He answered, ‘No, because when you pull up the weeds, you might also pull up the wheat. 30 Let the weeds and the wheat grow together until the harvest time. At the harvest time I will tell the workers this: First, gather the weeds and tie them together to be burned. Then gather the wheat and bring it to my barn.’”

Then Jesus left the people and went into the house. His followers came to him and said, “Explain to us the meaning of the story about the weeds in the field.”

He answered, “The man who planted the good seed in the field is the Son of Man. The field is the world. The good seed are the people in God’s kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the Evil One. And the enemy who planted the bad seed is the devil. The harvest is the end of time. And the workers who gather are God’s angels. Matthew 13:24-29, 36-39 (ERV)

A.W. Pink describes Satan this way: “Satan is the arch–counterfeiter. As we have seen, the Devil is now busy at work in the same field in which the Lord sowed the good seed. He is seeking to prevent the growth of the wheat by another plant, the tares, which closely resembles the wheat in appearance. In a word, by a process of imitation he is aiming to neutralize the Work of Christ. So closely does the gospel of Satan resemble that which it imitates, multitudes of the unsaved are deceived by it.”

In opposition to Jesus Christ, the Devil tries to destroy Christ’s work by placing false believers and teachers in the world who lead many astray.

  • As I mentioned previously, the world’s population stands at 7.5 billion, statistics say that there are 2 billion professing Christians in the world, or 26.6% of the total population.
  • That leaves 5.5 billion following Satan’s gospel in one form or another.
  • Prov. 14:12 we read, “There is a way which looks right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
  • This “way” which ends in “death” is the Devil’s Delusion — the gospel of Satan — a way of salvation by human attainment.

The eyes of those who do not believe are made blind by Satan who is the god of this world. He does not want the light of the Good News to shine in their hearts. 2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLV)

  • The phrase “god of this world” (or “god of this age”) indicates that Satan is the major influence on the ideals, opinions, goals, hopes and views of the majority of people.
  • His influence also encompasses the world’s philosophies, education and commerce.
  • The thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the world are under his control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions.
  • Satan is also called the “prince of the power of the air.”

You went along with the crowd and were just like all the others, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air, who is at work right now in the hearts of those who are against the Lord. Ephesians 2:2 (TLB)

  • Referring to Satan as the “prince of the power of the air” signifies that in some way he rules over the world and the people in it.
  • This is not to say that he rules the world completely; God is still sovereign. But it does mean that God, in His infinite wisdom, has allowed Satan to operate in this world within the boundaries God has set for him.
  • When the Bible says Satan has power over the world, we must remember that God has given him domain over unbelievers only.
  • So, when the Bible says that Satan is the “god of this world,” it is not saying that he has ultimate authority. It is conveying the idea that Satan rules over the unbelieving world in a specific way.
  • Satan’s scheme includes promoting false philosophies in the world —philosophies that blind the unbeliever to the truth of the Gospel.
  • Satan’s philosophies are the fortresses in which people are imprisoned, and they must be set free by Christ.
  • Satan sets the agenda, the unbelieving world follows, and mankind continues to be deceived. It is no wonder that Scripture calls Satan a liar.

For you are the children of your father the devil and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and a hater of truth—there is not an iota of truth in him. When he lies, it is perfectly normal; for he is the father of liars. John 8:44 (TLB)

  • The gospel of Satan is not a system of revolutionary principles, nor program of anarchy.
  • It does not promote strife and war, but aims at peace and unity.
  • It seeks not seek to set the mother against her daughter nor the father against his son, but fosters the fraternal spirit whereby the human race is regarded as one great “brotherhood.”

John Macarthur explains it this way.

“With the rise of postmodernism, our society has shifted toward moral relativism. Today, right and wrong, good and evil, are not defined in absolute terms but are viewed subjectively. Individuals and societies, not God, are seen as having the authority to determine what is wrong. A strong majority of people now believe that truth and morals are flexible and subjective, not fixed. And they have no interest in what Scripture says.”

He goes on to say that sin is an unpleasant subject. In our age of self-esteem and subjectivity, people do not like to think of themselves as evil. Millard Erickson notes, “To speak of humans as sinners is almost like screaming out a profanity or obscenity at a very formal, dignified, meeting, or even in church. It is forbidden. This general attitude is almost a new type of legalism, the major prohibition of which is, ‘You shall not speak anything negative.’”

  • Satan’s gospel does not seek to drag down the natural man, but to improve and uplift him. It advocates education and cultivation and appeals to “the best that is within us.”
  • Satan’s gospel aims to make this world such a comfortable and congenial habitat that Christ’s absence from it will not be felt and God will not be needed.
  • Satan’s gospel endeavors to occupy man so much with this world that he has no time or inclination to think of the world to come.
  • Satan’s gospel spreads the principles of self-sacrifice, charity and benevolence, and teaches us to live for the good of others, and to be kind to all.
  • Satan’s gospel appeals strongly to the carnal mind and is popular with the masses, because it ignores the solemn facts that by nature man is a fallen creature, alienated from the life of God, and dead in trespasses and sins, and that his only hope lies in being born again.

The apostles of Satan are not nightclub owners or mob bosses, but are for the most part ordained clergy.

  • Thousands of those who occupy our modern pulpits are no longer engaged in presenting the fundamentals of the Christian Faith, but have turned aside from the Truth and have given heed unto fables.
  • Instead of magnifying the enormity of sin and setting forth its eternal consequences, they minimize it by declaring that sin is merely ignorance or the absence of good.
  • Instead of warning their hearers to “flee from the wrath to come,” they make God a liar by declaring that He is too loving and merciful to send any of His own creatures to eternal torment in hell.
  • Instead of declaring that “without shedding of blood there is no remission for sin,” they merely hold up Christ as the great example and exhort their hearers to “follow in His steps.”

They have not known how God makes men right with Himself. Instead, they have tried to make their own way. They have not become right with God because they have not done what God said to do. Romans 10:3 (NLV)

Satan’s gospel may sound very believable and its aim may appear very praise-worthy, yet we read of them —  God never sent those men at all; they are “phonies” who have fooled you into thinking they are Christ’s apostles.  Yet I am not surprised! Satan can change himself into an angel of light, so it is no wonder his servants can do it too, and seem like godly ministers. In the end they will get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (TLB)

God tells us in His Word

And if anyone’s name was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 20:15 (TLB)

  • Satan would not be so foolish as to ignore the central figure of human history — the Lord Jesus Christ;
  • On the contrary, his gospel acknowledges Him to be the best man that ever lived. Attention is drawn to His deeds of compassion and works of mercy, the beauty of His character and the excellence of His teaching.

If the Good News we preach is hidden, it is hidden to those who are lost in sin. The eyes of those who do not believe are made blind by Satan who is the god of this world. He does not want the light of the Good News to shine in their hearts. This Good News shines as the shining-greatness of Christ. Christ is as God is. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NLV)

  • He blinds the minds of unbelievers through hiding the light of the Gospel of Christ, and he does this by substituting his own gospel. Appropriately is he designated “The Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world”

The dragon was thrown down to earth from heaven. This animal is the old snake. He is also called the Devil or Satan. He is the one who has fooled the whole world. He was thrown down to earth and his angels were thrown down with him. Revelation 12:9 (NLV)

 

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV)  

Satan’s gospel, which is salvation by works seems right in the eyes of man. One of our basic desires is to be in control of our own destiny, and that includes our eternal destiny. Salvation by works appeals to our pride and our desire to be in control.

Being saved by works appeals to that desire far more than the idea of being saved by faith alone.

Because salvation by works appeals to man’s sinful nature, it forms the basis of almost every religion except for biblical Christianity.

God tells us in His Word

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His Mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5 (NKJV)

A more inaccurate form of Satan’s gospel is to move preachers to present the atoning sacrifice of Christ and then tell their hearers that all God requires from them is to “believe” in His Son.

  • Thereby thousands of unrepentant souls are deluded into thinking that they have been saved. Why? Because they are taught that you only need to believe in Jesus with your mind and not your whole heart.

But the Apostle Paul tell us.

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (NLT)

  • To “repent” is to hate sin, to sorrow over, to turn from it. It is the result of the Holy Spirit living inside every believer making the heart repentant before God.

The Narrow Way

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)

So what is the narrow gate the Bible speaks of?

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NLT)

Yes, I am the Gate. Those who come in by way of the Gate will be saved and will go in and out and find green pastures. John 10:9 (TLB)

So what is the wide gate that leads to a broad road and ultimately leads to destruction? You guessed it. The Gospel of Satan, which teaches nothing but, Christ-less Christianity.

When the Judgment Day comes, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God\’s message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!’ Then I will say to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people. Matthew 7:22-23 (GNT)

I love the way The Message paraphrases Matthew 7:22-23:

I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’

“You’re out of here.” Can you imagine standing before our Lord Jesus Christ on the final judgement day, and Him calmly saying that to you? You have to feel sorry for those on judgment day who faithfully followed and believed the thousands of priests, pastors, ministers, rabbis, nuns, lay leaders and choir directors who occupy our modern churches and use their pulpits to no longer engage in presenting the fundamentals of the Christian Faith, but have turned aside from the Truth and have given heed to teaching Satan’s gospel, Christless Christianity.

Listen to the words of God’s Holly Scripture describing our future.

For there is going to come a time when people won’t listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear. They won’t listen to what the Bible says but will carelessly follow their own misguided ideas. Timothy 4:3-4 (TLB)

Listen to Jesus’s warning to the religious leaders of His day.

“It will be bad for you teachers of the law and you Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You close the way for people to enter God’s kingdom. You yourselves don’t enter, and you stop those who are trying to enter. Matthew 23:13 (NLV)

My dear friend, the same thing is going on today. Because salvation by works appeals to man’s sinful nature. Remember “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 4:12). Because of our sinful nature, salvation by works seems logically right to us, and why it is the predominantly held viewpoint around the world. This is why the road to Hell is so wide at the gate with a beautiful 1,000 lane highway paved with smooth pavement to make your journey to Hell enjoyable.

My friends you now know the alternative gospel being offered throughout the globe by Satan and his evil minions. It’s not a devil with a pitchfork, the boogeyman, or any of the horrible disaster movies made in Hollywood depicting Satan destroying everything in his path. It’s just Satan, an angel of light following Jesus in the same field (the world) in which the Lord is sowing the good seed, he’s planting his tares (untruths) alongside to prevent the growth of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.

So why is the world literally and figuratively “going to hell in a hand basket”? Join me next month as I introduce you to the Common Grace of God and overlay your God given moral conscience on top of it. I am quite sure a very clear and frightening picture will begin to appear in your mind. You will clearly begin to understand the deceptive tactics Satan and his minions use to keep the world from the Good News of Jesus Christ. Until next month, my friends, may His mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Writers note: I would like to acknowledge Arthur W. Pink (1886-1952) who was one of my main resources in writing this lesson.

We are not sinners because we sin.

We sin because we are sinners.

The Anatomy of Sin

⇐ What Is Sin? Pt. 2 | Satan\’s Second Greatest Deception: The \”You\” Factor ⇒

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“There is one other thing I have learned. God made people good, but they have found many ways to be bad.” Ecclesiastes 7:29 (ERV)

Welcome back, my friends. This will be the second part of “What is Sin?” This two-part series lays the foundation for everything that comes next. I’ve taken the gloves off for this second lesson. We’re going to journey deeper and get more specific on how Satan uses your sinfulness too blind you and keep you from a relationship with your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Please always keep in mind as we journey through this study that I’m not sitting here with a holier than thou attitude condemning you for who you truly are. No, I’m right there in the trenches with you. Everything I write points its boney Sinful finger squarely back at me also. So I understand the gravity of what I’m saying to you.

Some may feel I’m just belaboring the point on what Sin is and I should just move on with the series. But, my friends, you need to know more than “I’m just a sinner saved by Grace.” You need to understand the nuances of Sin —the way it impacts your life without you truly understanding it. Sin is subtle; it comes naturally to us, and this is Satan’s number one tool he and his minions use against you. The Apostle Paul says it best;

I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to—what I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. But I can’t help myself because I’m no longer doing it. It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things. Romans 7:15-17 (TLB)

In part one of “What is Sin?” I showed you how Lucifer and his angels committed the first sin against God in Heaven. Lucifer, now known as Satan, and the angels that followed him were cast down to earth by God, which naturally provided an open door for him to introduce sin to the inhabitants of the earth.

At this point there are only two people living on the Earth—Adam and Eve. However, that was all Satan needed to condemn the entire human race.

SATAN BRINGS SIN TO EARTH

I’m sure by now most of you know how Satan tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, and then she gave some to her husband, Adam, and Sin entered into the world.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6 (NKJV)

I could leave it at that and move on in our study, but, my friends, that is far from the whole story about Satan and sin. We need to go back and look at what Satan and his minions went through to get Adam to sin. Why? Because Adam would be the legal representative of the entire human race, and Satan’s entry point into each and every one of our lives would be through Adam’s sin.

A Garden Named Eden

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The LORD God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:8-9 (NLT)

The Lord God told the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden. But do not eat from the tree of learning of good and bad. For the day you eat from it you will die for sure. Genesis 2:16-17 (NLV)

After God had placed Adam in the garden, God made a Covenant with him concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This covenant with Adam became known as the Covenant of Works (which I will discuss later), and it communicated the consequences of Adam failing to follow God’s command. So Adam was put to a test of obedience just as Satan and his angelic minions were. God was testing Adam to see whose will Adam would submit to—God’s will or his own.

After God finished making His covenant with Adam, 18 GOD said, “It’s not good for the Man to be alone; I’ll make him a helper, a companion.” Genesis 2:18 (MSG)

God proceeded to create a helpmate for Adam, a woman who would be called Eve. They were married by God Himself (Genesis 2:24).

Satan immediately knew how he would get Adam to sin. He figured why bother dealing with Adam directly when he could use Eve. He would basically use Adam’s beautiful wife to entice him to sin. Satan reasoned that Eve was not the head of the covenant with God (Adam was), and therefore she probably wouldn’t feel the same sense of responsibility as Adam.

Since Eve hadn’t been created yet, she did not hear the covenant that God made with Adam. She would only hear about it indirectly from Adam, which can lead one to be more susceptible to suspicions and doubt.

And finally he knew that Adam was deeply in love with Eve and she would undoubtedly prove to be the most effective agent in reaching the heart of Adam.

Minister and author, Matthew Henry, aptly pointed out, “Satan tempted Eve that, by her, he might tempt Adam; so he also tempted Job by his wife, and Christ, by Peter. It is Satan’s policy to send temptations by unsuspected hands, and those that have most interest in us and influence over us.”

One morning as Eve was walking through the garden, she rounded a bend and to her surprise she saw Satan dressed in his finest snakeskin suit leaning against the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil eating one of the very forbidden apples God had warned Adam about.

Satan begins by engaging Eve into a discussion about what she could and couldn’t eat in the garden. This was the biggest mistake Eve, as well as you and I, can make when it comes to temptation. Engaging Satan in a conversation over a temptation he’s offering is the first step in surrendering to it. Remember that the serpent was the craftiest of all the creatures the Lord God had made. Like Eve, we will always lose such a discussion with Satan.

When you start toying with temptation in your mind, weighing the pros and cons, Satan knows he’s got you because it always implies you are already lusting after the object presented.

Compare Eve’s conduct with Jesus’ and observe how very differently He acted when being tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Jesus steadfastly refused to enter into any debate with the Devil. He did not dillydally with temptation, for He had no desire for anything but the will of God. Each time He firmly rejected the enemy’s advances by taking His stand on God’s Word.

Eve had fallen for Satan’s lies and took a bite of the apple that she was now coveting. Eve then turned to Adam and convinced him to doubt God’s reasoning for denying them access to the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam was not … tricked The Devil tricked Eve, and Eve caused Adam to sin (1 Timothy 2:14). So Adam agreeing with her logic taking a bite of the apple Eve had given him. 7 Then it was as if their eyes opened, and they saw things differently. They saw that they were naked (Genesis 3:7). At this point Adam had willfully chosen disobedience to God over obedience.

God did not tempt, coerce, or lure Adam into disobedience.

And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. James 1:13 (NLT)

God allowed Adam the dignity of free choice and honored that choice with appropriate consequences.

When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. His sin spread death throughout all the world, so everything began to grow old and die, for all sinned. Romans 5:12 (TLB)

God may have provided the opportunity to sin by testing Adam’s obedience, but He did not create or instigate sin. Adam and Eve had the free will to obey God, but instead they choose to disobey the command of God. Without the free will God has provided us, human beings would be little more than robots.

Let’s take a deeper look into what happened to Adam and the changes that took place in him once he took a bite of the apple. These changes would have lasting effects upon all of his descendants for ages to come (that’s you and me). Watch what occurs to Adam’s thought process and demeanor as sin began to permeate every inch of his being.

Arthur W. Pink in his book,“The Total Depravity of Man,” describes it this way; No sooner had Adam revolted from his gracious Maker and Benefactor than the evil effects became apparent.

  • His understanding, originally enlightened with heavenly wisdom, became darkened and overcast with crass ignorance.
  • His heart, formerly fired with holy reverence toward his Creator and warm with love to Him, now became alienated and filled with hatred against Him.
  • His will, which had been in subjection to his rightful Governor, had cast off the yoke of obedience.
  • His whole moral constitution was wrecked and had become unhinged and perverse.
  • His distaste for the supremely excellent One appeared in his flight from Him as soon as he heard His approach.
  • His crass ignorance and stupidity were shown by his vain attempt to conceal himself from the eyes of the omniscient (all-knowing) God.
  • His pride was displayed in refusing to acknowledge his guilt and his ingratitude, when he indirectly chastised God for giving him a wife.
  • In a word, the life of God had departed from his soul.

Yes, they knew that they were disgraced, that their holiness was defiled, their innocence gone, the image of God in their souls broken, their tranquility disrupted, their protection against the law removed. Stripped of their original righteousness, they stood defenseless.

So swift and drastic was the change which sin produced in their relations and feelings toward their Maker that they were ashamed and afraid to appear before Him.

If Adam had been around in the time when Moses had received the ten commandments from God, he would have broken all ten of them at one time when he took that bite of the apple. Three hundred years ago, profound theologian, James Usher, pointed out that wrapped up in that bite was \”the breach of the whole Law of God.”

The First commandment, by choosing another “god” when he followed the counsel of Satan.

The Second commandment, by idolizing his palate, making a god of his belly by eating the forbidden fruit.

The Third commandment, by not believing God’s threatening, in that way taking His name in vain.

The Fourth commandment, by breaking the sinless rest in which he had been placed.

The Fifth commandment, by thus dishonoring his Father in heaven.

The Sixth commandment, by bringing death on himself and all his posterity.

The Seventh commandment, by committing spiritual adultery and preferring the creature above the Creator.

The Eighth commandment, by laying hands upon that to which he had no right.

The Ninth commandment, by accepting the serpent’s false witness against God.

The Tenth commandment, by coveting that which God had not given to him.

So, my friends, by seeing the consequences our first parents experienced through sin, we can only come to one conclusion. We simply are unable to live without sinning. We sin out of a kind of moral necessity because we act according to our fallen nature. We do corrupt things because we are corrupt people. This is the essence of what it means to be fallen.

People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD. Proverbs 19:3 (NLT)

Total Depravity

My friends in love, we need to understand what the total depravity of our soul means. We have to come to the realization that this is who we are in the eyes of God. Because of the sin of Adam, every part of our mind, will, emotions and flesh have been corrupted by sin.

In other words, sin affects all areas of our being including who we are and what we do. It penetrates to the very core of our being so that everything is tainted by sin and “…all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” before a holy God.

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we put on our prized robes of righteousness, we find they are but filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6 (TLB)

In our depraved state, the sinful lifestyle we lead seems right to us.

There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again—it leads straight to hell. Sure, those people appear to be having a good time, but all that laughter will end in heartbreak. Proverbs 14:12-13 (MSG)

In our depraved state, we reject the gospel of Christ as foolishness.

Preaching about the cross sounds foolish to those who are dying in sin. 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NLV)

In our depraved state, our mind is “hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is unable to do so”

The mind that thinks only of ways to please the sinful old self is fighting against God. It is not able to obey God’s Laws. It never can. Romans 8:7 (NLV)

Total depravity means there is a wall between you and the Lord God of the Universe. You are separated from Him because of your sinful nature. It means you can do nothing on your own that pleases the Lord. But, most importantly, it means that without God’s help, you cannot even save yourself. Listen to the words of Jesus

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were astonished at these words. But again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, but not for God; all things are possible for God.” Mark 10:23-27 (NET Bible)

(It is impossible for mere humans to save themselves without God’s help. This is a topic for a future lesson.)

Oh, we all try to be better people by our own self efforts. We promise not to swear as much, drink less except for Friday night, smile at our neighbor, and give a head tilt of acknowledgement to those you really don’t care for, but what the heck you tell yourself, it’s better than nothing, right?

Hard as we try through our own efforts to exemplify the fruits of the spirit:

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; Galatians 5:22-23 (TLB)

If you’re like most of us the end results look more like this:

It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cut-throat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. Galatians 5:19-21 (MSG)

We all eventually have to admit it—it’s just not working for you, is it? Your own efforts to be self-righteous are just not going to cut it with your Heavenly Father.

In order for us to grow and change we have to realize who we truly are in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. We are totally depraved. But, we also have to realize who we truly are in the eyes of Satan— flawless in every way— and this is exactly where he wants to keep you.

I’m now going to split you into two separate you’s. The first one I’ll call the Worldly You, and the second one is the Spiritual You, which I will talk about in the months to come.

For right now I want us to focus on the Worldly You. This is the “you” that all of us are born with and the “you” that Satan and his minions dedicate their entire destructive existence on. This is a spiritual battle we will be fighting day in and day out for the rest of our lives.

However, this battle is not against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world. (Ephesians 6:12 TLB). This is a battle we try to fight on our own through our own efforts and abilities. However, each time we try on our own we will never be anything but the victim when the battle is over.

The Worldly You: (old nature, the flesh)

In my very first study entitled “Who Am I Really?” I spoke about Our Legacy of Sin and how Adam’s and Eve’s souls had now been stamped with Satan’s DNA for all time. Just like Satan, they are no longer perfect and sinless in the sight of God. As a consequence, they brought upon themselves and the whole human race the penalty for sin, which is spiritual, physical and eternal separation from God. Since Adam and Eve’s fall, every person is born with a sinful nature and becomes a sinner in thought, word and deed. In Romans, chapter 3, verse 23, God’s Word tells us “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Sin is part of the very fiber of our being. The flesh-and-blood existence we lead on this earth is shaped by our sinful, corrupt nature. Let’s dig a little deeper and review some of the things that make up your Old Nature controlled by Satan. “But when you follow your own wrong inclinations, your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, Spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group—and there will be wrong doctrine, envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing.” Galatians 5:19-21 (TLB), Do any of these sound familiar to you?

My friends, I firmly believe what is currently going on in the world today is nothing more than our continued collective rebellion against God. The world we live in offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world and as a result of our fallen nature, you have an irresistible bias for evil. In other words, SIN!

Finally, let me just say that however the world views you from an outward perspective, just remember one thing— God knows the secrets of every heart, so don’t think you\’re fooling Him.

Are all sins equal in God’s eyes?

There are degrees to sin. Some sins are worse than others when it comes to the earthly consequences they cause. At the same time, in regard to both eternal consequences and salvation, all sins are the same. Every sin will lead to eternal condemnation

When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death. Romans 6:23 (ERV)

Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.

As far as it compares to the holiness of God, all sin is the same. Every sin, from anger to murder, from white lies to adultery, will lead to eternal condemnation.

“I, the LORD, will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sin. I will crush the arrogance of the proud and humble the pride of the mighty. Isaiah 13:11 (NLT)

All sin, no matter how “small” goes against the nature and will of an infinite and eternal God and is therefore deserving of an infinite and eternal punishment. In this sense, there is no “worst” sin. There are some religions that break Sin into two categories called venial and mortal. However, there are no Biblical scriptures to support these categories, unless those scriptures are taken out of context and defined by man not God.

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment. But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. Matthew 5:21-22 (NLT)

“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28 (NLT)

What is true though is that some sins will have bigger earthly consequences than others. Murder, for example, is going to have a much worse effect than harboring private hate. A chronic liar in a position of authority will have a wider negative effect than the child who fibs to his mother about stealing cookies before dinner.

It doesn’t matter if a person commits one small sin or several huge ones. The result is the same—the person is guilty of breaking God’s law. And the Lord declares that He will not leave the guilty unpunished.

The LORD is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. Nahum 1:3 (NLT)

Let me close this section with one final thought. A struggle with temptation may lead to sin, but the struggle is not a sin itself. We live in a lost world, and so we experience temptations every day. We have fallen, sinful natures, and so we struggle against ungodly desires constantly.

My friends, I know these last two lessons have not been very positive or encouraging when it comes to God’s view of who we are when it comes to our sinful nature. However, I pray that I’ve laid a solid foundation concerning “Sin” in your mind. I will now begin to build on that foundation by weaving together Satan’s Sin Plan and God’s Redemption Plan so that you’ll begin to understand which plan is influencing your life.

Join me next month as we dive into God’s Word and learn how Satan uses his gospel to distort the Common Grace of God and your moral conscience.

Until next month, my friends, may His mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

We are not sinners because we sin.

We sin because we are sinners.

The Anatomy of Sin

⇐ What Is Sin? Pt. 1 | The Gospel of Satan ⇒

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