A guest post by Lauren Helton…
From the beginning of our existence, deception has been one of Satan’s most powerful and effective weapons against us. It began in the Garden of Eden, when Eve fell for the serpent’s cunning lies and humanity fell into sin. Since that fateful day, we have been under constant attack by our enemy and our own sin nature. The Bible calls Satan “the father of lies;” deception is so ingrained in his character that you cannot separate it from him. Jesus warned His disciples to be as shrewd as snakes, to be sober-minded and alert because the devil “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Part of being alert is recognizing lies when we hear them and refuting them with the truth of God’s Word. “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). In an effort to do this, let’s take a look at a few of the common deceptions to which most of us fall prey and compare them to what the Bible says.
Lie #1: “God is mad at me or disappointed in me when I sin.”
Truth:
Psalm 103:8—“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
1 John 1:9—“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Colossians 1:21—“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.”
Romans 5:1—“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Psalm 139:7–13—“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”
The word “disappoint” means to fail to fulfill the hopes or expectations of someone. But God is all-knowing and cannot have hopes or expectations that fail. He already knows everything we’ve ever done and ever will do. He has no expectations. He knows us and loves us anyway – pure grace! He doesn’t see our sin, he sees Jesus’ righteousness!
Lie #2: “God doesn’t like me, even if he loves me.”
Truth:
Psalm 147:11—“The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.”
Psalm 149:4—“For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.”
Isaiah 62:3–5—“You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God…you shall be called My Delight Is in Her…for the LORD delights in you…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”
Zephaniah 3:17—“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Lie #3: “Maybe I’m not really saved.”
Truth:
Luke 11:10–13—“For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened.”
Ephesians 2:8–9—“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.”
Romans 10:13—“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
John 6:37—“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”
John 5:24—“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”
Continue to part 2…
