and do not give the devil an opportunity.

Ephesians 4:27

The Lie of the Devil

There’s an iconic TV character who we know for a common excuse for sin, “the devil made me do it.” We laughed because we have heard it (or something like it) from our friends and loved ones so many times. Inside some of us cringed because we have said it ourselves knowing the truth of our own desires.

Two lies of the devil are that God doesn’t exist and neither does Satan.

This, of course, is why he is called the great deceiver of mankind and most who deny God believe the devil to be a myth.

What deceit?

διάβολος – diabolos

Diabolos, in fact, actually refers to any man or spirit of deceit prone to slander or accusing falsely. Metaphorically, applied to a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him.

“The devil made me do it,” your conscience rationalizes, full-well knowing good and evil yourself and willingly justifying this sin falsely.

Yet in our hearts you and I always know our deceivability toward this easy lie. We wanted to do this sin, to commit this trespass, even convincing our selfish rebellious will that God has forgiven every one of our sins already (for some reason).

Not so; just another lie. For the Lord calls believers to permanent change.

Who will side with sin?

The devil will tempt you before this small opportunity for revelry against God claiming ‘all sins are not equal.’

Did God really say this, the devil will ask, slandering the Lord God?

You can get away with this because you have accepted Christ, slanders the very enemy of Christ.

We don’t have to read the Bible, the deceiver whispers to your heart. Did God really say that, anyway?

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER EXPLAINED

Jesus tells this parable to a large crowd then explains it to the Apostles and also to those who study scripture.

“A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky devoured it…

Luke 8:5 CSB

The Tempter clouds justice and the dark reality of God’s punishment of sin.

“The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. – Luke 8:12

You do not believe scripture and you fail to take God’s word to heart.

Although Jesus points to the devil here in the parable, further examination of our tendency toward loving sin prompts other evil actions of ours. Here is a SAVED ‘christian’ (‘once saved, always saved’).

“And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. Having no root, these believe for a while and fall away in a time of testing. Luke 8:13

You showed great enthusiasm for Jesus. Though you claim to worship at a house built on a rock, your faith is that of seed on a rock. You cannot take root as the heat of the world withers your faith. And little have you realized it was the devil who tempted you to believe, ‘now I am safe to sin.’

Other subtle slandering by the devil

“As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit. – Luke 8:14

I went to church, check. Listened to the uplifting praise band, check. Texted a friend about something important (or maybe it wasn’t). Okay, probably shouldn’t have done that. Got in my listening to scripture in church this week, check. Gotta go! Rushed out to do some Sunday shopping and see the game. Busy week at work ahead, must work on a few things to get ready.

Pleasures of life: have you seen their ads? Sexxy, enticing, everybody wants to be part of this. (No worries there.) Lies of the devil, the one who you can claim later ‘made you do it?’

No wonder pastors struggle to shepherd church-goers lacking in mature fruit of the Gospel. They don’t read scripture and easily deceived. Yet Jesus encourages those who resist the devil and our own urges, those truly saved who yield the mature fruit of faith in the Cross, resurrection and eternal life with God. (Yes, it’s another lie of the devil that ALL get to heaven.)

“But the seed in the good ground ​— ​these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.

Luke 8:15 CSB

The days are evil, but the devil didn’t MAKE you do it.

October — Halloween — New Year’s, Mardi Gras, summer solstice, Oktoberfest — when does it all end?

At judgement, where will you stand? What is your fruit in witness against the great deceiver and slanderer who continually fights against Almighty God, our Lord Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit?

The First Letter of John

The Apostle John writes a letter to believers encouraging them:

Beloved, now we are children of God…

Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. – excerpt from 1 John 3, NASB

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

1 John 3:10

He didn’t ‘make‘ you do it, but is the devil deceiving you, dear friend?

What is your fruit of righteousness?

Because the Days are Evil
To be continued...