First Principles
Lesson 8
Lesson Text—Genesis 3:1-4
Genesis 3:1-4
1 Now the serpent was more subtil
than any beast of the field which the
LORD God had made. And he said unto
the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye
shall not eat of every tree of the
garden?
2 And the woman said unto the
serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the
trees of the garden:
Lesson Text—Genesis 3:1-4
3
But of the fruit of the tree which is
in the midst of the garden, God hath
said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither
shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the
woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Lesson Text—Genesis 3:5-6
Genesis 3:5-6
5 For God doth know that in the day
ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall
be opened, and ye shall be as gods,
knowing good and evil.
Lesson Text—Genesis 3:5-6
6
And when the woman saw that the
tree was good for food, and that it
was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree
to be desired to make one wise, she
took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,
and gave also unto her husband with
her; and he did eat.
Lesson Text—James 1:12-15
James 1:12-15
12 Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall
receive the crown of life, which the Lord
hath promised to them that love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I
am tempted of God: for God cannot be
tempted with evil, neither tempteth he
any man:
Lesson Text—James 1:12-15
14
But every man is tempted, when he
is drawn away of his own lust, and
enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it
bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is
finished, bringeth forth death.
Focus Verse—II Corinthians 11:3
II Corinthians 11:3
But I fear, lest by any means, as
the serpent beguiled Eve through
his subtilty, so your minds should
be corrupted from the simplicity
that is in Christ.
Focus Thought
Satanic deceptions are as old as
time.
Culture Connection
I. Lie One: You Will Not Die
Those with young children are wise to
keep the telephone number handy for
Poison Control. Whenever a little one has
ingested a potentially toxic substance, the
caregiver must take quick action to supply
an antidote—something to counteract the
ingested poison.
There is another antidote all believers
need to keep handy in our modern
culture: the antidote to deception.
Through a variety of approaches, Satan
continually attempts to deceive
people today.
I.
He endeavors to convince people that
certain actions and behaviors are “not
LiesoOne:
You
Will
Not
Die
bad.” He tries to entice individuals
to “try it; you’ll like it.” His attempts to
deceive untiringly confront us in every
aspect of our lives.
The antidote to deception is simple:
trust in the Word of God. Those who
loving embrace, trust, and hold to the
Scriptures will have the foundation to
withstand the deceptions of the devil.
Paul spoke of those who would be
deceived because they lacked a love
for truth (II Thessalonians 2:1-12).
I.
On the other hand, those who love the
will You
hold to
it andNot
will not
suffer
Lietruth
One:
Will
Die
delusion.
Love the Bible, read the Bible, and
hold to the principles of the Bible.
Whenever Satan comes around to
entice you into questionable activities,
you will not be deceived.
Contemplating The Topic
I. Lie One: You Will Not Die
The more things change, the more
they stay the same. This timeworn
phrase well describes Satan’s efforts
through the ages to destroy God’s
people.
I.
Today’s farmers, using mechanical
methods of planting and harvesting,
Liecan
One:
You
Will
Not
Die
cultivate dozens of acres in the
time it would have taken Elisha to plow
one acre with his oxen. (See I Kings
19:19.) A three-day journey of the New
Testament era could have been
completed in a couple of hours had
those travelers had access to our
automobiles and expressways.
Documents that took scribes years to
copy can now be reproduced in a few
minutes. Every area of our lives has
been changed by the evolution of
technology.
I.
Some changes have been gradual
while others have been swift, but one
Liething
One:
You
Will
Not
Die
is certain—things have changed
since God forced Adam and Eve from
the Garden.
Despite the tremendous changes
that time has brought, one thing has
remained the same. In all of his
centuries of wielding demonic
influence, Satan has never had to
change his tactics. The same method
that was successful in deceiving Eve
continues to be effective today.
I.
While people have been forced to learn
Lienew
One:
Youand
Will
Not Die
methods
to develop
new skills
to keep up with technological
advances, Satan has not deviated from
his original plan of attack. Casting
doubt on God’s Word and making
God’s plan seem unattractive worked
well for Satan in the Garden of Eden.
Despite mankind’s proud declaration of
advancement and progress, many
people continue to fall prey to Satan’s
antiquated strategy.
I. Lie One:
You
Will
Not
Die
Satan’s methods have proven
successful, so there is no need for him
to modify his plans. However, if he
desired to change, it is doubtful that he
could do so because deceit and evil lie
at the very core of his nature. (See
John 8:44.)
John 8:44
“Ye are of your father the devil, and
the lusts of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the
beginning, and abode not in the
truth, because there is no truth in
him. When he speaketh a lie, he
speaketh of his own: for he is a liar,
and the father of it” (John 8:44).
I.
Satan is not simply a liar, but he is
Liedevoid
One:ofYou
Will
Not
Die
truth. Just as darkness is the
absence of light, we could describe
Satan’s nature and essence as the
absence of truth.
Satan first displayed his subtle
strategy and his evil nature when he,
through a serpent, deceived Eve
(Genesis 3). Centuries later, Paul
warned his disciples of the danger of
the same snare becoming their
delusion:
I fear,
lest Will
by anyNot
means,
I. Lie“But
One:
You
Dieas the
serpent beguiled Eve through his
subtilty, so your minds should be
corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ” (II Corinthians 11:3). Today’s
church would do well to heed Paul’s
advice lest they too discover that
Satan’s lies have led them down the
same path of sad disappointment as
that of Adam and Eve.
Searching the Scriptures
I. Lie One: You Will Not Die
Lie One: You Will Not Die
Satan struck first at the relationship
that God had established with Adam
and Eve. Disobeying God’s Word
severs the cords of fellowship between
God and mankind. As a consequence
of disobedience, spiritual death—
separation from God—precedes the
literal death of the body. (See Genesis
3:8, 24.)
I.
Satan’s lie contradicted God’s word
Lieand
One:
You
Will
Not Die
planted
seeds
of doubt
in Eve’s
mind—thoughts that universally appeal
to every carnal mind. Even though Eve
had never witnessed death, she was
deceived into believing that Satan held
the answer to a long and satisfying life.
Actually, her obedience to God’s word
was already leading her to the very
thing she desired. She was on the road
to eternal life, but followed Satan’s lies
on a detour to disappointment.
I.
Many people have rejected the
simple instructions of God’s Word in
Liefavor
One:
You
Will
Not
Die
of a philosophy that appeals to
their carnal nature. Millions of people
who sought a place of abundant life
have embraced reincarnation, the
belief that a person lives on in another
form after his human body dies. The
Bible foretells their future in the
generic epitaph that describes the end
of all who refuse to embrace God’s
Word: “There is a way which seemeth
right unto a man, but the end thereof
are the ways of death” (Proverbs
14:12).
Lie
Two:
You
Will
Be
II. Lie Two: You Will Be
Enlightened
Enlightened
Satan’s first lie promised life; his
second promised hope: “Then your
eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be
as gods, knowing good and evil”
(Genesis 3:5). He insinuated that
obeying God’s word would keep Eve
locked on a level lower than she
deserved, that her life would be
relegated to second-class status, and
that she would never achieve the
successful life of which she was
capable.
I.
While Satan promised life and hope, he
was unable to deliver either because of
LiehisOne:
You
Will
Not
Die
deceitful nature.
After Adam and Eve disobeyed, their
eyes were indeed opened. However,
they did not find the thrilling hope that
Satan had promised. In its place, they
not only saw but also lived the harsh
realities produced by a life based on
deception. Falling prey to Satan’s lies
introduces individuals to a world they
never knew existed. Once strong, they
become prisoners of addictions they
cannot shake.
I. LieOnce
One:
Youtheir
Willbodies
Not become
Die
healthy,
ravaged with disease. Once intelligent,
their minds become muddled with
confusing, unfinished thoughts. Once
full of dreams and ambition, they
become hopeless and resigned to a
pitiful existence.
Lie Three: You Can
III. Lie Three: You
Can Be God
Be God
Satan’s lies are progressively evil.
First, Satan told Eve that she could live
forever. Second, he said that partaking
of the fruit would elevate her status. He
then promised that if she would ignore
God’s word, she would become God’s
equal. Satan offered no proof of his
promises, but still she believed him.
Satan managed to convince this
woman who was living in Paradise that
her world was severely limited.
I.
Selfish human nature wants to reign
over the world, and every person is
Lie
One:
You
Will
Not
Die
susceptible to the tug of human nature.
Abraham Lincoln said, “Most any man
can stand adversity. If you really want to
test a man’s character, give him power.”
Satan offered Eve power, and she
succumbed to the temptation. When
Satan tried the same tactic with Jesus,
the Lord used the Word of God to set
things back in their proper perspective.
He refused to allow tempting thoughts
to take root in His mind, and He
thwarted them by using the Word of
God. (See Luke 4.)
I.
Believing Satan’s lies leads us to lie
LietoOne:
YouWe
Will
Notbecome
Die
ourselves.
literally
convinced that sin’s evil results, while
striking others, will never harm us.
Furthermore, we believe that we can
easily justify our own decisions before
God and He will not harshly judge us.
Once the powers of deception start
rolling, it becomes difficult to stop.
Submitting to God’s Word is the only
sure way to escape the clutch of
deception.
Lie
Four:
You
Are
IV. Lie Four: You Are as Good as
as
Good
as
You
Are
You Are (Moral Relativism)
(Moral Relativism)
“For God doth know that in the day
ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall
be opened, and ye shall be as gods,
knowing good and evil” (Genesis
3:5).
I.
Satan promised Eve the ability to
Liedetermine
One: You
Not Die
rightWill
from wrong
and to
establish standards for proper
behavior. If it could have happened, it
would have made her God’s equal
where her own opinions were as valid
as His word.
Every age and culture has its battle
with moral relevance. William
McGuffey, author of the McGuffey’s
Readers, an important part of public
schools one century ago, wrote:
I.
“Erase all thought and fear of God
Liefrom
One:
You
Will
Not
Die
a community, and selfishness and
sensuality would absorb the whole
man.” However, today many colleges
require students to take courses that
teach them to resist the values their
parents instilled in them and to reject
the dogmas that their church has
taught them.
I.
Many college professors
Lieencourage
One: You
Will
Not
Die
their students to envision
a world where nothing is right or
wrong, where no God sits in
judgment, and where alternative
values are as valid as their own. In
North America, we are seeing the
evidence of that influence as our
culture becomes dominated by
individuals who are absorbed by
selfishness and sensuality.
The Devil’s Tools
V. The Devil’sand
Tools
and Weapons
Weapons
Satan’s ways and means are best
illustrated in the story of Job. (See Job
1.) Satan does not have absolute
power; neither can he attack the
children of God at will. The Lord gave
Satan permission to touch Job’s life,
but He made it clear that there were
certain areas that Satan could not
enter.
I. LieWithout
One: permission
You Willfrom
NotGod,
DieSatan is
left to his own tactics and devices—
making God’s Word appear
unattractive and influencing us to think
we can find life, hope, and fulfillment
by carnal means. His success depends
on our allowing his suggestions to
incubate in our carnal minds.
I. Lie One:
Youdescribed
Will Not
Die
When Paul
what
he feared
could deter him from completing God’s
will, he did not name Satan’s ploys.
Rather, he was concerned that his own
carnal desires, if left unchecked, could
cause his downfall, and he was
determined to remain submitted to
God, leaving Satan powerless in his
life. (See I Corinthians 9:27.)
A. Temptation
A. Temptation
Temptation begins inside a person’s
mind.
“But every man is tempted, when
he is drawn away of his own lust,
and enticed” (James 1:14).
I.
When we allow unbridled carnal
Liethoughts
One: You
Will
Not
Die
to roam unrestrained, they
eventually become lusts. Lustful
thoughts and desires, when acted
upon, become sins (James 1:15).
Hence, our own thought patterns
become either Satan’s allies or his
enemies. Carnal thoughts become
temptations that he can use to his
advantage, but good thoughts give him
little with which to work.
I.
It is no wonder Paul instructed,
Lie“Finally,
One: brethren,
You Will
Not Diethings
whatsoever
are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if
there be any praise, think on these
things” (Philippians 4:8). Thinking
about good things prevents lust from
developing and thwarts Satan’s efforts
to lead God’s people astray.
B. Deception
B. Temptation
Satan’s only purpose is to steal, to
kill, and to destroy (John 10:10). Since
it is impossible for Satan to do good,
he must hide his intentions behind
thinly veiled disguises. (See II
Corinthians 11:14.) With his identity
hidden, he attempts to persuade the
children of God that obeying God’s
Word inhibits their ability to enjoy life
and to develop as a complete person.
I. Lie One: You Will Not Die
Actually, only in God can any
person find real life and the full
measure of self-esteem. Just as he
did with Eve, Satan will attempt to
persuade folks to get off the path to
eternal happiness, convinced that
his way is better, when he is really
leading them onto a one-way street
to destruction and disappointment.
C. Doubt
C. Doubt
Satan does not require a face-to-face
conversation to sprinkle doubt in our
minds. While his tactic has not changed,
he has progressed to mass production.
Through the years, Satan has influenced
educational systems to the point that
believing in a God who is involved with
mankind on any level is not only
unacceptable but mocked and derided as
a childish idea modern science has
debunked.
I.
The truth is, however, that most of
what modern science teaches as a
Liereplacement
One: YouforWill
Not
Die
the Genesis account
of Creation is a series of unprovable
assumptions cloaked in scientific
jargon and presented with such
conviction that most students do not
even notice. The doubt cast on the
opening chapters of the Bible often is
enough to cause many students to
consider it as only a commentary on
ancient cultures, not the eternal Word
of God.
I.
Our North American media has
Lieserved
One:Satan
Youwell
Will
Not
Die
as a dispenser of
doubt. Through television and theater,
Hollywood has made stars out of men
and women with decadent lifestyles
who thumbed their noses at God’s
Word but became wealthy and famous.
The unspoken message is the same
one Satan whispered to Eve in the
Garden: obeying God’s word will
deprive you of the finer things of life.
D. Lust
D.
Lust
Lust is generally defined as “a
passionate desire for something.” It is a
thought or wish that becomes so intense
that it rages unbridled and uncontrolled.
Although the Greek word for lust is used
a few times in the New Testament in a
positive sense, such as having a “strong
desire” for something good and holy, we
generally recognize the word’s usage in
the negative extreme of ungodly, carnal
desires. Such passion for ungodly
desires, James warned, will result in
sin. (See James 1.)
I.
As James explained, a person’s lust
Liereveals
One:his
You
Will Not
Die
strongest
desires.
If those
strong desires are for the Lord, good
and holy fruit will be manifested in his
life. If, on the other hand, his strong
desires are contrary to God and he is
enticed to act upon his lust, he
commits sin. Satan is well acquainted
with mankind’s carnal weaknesses,
and he is able to engage in large-scale
warfare through the media and
educational systems.
I.
Public schools in America have
become major players in safe-sex
Lieinitiatives
One: You
Will
Not
Die
that teach children how to
engage in sexual activities that violate
God’s Word. While the Bible and
Christian values often are downplayed
or restricted outright, alternative
lifestyles and mystic religions that
tease and incite carnal reactions are
embraced and celebrated under the
banner of diversity, teaching our
children that responding to their lusts
is not only all right, but healthy.
I.
The media bombards us daily with
LietheOne:
You
Notpart
Dieof our
lowest
and Will
most base
human nature. Not only are magazines
and movies filled with graphic sex and
violence, but television, billboards, and
Internet images frequently include
immodest and sensual men and
women wearing provocative clothing.
These all bombard our carnal
senses and set us up to be enticed
unless we, like Paul, keep our bodies
under submission to God’s Word.
we should
set guidelines
I. LieTherefore,
One: You
Will Not
Die
and monitor our own behavior lest we
walk right into Satan’s trap.
Furthermore, we should look ahead
and recognize the danger of allowing
our thoughts and desires to become
uncontrolled lust. When sin results, we
have no one to blame but ourselves
because “we are not ignorant of his
devices” (II Corinthians 2:11).
E. Self-exaltation
E.
Self-exaltation
The human mind is amazingly
creative. Mankind has used this creative
ability to harness scientific and
mathematical principles of creation to
build skyscrapers, fly airplanes, float
ships, and grow human tissue. Sadly,
however, humans use most of their
creative energy to devise negative
thoughts and pessimistic plans. Our
minds create reasons to fear instead of
reasons to hope. We conjure up images
of failure instead of success.
I.
For far too many people, their
Liethoughts
One: You
Not
Diedesires
centerWill
around
carnal
that create images of sinful behavior
that repeatedly play in their minds until
achieving satisfaction becomes more
important than submitting to God’s
Word. These imaginations cause a
person to justify choices that lead
away from God, and they cause one to
imagine himself somehow exempt from
the ill effects of ignoring God’s
instructions, convinced that He cannot
or will not punish that person.
I.
Sadly, such is not the case; God will be
faithful to His Word and He will deliver
Liejustice
One:inYou
Will
Not
Die
the end. How destructive are
the unrestrained, evil imaginations of
mankind!
Pride resides inside every human
regardless of his status or station in
life. Pride makes the rich man park his
brand new automobile out front where
everyone can see it. It also tells the
poor fellow to park his old truck out
back where no one will see it. Pride
may produce conflicting behavior, but
it works in everyone.
I. Lie One: You Will Not Die
Its roots are mankind’s carnal nature,
which motivates him to make choices
that appeal to his carnality. Since no
one can serve two masters (Matthew
6:24), pride can become the gulf that
separates a person from God. (See
Psalm 138:6.)
Psalm 138:6
“Though the LORD be high, yet
hath he respect unto the lowly: but
the proud he knoweth afar off”
(Psalm 138:6).
I.
Pride provides Satan with easy
Lie
One:to You
Will Not
Dieand
access
our vulnerable
hearts
minds, and it blinds us to surrounding
dangers. Pride distorts reality, creating
a false sense of security.
King Saul became arrogant and
considered himself above God’s law. In
this condition, he bragged about
obeying God’s Word, when he knew that
he had not done so. (See I Samuel
15:13.) His pride kept him from seeing
the devastating conclusion that his
disobedience was creating for him.
I. Lie
One:
You
Will
Not
Die
Eventually, time ran out for him and
Saul cried out, “I am sore distressed;
for the Philistines make war against me,
and God is departed from me, and
answereth me no more, neither by
prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I
have called thee, that thou mayest make
known unto me what I shall do” (I
Samuel 28:15). Saul’s pride separated
him from God, but he realized it too late.
I.
C. S. Lewis states, “A proud man is
always looking down on things and
Liepeople;
One:and,
YouofWill
Not
Die
course, as long as
you’re looking down, you can’t see
something that’s above you.”
Our thoughts shape our character.
Thoughts that we hold close—those
ideas that are never very far away—
become the values that guide our
decisions. Those actions and choices
then determine our future. The wise
man declared, “Keep thy heart with all
diligence; for out of it are the issues of
life” (Proverbs 4:23).
I.
As noted earlier, Paul gave
Lieconsiderable
One: Youinstruction
Will Notregarding
Die the
importance of proper thinking
(Philippians 4:8). From the seedbed of
thoughts, actions will grow. Carnal
thoughts produce sinful behavior;
however, God’s Word gives the
antidote for every poisonous thought
and act that Satan concocts. The key
to victory over Satan is to keep our
mind occupied with thoughts
acceptable to God. (See Romans 12:12.)
Rejecting Satan’s Lies
VI. Rejecting Satan’s Lies
It is impossible for Satan to do good.
He is so vile that he avoids appearing
as himself; rather, he disguises himself
in an effort to deceive. To reach Eve, he
appeared as a serpent. In our times,
Paul warned that he appears as a
messenger of hope and light. If by his
very nature it is impossible for him to
be truthful, the believer should instantly
reject any word coming from him. It is
easy to identify his words—anything
that is contrary to God’s Word.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews
A. Reject
Lies
taught
us thatSatan’s
God’s word
framed the
universe (Hebrews 11:3). Regardless of
what Satan says, the only reason our
planet continues on its journey
through space is that it is held there by
the word of God. Satan is powerless to
change what God’s word ordains.
God’s written Word shows us where
Satan’s future lies. He will live eternally
in the place of torment that God has
prepared especially for him and for
those who follow him:
A. Reject
“Then
shall heSatan’s
say also Lies
unto them on
the left hand, Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared
for the devil and his angels” (Matthew
25:41).
The believer need not be fooled by
Satan’s disguises, for God has already
cursed him and numbered his days.
B. Accept God’s Truth
B. Accept
God’s
Truth
Avoiding
Satan’s
snare is
not a
complicated task. We can accomplish such
by embracing and obeying God’s Word.
God is the source of all life and light and
everything good. Satan tries to convince
us that he is the source of life and
enlightenment, but he is an imposter.
Whatever power Satan possesses
originated with and belongs to God, and
eventually Satan will have to surrender
himself and his power to God when he
is judged forever.
(See Revelation20:10.)
Revelation 20:10
“And the devil that deceived them
was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the
false prophet are, and shall be
tormented day and night for ever
and ever” (Revelation 20:10).
The
evidence
is clear and
A.
Reject
Satan’s
Lies
compelling. God has ordained the best
for His children and the Bible tells them
how to find it. Those who listen to
Satan’s lies will one day find
themselves naked and destitute, afraid
to face God. In contrast, those who
walk in God’s ways will find life
everlasting in Him.
Internalizing The Message
B.
Accept
God’s
Truth
Satan’s
lies strike
at the
heart of
human weakness—mankind’s carnal
thoughts and desires. Unless a person
submits those thoughts and desires to
God’s Word, they become the lusts and
sins that will lead him away from God
and into an eternity in Hell. Once
separated from God by sin, mankind
uses his creative power predominately
to find ways to satisfy his carnal urges,
further opening himself to Satan’s
devices that ultimately will leave him
spiritually dead.
best and
most effective
A.The
Reject
Satan’s
Lies tool to
use against Satan is the same one
Jesus used when Satan tempted Him.
Jesus used the Scriptures to respond
to Satan’s attempt to deceive Him. If
we use God’s Word as the final
authority in all we do, Satan will have
little power to deceive or influence us.
A.Paul
Reject
Satan’s
Lies
shared his guide to spiritual
success in his second epistle to the
church at Corinth, but it also will prove
successful to any person who will
make it his own. (See II Corinthians
10:4-6.) Satan’s deception is no match
for God’s Word and cannot stand
when held against the light of truth.
Submission to the Word of God will
bring down Satan’s stronghold.
“(For the weapons of our warfare
areIInot
carnal, but mighty
Corinthians
10:4-6through
God to the pulling down of
strongholds;) casting down
imaginations, and every high thing
that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing
into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ; and having in
a readiness to revenge all
disobedience, when your
obedience is fulfilled” (II
Corinthians 10:4-6).