LIES-
THE DEVIL'S DOCTRINE

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.

In
the Garden of Eden, Satan came upon the scene with total deceit.
By implying that God was holding something back from man that was
good and desirable he lied about God's concern and care for man.
He still uses the same tactics for he has no other. His work then
and now is that of trying to drive a wedge between God and man.

His
influence is seen clearly in man's readiness to accept falsehood.
Nowhere is falsehood more abundant than in the plan of Salvation
and God's plan for the service of the saved. Hundreds of ideas
have gone forth and have been readily accepted by man as to how
to be saved. Because of satanic influence, the simple Bible plan,
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved, is
largely overlooked.

It
is a sad truth that Satan is able to take an apparent
truth and use it to man's disadvantage.

There
is an old adage which says,"charity begins at home".
This is generally accepted as simple fact. Is it?

No
one in his right mind would deny the fact that one has a
responsibility toward his family but this is NOT where
responsibility begins. Many are providing time money and effort
in support of their families and yet are failing miserably by not
providing their spiritual needs. In providing for their spiritual
needs he MUST begin with his own relationship with God. Charity
does NOT begin at home. Man must first learn to love the God of
heaven! He can't even begin to provide properly for his family
until he recognizes the validity of God's claims upon him.

Though
a child should grow up with a father who is a real buddy, a mom
who provides a wonderful home and well balanced meals, attends
the finest schools and gets regular dental and medical check-ups,
what will it profit him if he and his parents spend eternity in
hell? If you really love your home and family, why not show it?
Make that home a place where the Love of Christ is manifested.
Don't endanger the eternal welfare of those you love by putting
God last.

Another
favored falsehood is,"There is a little good in the worst of
us".Men search desperately for some good deed or motive in
the lives of the worst criminals. In story, song and legends, the
most bloodthirsty criminals of the past become misunderstood,
tender-hearted robin-hoods. Most are considered to have been
driven to their deeds by circumstances and law abiding citizens
with hardened hearts.

Could
this be an effort to justify the average sinner by showing that
the worst have some good qualities while the best have some bad?

Why
not just accept God's statement about the matter. Mat 19:17
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none
good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life,
keep the commandments.

Let
us examine a few biblical statements and see if we can find any
possibility of acceptance by God on the basis of a 'little good'
in an evil heart.

Mark
7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth
the man.

Mark
7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil
thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Mark
7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an
evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

Mark
7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Jesus
is not describing a heart that is essentially good but
misunderstood. He speaks of the heart of unsaved mankind.
Jeramiah describes it thus; Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful
above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Solomon
poses a rhetorical question; Prov 20:9 Who can say, I have
made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Job
puts another question and gives the answer; Job 14:4 Who can
bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

Goodness
and evil might be relatiuve to men but to God they are absolutes.
As far as God is concerned, before any good can come from the
heart of man, man must have a new heart. The most nutritious milk
is no good if poured from a filthy, unwashed pail!

What
then is the answer? Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O
God; and renew a right spirit within me.

The
devil is not only a liar but he is not even consistent in his
lies. Consider these opposing ideas he has planted in human
minds. They can't be both right and in truth, both are dreadfully
wrong.

On
the one hand he tells some that the christian life is dull and
boring and God doesn't want them to have any fun. Then he turns
to another and says, "Enjoy yourself. God wants you to have
fun, FUN FUN!

In
answer to the first false statement, a christian's dedicated life
is far from being dull. You never know what's going to happen
next! One person might receive your witnessing with great joy and
accept Christ as his savior. The next might want to whip you for
insinuating that there is anything wrong with him. Then the next
might want to challenge you for a debate on how to be saved.

The
life for Christ is far from dull to those who have gone to
mission fields. Even for those who are stay at home, everyday,
committed christians, one can experience the thrill of answered
prayer.

The
world has a saying, 'If you haven't tried it, don't knock it'.
Well, if you have never lived a dedicated christian life don't
put it down for you don't know what you are talking about!

It
is the most thrilling and enjoyable experience available to human
beings. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and
to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and
that they might have it more abundantly.

God
does want his people to have fun and enjoy themselves, but not
with the devil's idea of fun. His concept of fun is what keeps
the prisons full and makes our streets unsafe to walk. It has
spread death and destruction around the world through venereal
disease and narcotics. The booming business being done in the
world's jails, hospitals, divorce courts and cemeteries would
drop dramatically of only men would rid themselves of the
illusions of Satan's idea of fun.

On
the one hand Satan lies involve platitude which are based on
apparent truths, on the other he weakens some of the greatest
Biblical truths by causing superficial acceptance.

It
is a wonderful and comforting truth that God is able to keep his
own in perfect safety. This doctrine is called 'the security of
the believer' and has been brought into discredit in the eyes of
many through Satan's lie that it teaches that you can be saved
and then enjoy your fill of sin. This is not a new lie but has
been around for centuries. THE apostle Paul faced it in his day.

Rom
6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace
may abound?

Rom
6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any
longer therein?

It
is true that when one is saved nothing can ever separate him from
the love of God, but if one who claims to have been saved still
has the desire to live in sin and can be happy doing it, there is
something wrong with the experience he called his conversion. He
had better examine himself as to whether he was really saved or
not.

Even
the simple plan of salvation has been distorted by the devil's
lies. In many cases it has become meaningless or worse.

The
Phillipian jailor asked a simple question and was given a simple,
straightforward answer. "What must I do to be saved?"
was the question and the answer was "Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." He had certainly
heard the Gospel for Paul and Silas had been engaged in singing
and praising God ever since they were placed in his care. His
actions after the earthquake demonstrated that he had come to
repentance as many still do today. This is where the devil enters
in with his lies. "Just raise your hand if you want to be
saved"

Repeat
this little prayer and you're on you way to heaven.", "Be
baptized ." "join a church." , "Do good works
and follow the 'golden rule'" On and on comes the confusing
advice to the weeping, sin struck seeker while the simple plan of
salvation gets more and more lost in the obfuscation of the
devil's lies.

Even
the simple, basic fundamental of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ
has been almost destroyed by superficial acceptance. It becomes
lost in the forest of Christmas trees , crowds of Santas, herds
of reindeer, elves, and toys. The devil doesn't give a fig as to
how tall your tree is, or how brightly it is decorated or of the
mistletoe you hang. He doesn't care about your sleigh bells or
carols or creches. You can get sentimental over the babe in the
manger and the three wise men. Just don't think of the the fact
that He came into the world to save sinners by dying on the
cross!

The
same is true of the glorious truth of the resurrection of Christ.
Its observation by the world has been diluted by bunnies and
colored eggs. The most 'spiritual' part of its observance by many
is the finery they wear to their one church service of the year.

Satan
doesn't mind if you celebrate with pagan practices but just don't
confuse the issue by the resurrection of one who shall sit in
judgment upon all men! Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a
day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by
that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance
unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Here
are some simple truths God wants you to know. Don't accept Satan
version of any of them.

All
have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Except
you repent you shall all likewise perish.

Christ
died to save sinners.

There
is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby you
must be saved.

Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and ye shall be saved.

These are God's
truths, Don't accept any substitutes!