Over the past several months I have been dealing with an uber-religious lady about whom I have written in a previous posting. As I was talking with her recently the subject of a mutual friend came up. This gentleman is known for being especially good to his wife who, due to an accident, is suffering from incurable physical and mental problems. We both agreed that he was going above and beyond the call of marital duty in order to keep her at home where he can care for her personally. For this he is a hero in both our eyes. But it is at this point that modern Christianity becomes separated from Biblical Christianity. This is where Satan takes over the church and pushes God out.

In the past I have pointed out to this lady that her religiosity does not equal true discipleship and Christian living–a Biblical fact which she cannot accept. This is the woman who, when I pointed out what the Lord said about the Law in 1 John 3:4: “To transgress the Law is sin; for sin is the transgression of the Law,” confessed that she could “not accept it.” The Law had been, after all, “nailed to the cross.” Bear in mind that this lady and her late husband had for years held Bible studies in their home and had been involved in other types of church work. Incredibly, they had never read 1 John 3:4. Why? BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO. Why had they not wanted to? BECAUSE THEIR DENOMINATION REJECTED THE LAW AND ALL REFERENCES TO IT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. Obedience to God’s stone-etched, ark-protected Law simply did not fit their church’s narrative, therefore it could not be of God. With this mindset established, I will finish describing the latest episode in my on-going attempt to convince a pillar of the church to believe the God she professes to believe in. Unfortunately, she has passed her denomination’s version of “truth” to many others. Make no mistake about it, Satan is well organized.

As the lady and I were discussing our mutual heroic friend she gave me “that look” and noted that his treatment of his wife PROVES that he has a right relationship with the Lord. With those words she highlighted Satan’s absolute control over Catholicism/Protestantism. The fact of the matter is that the loving husband, the lady, and over two billion other members of professing Christendom reject the Lord by rejecting His Word (Lk. 10:16). God warned about this religious phenomenon in Ezekiel 33:31: “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” But He was referring to Old Testament people, comes the familiar refrain. Question: could the statement also refer to the New Testament church? Christ’s answer is given in Mark 7:6 where we find Him saying to the religious people of His day: “Well did Esaias prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are FAR from Me.'” God used the same Words in addressing Old Testament physical Israel that He uses in addressing New Testament spiritual Israel. And why do they both have lips that honor God and hearts that dishonor Him? He tells us through Moses whom we find addressing both “the church in the (physical) wilderness” (Acts 7:38) of that day and the church in today’s spiritual wilderness: “The Lord has come to prove (test) you, so that FEAR OF HIM will be constantly with you, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT SIN.” Note it: Sin (transgression of God’s Law) means that one DOES NOT FEAR GOD. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of WISDOM” (Prov. 9:10). Note it: Sin means that one lacks wisdom. The Words, “so that you will not sin” proves that sin is a choice. One chooses to sin when one has no fear of the Lord and lacks wisdom. Contrary to popular opinion, sin is something man does, not something that is done to man. Satan has power over us only to the extent that we give him power over us. Jesus told the disciples: “… I give you power over ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY (Satan)” (Lk. 10:19). Note it: SATAN HAS NO NATURAL POWER OVER GOD’S TRUE SAINTS.

The lady and gentlemen in question–both very good friends of mine–have given Satan control of their lives. Both are super-religious, go to church, quote Scripture (the parts they believe), etc. They honor God with their lips, but their hearts (minds) are far from Him. Like the other two billion members of so-called “Christianity,” their minds (beliefs, faith, etc.) are not merely a little bit off center, but are FAR FROM HIM–on another track and going in the opposite direction–all the while “knowing” that they are walking hand-in-hand with Him on their way to heaven. Indeed, Revelation 12:9 is true: “Satan has deceived the whole world,” including the church world. L.J.