In Matthew we find Jesus using two related episodes to teach a life-saving lesson–how to discern the source of spiritual inspiration. In 16:13-16 He asks the disciples whom they believe Him to be. Peter replied “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then revealed that Peter’s words were not his. God, Jesus said, had spoken the words to him through the Holy Spirit. Later, as recorded in vss 21-23 Jesus told the disciples that He would soon die in Jerusalem, prompting Peter to accuse Him of lying. Jesus then revealed who had inspired Peter this time. Looking at Peter, He said: “Get thee behind Me, SATAN … for you mind not the things of God, but the things of MEN.” Satan knows that to influence men to do his will he need only tell them what they want to hear–a lie. God tells men the truth and men fail to be influenced by it. Peter believed Jesus when He told him “right” things. When He told him “wrong” things, Peter turned on Him. Jesus had spoken the Truth about His impending death; Satan told Peter that He was lying, causing him to reject the Words of the One whom he had identified as “… the Christ, the Son of the living God” Who had “… the Words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68). As apposed to spiritual people, religious people keep listening until they hear what pleases them, then embrace it. Satan knows exactly what to say, as is evidenced by the hundreds of millions of church people who obey him.

Satan’s Word-twisting scheme began in the Garden of Eden: “Did God say you could not eat of every tree of the garden?” he asked. Which is exactly what God had said. Eve replied that God had indeed said exactly that, then added that to disobey Him would result in death. This proved that she and Adam knew the difference between good and evil and the results of doing each. Satan then revealed his modus operandi to deceive the world’s masses–he would tell men what they want to hear. His message to man is that he can reject God’s Words and 1) LIVE ETERNALLY and 2) DETERMINE GOOD AND EVIL. The rest is church history.

As revealed in Eden, Satan’s method of deception consists of two steps: step 1) quote the Lord, step 2) present a “better way”–the method by which false prophets formed Catholicism and all of the Protestant cults. A common error has caused hundreds of millions of God-seekers to fall into Satan’s trap–believing that because someone can quote Scripture, preach beautiful sermons, win many souls, build church bodies, conduct global ministries, etc., the person must be from God and have His blessings. The Bible speaks to the contrary. In Acts 16:16-18 we find Paul and Silas in Thyatira where they had been preaching for several days. Each day a woman would follow them through town shouting to the people that Paul and Silas were the servants of God who would show them the way to eternal life. She was preaching the Truth to one and all. So why did Paul not ask her to join them? Why did he not send her throughout the region spreading that truth? Why did he cast a demon out of her? Because she was a disciple of Satan; she was involved in witchcraft (fortune-telling). Had he allowed her to continue it would appear that God approved of witchcraft, which is what happens when a well-meaning person remains in a heathen church in order to win someone to Christ–it appears that the person approves of heathen religion. Therefore God commands that we “come out.” Then, He says, He will He be our God and we will be His children (2 Cor. 6:14-18). In order to join Him in His Kingdom we must obey God’s command to keep the things of God strictly separated from the things of man/Satan (Eze. 22:26). In Revelation 3:14-18 Jesus addressed the Laodicean Church concerning the mixing of His Way and Satan’s way–it turns church members into spiritual vomit, which Jesus will spew out at judgment. To be continued. L.J.