Satan's Religion
Philadelphia Baptist Church
1/28/2007 Sun. a.m.
Satan's Religion
ACTS 8:5-25
Acts 8:5-11
Answer this question. Is the devil for religion, or against religion? The devil is very much in favor of religion, for he uses it most effectively against the gospel of Jesus Christ. From the moment that the devil began to cut his slimy path across the pages of human history, the trail he began was a religious trail. When he said to Eve, "You will be like God", he was saying "I am going to show you how to be godly - but to be godly my way!" It wasn't a temptation to fall down, it was a temptation to go up - to be like God!
This morning, we will spend time discussing, "Satan’s Religion". Whenever he has the initiative, he will always offer an alternative to the gospel. When a person hears the true gospel, he tries to get them to put it off...to delay the gospel. As we look at this passage, we will see several things about false religion.
If there has ever been a generation in history that needs to be warned about false religion, it is this one. In the last days, the bible prophecies that there will not be a shortage of religion, but instead there will be a multiplication of religion.
2 Timothy 3:5 "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
This is religion without reality, form but no force! Most Americans don't need more religion, they need to turn from their false religion, and turn to the God who can save them.
Four warnings against the devil's false religion:
First, the Devil's religion is POWERFUL
Acts 8:9-10
Notice what the bible calls "sorcery". This is not some cheap bag of tricks. This man had tapped into a demonic source of power so great that when people saw what he was able to do, they said "this is the power of the most High God". Where did it come from?
2 Thessalonians 2:8-9 "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,"
Revelation 16:13-14 "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, [which] go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."
I have no problem at all believing that the devil has the power to work miracles, and that he does so with the purpose of deceiving. Notice, the Bible speaks of "lying wonders." These are miracles performed with the power to deceive people.
Imagine a person, standing before God, facing that all encompassing question from God, "Why should I let you into My heaven?" The man responds, "Lord, remember the day when You sent that preacher to me? He was working miracle after miracle, and he told us that we should follow him and live a good life. So I have done this, Lord" About that time the Devil appears...laughing...saying, "You stupid, deluded idiot - God didn't send that man, I DID!"
You say, "Oh Pastor, that could never happen!" Notice:
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
The most ridiculous caricature of the devil is to portray him as some fiendish creature, horrible in his appearance. People being used by the devil could be very holy looking … it could even be an angel!
Another might say, "Lord, remember when I was praying, asking you to give me a sign of my relationship with you? Just then, you sent that voice speaking in my head with such clarity telling me that everything was all right. And then you told me to follow that man who promised me such a beautiful and glorious future." But then, the devil speaks up and says, "Fool, that was just me" Can the devil do such a thing?
Revelation 13:13-14 "And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live."
We must not stand upon the fickle frenzy of feelings and vague impressions - WE MUST LEARN TO STAND UPON THE WORD OF GOD.
If God asks me "Why should I let you into my heaven" I will answer with His own word:
John 5:24 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
The time is coming when the devil will perform so many mighty works and give so many phony revelations with so much deceptive power that you will think down is up and up is down and people will do things they never dreamed they would do and think they are doing the service of God.
It is not just that people will preach the wrong thing or do the wrong thing, but that they will preach wrong and do wrong and worship wrong while performing such mighty works that people will think they are doing the work of God.
That's the devilish power, now.
Second, the Devil's religion is PRIDEFUL
Acts 8:9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
Simon the Sorcerer was ego-centric rather than God-centered. The identifying mark of all satanic religions is PRIDE! Pride is what made the devil the devil! Here is the biography of the devil:
Isaiah 14:12-14 "How art thou fallen from heaven, thou Lucifer, son of the morning. How art thou cut down to the ground, which dids't weaken the nations. For thou hast said in thine heart, "I will ascend unto heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the most high."
This is exactly opposite of what Jesus said. Jesus said, "Not my will, but thine." The devil says, "Not Thy will, but mine!" The devils religion is founded in pride and practiced in "will worship": I WILL I WILL I WILL!
All false religion is built upon pride.
1 Timothy 6:3 "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings."
America is full of religious people...our community is full of religious people. However, they are full of pride and selfishness and self-centeredness. We need to examine ourselves to make absolutely sure that we have repented of our sins, been broken in the dust before the Lord Jesus Christ, dethroned self and enthroned the Lord Jesus Christ!
People are religious ego-maniacs, strutting their way into hell thinking they are too good to be damned, but they have never repented and never made Jesus Christ Lord. This is a man-made religion, rooted in pride...rooted in ego...and it is damning people to an eternity in hell.
Third, the Devil's religion is PRETENTIOUS
Acts 8:12-13 "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done."
Two kinds of believers...the true and the false...the POSSESSORS AND THE PROFESORS. The first group were possessors and the second were professors.
One group believed in the Master...the other believed in the MIRACLES. Simon saw that the Apostles could lay hands on people and they would receive the Holy Spirit.
Read vs. 18-20, Peter said "you and your money can both perish!" then look at vs. 21 "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God."
False religion is always "egocentric", rooted in what I can get. There are people who want miracles because they love miracles, they love the sensational...not because they love God. This is a false faith...a faith that condemns...not a faith that will save.
Well, that sounds good pastor...but do you have any scripture on that? Look at
John 2:23-25 "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man."
Notice the word "commit"...that is the same word that is translated "believe" in vs. 23. What does this say? THEY BELIEVED IN JESUS, BUT JESUS DID NOT BELIEVE IN THEM. Why? The bible tells us, "he knew what was in man"...he knew that they didn't really believe in Him, they believed in the miracles he was doing. When the miracles stopped, their faith would stop.
These are the kind of people who stood outside the gates of Jerusalem shouting "Hail Him! Hail Him!", but less than a week later they would be shouting "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"
Some years ago, a man who came to the pastor for help. He needed salvation, and the pastor explained it to him as best as he could. The man told the pastor how his wife had kicked him out of the house, he was a dead-beat...how he drank...now he prayed...he said he was going to follow the Lord...but he never did. What he wanted was not salvation, he wanted God to do something for him...he wanted God to get his family back.
The difference between a false faith and a real faith is in two things: (1) it's object and (2) it's objective. First, the object: What is the object of real faith? Jesus Christ. Faith is no better than it's objective! Faith in faith is false faith! It isn't faith in faith, it is faith in God! It isn't faith that moves mountains; it is GOD THAT MOVES MOUNTAINS!
Then, the objective: what is the purpose of faith? Faith's purpose is to bring us into a right relationship with God. Faith is not a way for man's will to be accomplished on the earth, faith is the way for God's will to be done in heaven. Faith is not MAN USING GOD, FAITH IS GOD USING MAN. Faith brings us to the place where we are broken and humbled before God crying, "Not my will, but thine be done".
People come to God, seeking his power and his blessings. They approach him on the basis of what He can do for them. They want the power, the blessings, and the benefits. Their faith is totally selfish. They attend church only to feel better. They give because they want God to bless them financially. THEY HAVE JOINED CHURCHES, BEEN BAPTIZED, MADE A PROFESSION - but ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT CHURCH CAN DO FOR THEM.
These are the great professors, and churches are full of them.
Matthew 7:23 "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Fourth, the Devil's religion is POISONOUS
Acts 8:19-20 "Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money."
Acts 8:23 "For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."
Two things this false faith brings...BITTERNESS AND BONDAGE. "Gall" means "poison". First, false religion brings BITTERNESS: Why? Because they have came seeking the water of life, but have found a broken cistern or a dry well. The devil has nothing real to offer...no solution for sin, no satisfaction of the heart.
The sweetest, the most dedicated, the most precious people on the earth are found in the churches of the Lord Jesus. While that is true, it is also true that some of the meanest, most vile and hateful and spiteful people, some of the most wicked people on the face of the earth are in the churches of the Lord Jesus. Why? Because they are religious...but they don't know God.
Remember, the devil is not against religion...but he offers RELIGION WITHOUT REALITY. HE OFFERS CHURCH WITHOUT CHRIST. There's power, pride, pretense in it...and it offers poison.