Six Enemies of God's Truth - Part 3

Part 3 Six Enemies of God's Truth [SLIDE] 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Jude 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are [i]sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. GM GP . . . This morning we're resuming our teaching on identifying the Enemies of God's Truth. This message comes to alert Believers to the schemes and deceptions cooked up by Satan which are intended to trick them out of living by the Truth of God as well enlighten us to fake truth that is so persuasive until it comes across as God's Truth to the untrained, undiscerning eye and ear. In this mini-series, I want to present 5 Enemies of God's Truth. [SLIDE] By definition, an Enemy of God's Truth is defined as anyone or anything that opposes, resists, hates, rejects, copies, counterfeits or disbelieves God's Revealed Truth. Let me remind you of what Truth I'm talking about since there are so many versions of truth in the world today. There's only one Truth that has ever been, or ever will be - and that Truth is God's Truth alone. [SLIDE] God's Truth is Comprehensively Defined as the Word of God which is God-breathed, infallible, living, breathing and all powerful. [SLIDE] The Truth is important because: * It makes us free from ourselves and the bondage of sin - John 8:31& 32 says: * It is the basis of our faith - Jude 3 urges . . . * It is our protection and discernment-gauge in differentiating between the Truth and a Lie; Truth and Error. Now, let's resume identifying the 6 Enemies. So far, we have identified three of the Enemies of God's Truth: [SLIDE] The First Enemy of God's Truth is: Satan the Devil The Second Enemy of God's Truth is . . . Small "t" truth vs. Capital "T" Truth The Third Enemy of God's Truth is: Church Traditions, Church Doctrine and Church Culture Now for the Fourth Enemy of the God's Truth . . . The Fourth Enemy of God's Truth is the Trio of: Pride, Flesh and Delusion These three individual forces come together like a plaited cord to form a strong resistance to God's Truth. The Bible says three cord . . . [SLIDE] Here's how this Enemy #4 works: In a systematic way Flesh takes over, then opens the door to Pride; Pride enters in and takes a seat and establishes an evil stronghold; next, Pride exalts and declares itself equal to or above God's Truth which leads to the control of strong Delusions which produces in an individual a twisted reality of God, life, and the world. In terms of Scripture, here's what this process looks like. Flesh enters in. It got its beginning in the Garden of Eden when Eve was deceived by Satan into doubting God's Truth. [She decided that Satan was telling the truth and she had misunderstood God]. {dabbling in delusion see Mac note Gen 3:6} God said in Genesis 2: 16 & 17 " . . . but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." But Satan said to Eve in Genesis 3: "You shall not surly die". The moment Eve ate, then offered it to Adam - the Flesh and its Lust were born. [SLIDE] Flesh is defined as man's morally evil unredeemed humanness that causes him suppress and resist God's Revealed Truth. It signifies spiritual death which is separation from God. In simplest terms, FLESH is the awakening of the desire and appetite for things other than the spiritual and divine Truths of God. Since the fall of our creation parents, Adam and Eve, whom we get our sin nature from, every human being on the face of the earth remains in a fallen state of being until he or she comes to God and receives deliverance by the blood of Jesus Christ. Those who have not had the curse of the flesh broken by the blood of Jesus Christ remain slaves to sin and in a state of condemnation. Romans 8:1 says . . [SLIDE] Romans 8:1 and verses 5-8 8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. But verses 5 - 8 says: 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. [BONUS] But to the believer, God says in v 9: 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. Now, those who refuse to accept God's Truth - those are the ones are on a path to fulfill the claims of Truth Enemy #4 - the Trio of Flesh, Pride, and Delusion Let's walk it down from here: Put plainly, the Flesh separates man from God and leaves man to himself to act out of his own freewill. He can either choose to return to God and serve Him, or He can continue to follow the appetites of his fallen flesh and grow more and more hardened and exalted in pride towards God. Listen to what Galatians says about the Works of the Flesh . . . [SLIDE] Galatians 5:19-21 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions (disagreements), jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies (deviations), 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. The flesh and its works are fueled by pride. [SLIDE] Pride is defined as arrogance [conceit, haughtiness] over one's circumstances which produces haughtiness or exaggeration, parading what one possesses to impress other people and rule God out. Pride is described as "the essential vice, the utmost evil" and is considered "the complete anti-God state of mind". Many people today, however, view pride as a virtue and a key component in emotional maturity and self-actualization. 1 John 2: 15-17 addresses flesh and pride in the same passage. The Apostle John warns how flesh and pride work together to exert place worldliness over God and godliness. [SLIDE] 1 John 2: 15-17 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. Things associated with the world are not limited just to material objects. They are things that absorb human love for the Father to an undue degree, even to the point of unseating God. Flesh takes over, then opens the door to Pride; Pride enters in and takes a seat and establishes an evil stronghold. That evil stronghold is so gripping until declares and exalts itself equal to or above God's Truth When that occurs, the pride-filled person arrogantly moves to justify behavior that contradicts God's righteousness and truth. They go about to establish their own righteousness and self-glory in the name of God, the Church, Religion, and Culture. Ultimately, flesh and pride deceive people into resisting and suppressing God's Truth as a way to make it appear non-existent. Flesh and pride are the birthing ward for atheism, relativism, secularism and pluralism. [SLIDE] Romans 1:18-23 says . . . 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God (resistance) , nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Because of the enemy of pride and the flesh, on three occasions or more, God gave those who walk in pride and by the flesh over to their sinful resistant ways. The term "God gave them up" is a judicial term used for handing over a prisoner to his sentence. Look at three of the occasions . . . [SLIDE] Romans 1: 24, 26, & 28 24 "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie . . ." 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind These three-plus occasions that God gave those over to who fall in line with Enemy Four serves as a clear path to Strong DELUSION! [SLIDE] Delusion is defined as . . . a fixed, false belief that conflicts with reality and Truth. Despite contrary evidence, a person in a delusional state can't let go of lies, myths, false beliefs in the face of clear Truth. Delusions are defined as Despite contrary evidence, a person in a delusional state can't let go of these convictions. Strong delusion is the place where Enemy Four comes to a head. It is best explained in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12. [SLIDE] 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Here's what this passage is saying especially about "Strong Delusion" found in verse 11. It refers to people who prefer to love sin and lies rather than gospel truth will receive severe, divine recompense, as do all sinners. God Himself will send judgment that insures their fate in the form of a deluding influence so that they continue to believe what is false. They accept evil as good and a lie as the truth. Thus, does God use Satan and Antichrist as His instruments of judgment. v.9 Power, signs, and wonders are not necessarily evidence of God's acts. Satan has the power to perform deceptive supernatural acts. We must examine the source of the act and the content of the message being promoted in order to avoid deception. vv. 10-12 Satan's activities will result in wide-scale deception of the unbelieving world. First, however, unbelievers [Out of this enemy more enemies evolve such as doubt, self-justification, personal reality, self-righteousness, and false religions and cults]. The Fourth Enemy of God's Truth is the Trio: Flesh, Pride and Delusion %%%%%%%%%%%%%%END%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Wrap Up The First Enemy of God's Truth is: Satan the Devil The Second Enemy of God's Truth is . . . Small "t" truth vs. Capital "T" Truth The Third Enemy of God's Truth is: Church Traditions, Church Doctrine and Church Culture The Fourth Enemy of God's Truth is the Trio: Flesh, Pride and Delusion The Fifth Enemy of God's Truth is: The Power of "Almost" The Sixth Enemy of God's Truth is: Apathy - Isaiah 14:12-17; Luke 10:18; Rev 12:8-10 Page | 2