February 21, 1999

When considering the creation of this world by the powerful Word of God, the great care and pains he took making man and woman, and his wonderful love in preparing their home--the Garden of Eden—God’s wonderful, gracious love for his world and us is absolutely amazing and astonishing. Also amazing and astonishing is the foolishness and stupidity of our first parents, who tossed it all away by believing the lying, tempting words of “that sneaky old snake,” Satan.

How could they do it? Satan’s temptations are hard to resist. “That sneaky old snake” is still a formidable and forceful foe in the world. His cunning is still able to deceive and seduce us. Christians must take him and his cunning seriously because our eternal future hang in the balance!

The subtle serpent, Satan, successfully seduces. He did and he does! That’s his nature. The Scriptures refer to him with several descriptive names: “Devil,” means accuser or slanderer; “Satan,” means adversary, enemy, or opponent. Jesus calls him a murderer, a liar, and the father of lies.: “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (Jn 8:44b).

The Catechism reminds us that the devil was once a holy angel who fell away from God. He and the evil angels who joined him are spirits who were all created holy, but then they sinned and are forever rejected by God. These enemies of God and humankind endeavor to destroy the works of God. Being the father of lies, Satan is also the master of disguise: The apostle Paul was well-acquainted with his schemes. He says, “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14). Beware! Be on guard! “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12). Particularly disturbing today is how easily people are attached to demonic falsehood while at the same time denying this element of spiritual life.

“That sneaky old snake” still challenges and seduces. The tactics Satan used in the garden are still his tactics today. Satan questions God and his Word: “Did God really say?” Well, yes; but does he mean it? Satan contradicts God’s commands: “You will not die.” God doesn’t mean that. Satan makes promises of his own—promises that are unbelievably believable! “Your eyes will be opened.” You will “know good and evil.” Sure enough—“The eyes of both of them were opened.” The promises Satan makes to us through false teachings sound as good and believable as those original lies.

“That sneaky old snake!” Ever since he rebelled against God, he’s “hell-bent” on subverting truth and seducing God’s creatures. He began with Adam and Eve. He succeeded in turning Cain against Abel. He was successful with Judah and Tamar, David and Bathsheba, Solomon, Ahab and Jezebel, and hundreds of thousands of others. He’s so successful that scripture says, “there is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins” (Eccl 7:20). Satan’s success is universal! In demonic pride, he considers no one off-limits. He even tempted Jesus. Remember his tactics. Does he question God and his Word? Yes! “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread” (Matt 4:3). Does he contradict God’s commands?” Yes! “Throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you’” (Matt 4:6). Does he make promises of his own? Yes! “All this I will give you” (Matt 4:9).

Be on guard, for Satan spreads his subversive seductions as he attacks all Christians—including you and me. So take him seriously and resist his assaults. Satan wants us to think of him as that laughable caricature—the fellow with horns, long tail, and pitchfork that no one really believes in. If no one takes him seriously, it’s that much easier for him to do his deceptive work. Look again at our text and notice the great expectations both Adam and Eve had as they ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They would be like God! But, when they ate, their eyes were opened to the “wisdom” making them realize how utterly foolish and senseless they had been in trusting the words of Satan, that “sneaky old snake.” But that knowledge came too late! They were already separated from their Creator.

Physical death also replaced the life God had given. Although it took 930 years, Adam did die. So has everyone else except Enoch and Elijah. St. Paul reminds us of that truth in the Epistle: “death came to all men, because all men sinned.” “The wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23a). Not very comforting, is it? Not only did man die physically, but he died spiritually. The relationship between God and man was severed, splintered, and broken by sin. Now everyone, by nature, is blind, dead, and an enemy of God—lost and doomed to hell, condemned to hear, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Mat 25:41).

So what should we do? Resist Satan’s assaults. Do what Adam and Eve didn’t do. You can’t, can you? Neither can I. Not by ourselves. The only way we can resist the assaults of Satan is by God’s grace. Consider God’s gracious promise in today’s Epistle: “the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many die by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! … For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:15-17).

Resist Satan as Jesus did—through the power of the Word. That Word directs, sanctifies, and governs us. It shows us God’s will. It shows us Satan’s schemes. It reflects our own lives. It makes us people set apart to God our Creator. It keeps us safe unto eternal life. It worked for Jesus. Satan attacked him by taking God’s Word out of its proper context. He said, “It is written.” But, it’s not enough to know the Scriptures so well that you can quote them. Anyone—including Satan—can do that! We must believe their message.

It’s hard to resist Satan’s temptations. “That sneaky old snake” is a formidable foe and forceful factor in the world. His crafty cunning will always work to deceive and seduce us. The subtle serpent, Satan, successfully spreads his subversive seductions. Take him seriously and resist his assaults. Resist the lying, tempting words of Satan as you receive instruction in the truth. Their we find the grace and love of God in fullest measure, being assured of the forgiveness of sins, of life, and of salvation. Amen.