June 27, 2024 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Hello, friends! As we saw in last week’s video, it is always an advantage to uncover the plans of the enemy—especially during a war! And as we know, we are in the midst of a cosmic conflict—a war between Christ and Satan—known as the great controversy. And the main battleground of that war is our own hearts.
Fortunately, God has given us intelligence so we can know the plans of the enemy and how best to avoid them. As we saw last time, one of Satan’s snares is to try to keep people away from where the Word of God is presented.
Today, we will look at more of Satan’s snares as we continue our journey through the book, The Great Controversy, chapter 32.
The inspired author writes, “Satan well knows that all whom he can lead to neglect prayer and the searching of the Scriptures, will be overcome by his attacks. Therefore he invents every possible device to engross the mind” (The Great Controversy p. 519).
Friends, I find it interesting that while this was written more than 100 years before electronic devices were invented, this statement has an interesting play on the word “device!” Isn’t it true that many people today are thoroughly engrossed in their devices—so much so that they do not have time to pray or search the Scriptures! How important it is that each day we set all distractions aside and spend quality time in communion with our Lord through prayer and careful reading of His Word.
Ellen White points out that another snare of Satan is to lead believers into becoming like himself, “accusers of the brethren.” These people she writes, “instead of following on to know the truth, make it their religion to seek some fault of character or error of faith in those with whom they do not agree. Such are Satan’s right-hand helpers. . . . They will put a false coloring upon the words and acts of those who love and obey the truth. . . . In every conceivable manner they will seek to cause that which is pure and righteous to be regarded as foul and deceptive” (The Great Controversy, p. 519).
Fortunately, however, no one needs to be deceived by these accusers, for the Bible tells us, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:16, NKJV).
It is interesting that while Satan has followers accusing those who “love and obey the truth,” he also has “as many agents ready to present any and every kind of error to ensnare souls—heresies prepared to suit the varied tastes and capacities of those whom he would ruin” (The Great Controversy, p. 520).
One of Satan’s most successful deceptions, she writes, is the idea that it doesn’t really matter what people believe. “He knows that the truth, received in the love of it, sanctifies the soul of the receiver; therefore he is constantly seeking to substitute false theories, fables, another gospel” (The Great Controversy, p. 520).
Friends, we see this very thing happening today. One very deceptive movement is called “Love Reality.” This movement, while using terms and words we are familiar with, places different definitions on those words. It is an insidious deception of the devil because it smoothly steers its adherents away from the true gospel that is found in the Bible.
Basic teachings of this group, according to some who were once a part of it, include the belief that repentance is not necessary for conversion because God literally gave us forgiveness and righteousness at the cross, so we do not need to confess our sins to obtain forgiveness. After all, why ask for forgiveness if we already have it? Furthermore, according to this group’s teachings, once we accept Christ’s righteousness, we no longer have a fallen human nature but instead we are immediately given the same unfallen nature Adam and Eve had in the Garden. Therefore, they say, we can no longer experience temptations from within because we no longer have a fallen nature.
But the Bible tells us in 1 John 1:8—“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (NKJV).
In The Great Controversy we read, “Many who have no real faith in God or in His word assent to some principles of truth and pass as Christians, and thus they are enabled to introduce their errors as Scriptural doctrines. The position that it is of no consequence what men believe is one of Satan’s most successful deceptions. . . . From the beginning the servants of God have contended against false teachers, not merely as vicious men, but as inculcators of falsehoods that were fatal to the soul” (The Great Controversy, p. 520).
But praise God, He does not leave us in darkness. While He warned that false teachers would come, He has given us plenty of light through His Word. The Bible is filled with truth regarding the plan of salvation, true repentance, and the need to ask God forgiveness for our sins, how to live a Christian life, and so much more. This is why it is so important that we spend time with Him each day reading His Word and asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance. He has promised, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5-8, NKJV).
As we consider these very important points, I invite you to pray with me just now.
Father in Heaven, thank you for giving us so much instruction to help us avoid deceptions, errors, and unfortunate manipulation by some with the Word of God itself. We thank you that we can have full assurance that when we come to you asking for forgiveness, that you will forgive us and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness. Lord, I ask that you will guard and keep those who are tempted to follow thoughts, theories, erroneous theology such as love, reality which is a confusing situation and a mixture of error and truth. I ask that you will keep people away from love, reality, and other strange doctrines that have no basis in the Word of God. Keep us focused upon what the Bible has to say and what you would like for us to accomplish in life through your leading in our lives. Thank you for the Word of God, the instruction and the spirit of prophecy and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name we ask it. Amen.