THE FATHER OF LIES

Though the Bible is clear that Satan is alive and the sworn enemy of God, most of the world dismisses his existence altogether. He is portrayed in books and movies as everything from a buffoonish cartoon character to a fictional grotesque monster. 

According to Scripture, the devil is the master of deceit so it shouldn't surprise us that there is great confusion concerning who he is and how much power he wields.

From the moment he interacted with Eve in Genesis to the New Testament account of Christ's temptation in the wilderness, Satan has sought to destroy the purposes of God. He continues to use every resource available to propagate untruths ... even 'religion' itself. 

Speaking to the Jewish leaders who wanted to rid themselves of Jesus, our Lord didn't mince words ... You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. 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. John 8:44

Lying is the primary weapon Satan uses against mankind in general and Christians in particular. He employs a variety of deceitful tactics to create a wedge between humanity and God. 

Some of his more duplicitous offerings are 'There is no God', 'The Bible is a book of fiction', 'If there is a God, He doesn’t know or care about you', and sadly, the most egregious and effective lie ... 'Jesus Christ was just a man and God's grace is a fallacy; good works are what gets you into heaven and past sins keep you out'. 

That last one taps into man's prideful nature and his need to play a part in his own salvation. When sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is the most stubborn of walls to break through. 

The Word of God has many names to describe Satan's true nature ... “ruler of this world” (John 12:31), “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4), “tempter” (1 Thessalonians 3:5), “deceiver” (Revelation 12:9), “the ruler of demons" (Matthew 10:25), among others.

The devil's success depends entirely on people believing what comes from his lips. He has used everything from 'little white lies' to huge 'whoppers' to deceive the masses. Adolph Hitler, the brutal despot who learned how to lie effectively, once said, “If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.”

This is exactly what is happening today. Politically motivated disinformation robs us of our freedoms, unsubstantiated scientific theories that are contrary to the Word of God are accepted as fact, and hedonistic narcissistic lifestyles are made to look as if they represent love, tolerance, and acceptance. All the while, Christianity is vilified. 

These all have their root in Satan's final desperate attempt to disrupt and discredit God's divine will for man. 

Know this ... for those who have rejected the Gospel and blindly do the bidding of Satan, there is a soon-coming reckoning. Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness. Isaiah 5:20

On the other side of the equation ... 

Jesus is 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life' (John 14:6). He will never deceive you. His death, burial, and resurrection provide forgiveness for sin and adoption into God's family. 

What a contrast.