Deception
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
Genesis 3:1-5 (NLT)
From the time when people have been on this earth, they have had the option to not trust God, and there has also been a being trying to influence people not to trust God.
The serpent in this passage represents Satan, as noted in Revelation 12:9 and 20:2. One of Satan’s greatest weapons is deception. He takes an element of truth and twists it to lead us down a path away from God. God originally said that the people could eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden, but Satan tried to plant the thought that God said they couldn’t eat from any of the trees in the garden. Eve answered correctly regarding what God actually said (except she added a little extra), then Satan outright tried to refute what God said. When Satan said, You won’t die, he gave a deceptive sliver of truth without sharing the whole truth. Partial truth is not real truth. The people didn’t immediately die physically, but they immediately died spiritually. Their spirit was immediately unable to relate with God in the way they had before. And their physical body began the death process. And it’s true that the people’s eyes were opened, but it was not true that they would become like God. Likely this is the root of Satan’s deceptive temptation, causing people to yearn to be their own god, the ruler of themselves. This is expressed in phrases like, I’m living my own truth, I know what’s best for me, it’s my right to do what I want.
Satan likes to tease us with an appearance of truth while hiding the whole truth. This evil being has been around for centuries and is quite skilled at suggesting things that appear to be from God when they aren’t.
How can we combat this deception? It’s been said that the best way to recognize a counterfeit dollar bill is to be intimately acquainted with what a genuine dollar bill looks like. When you know the real deal, you’ll be able to spot a fake. Seek to know what God truly says in His Word and go back to God when you’re unsure of what He said. The Bible is an excellent source of God’s truth.
Jesus said, If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
John 8:31-32 (NASB)
Application: Consider how you’ll receive God’s truth each day. A possible plan is to read a chapter from the Bible each day and write down or text a verse to yourself to remember it throughout the day.
Prayer: Father, give me understanding of your Word so that I may live according to your truth.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?