The Devil in the Details

Berean Baptist on December 18, 2017

Satan is an intriguing character, is he not? It is with guarded interest that we delve into the subject of Satan because it is possible to become too fascinated with him until the interest itself becomes a snare he can use to lure us in and captivate our thoughts. Many have become too interested in the details of the occult and of the supernatural. People have always been enchanted with the spiritual world which has led many to delve too far into the subject to the detriment of their eternal souls. As Paul said, we are not ignorant of his devices. This should keep us at arm’s length when we investigate the Bible’s descriptions of him.

In light of this, what I am about to say may see strange. Each of us should have profound respect for Satan’s capabilities. We do not admire them for their virtues since he has none, but we do respect the craftiness by which he deceives. Like a man has respect for the quick strike and deadliness of a cobra, so we should respect Satan’s prowess. His counter wisdom in all ways of evil is unparalleled in the spiritual world. No person possesses the power to outwit him. Indeed, he was brazen enough to approach our Lord with temptation. If not for Jesus’ complete reliance on the Holy Spirit for His protection, we might well perceive that Jesus the man would have given in to Satan’s offers. While we do not believe Jesus was capable of sinning, we do believe God used means to protect Him. The means unfailingly kept Him from sin because He is God, but to tempt God certainly speaks to Satan’s confidence in his ability.

Jesus never dismissed Satan out of hand. He first took him to the Word of God to dispel any hope of his success. The Scriptures are also our means for nothing is accomplished against Satan without the power of the Word. I believe the temptation is the Bible’s most formidable example of Satan’s power. It is interesting that no demon ever challenged Jesus like Satan. Even thousands of them begged for a measure of mercy when they were cast out of the Gadarian maniac. Satan boldly approaches God as he did in his accusations against Job.

None of this speaks to any real threat to God’s supremacy. Satan’s courage in the face of God belies his uncommon wisdom. While he deludes us, no doubt his greatest deception is perpetrated upon himself. He is relentless in his pursuit of God’s throne without understanding he is more of a pawn in God’s scheme than he makes us to be in his. God is setting Satan up for a destruction that will exalt God in ways that could never be accomplished by any other means. Satan’s destruction will cry out a confession of the one true living God. God has never done anything that does not redound to His glory, so you can be sure this present time of putting up with the devil will find out the ultimate greatness of God.

God continues to tell us to fear Satan. He tells us to walk circumspectly with eyes always scanning for places the devil might attack. Even though God promised to defeat Satan, the danger is real. Satan’s potency teaches us to fully depend upon God, which is God’s way of using Satan to strengthen His people rather than demoralize them. We can defeat the devil now in this life, but only with God’s help.

All the myths you hear about him are part of Satan’s disguise. He uses them to throw us off track. Chasing the myths divert us from the truth about him. This will get you in trouble if you are too interested in the wrong details.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

The Conclusion of Matthew

Berean Baptist on December 11, 2017

Matthew ends with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ that has through the centuries changed the lives of millions of people. We are sure of the scripture’s promise that heaven will be filled with a vast number of people who will praise the name of our Lord forever and forever. Their salvation was made possible in only one way—the good news that Jesus came to earth, lived, died, was buried, and then arose from the grave. The sacrifice of our Saviour at Calvary satisfied every demand of God’s justice that was laid against the vile repentant sinner.

The gospel is good news; the best news any person can hear. It does indeed change many hell-bound sinners into heaven-bound saints. For this reason, it is strenuously resisted by Satan and his followers who do everything in their power to corrupt it. The gospel alone can save which means a perverted gospel cannot save. Unfortunately, for the unsuspecting, the means of corruption can be so subtle that many who promote Satan’s methods do not even realize they are helping him accomplish his goal of keeping people blinded to the truth.

Energetic soul-winners who are no doubt often sincere in their efforts to see people saved are often guilty of giving people false assurance by leading them through cheapened presentations of the gospel. When the gospel is reduced to a three to five-minute presentation in which repentance from sin is not mentioned and faith is presented as nothing more than intellectual assent, the ingredients of a false gospel are there. This is not the true gospel of Christ. The true gospel demands genuine sorrow for sin, a sense of self-loathing because of offenses against the holy God, a forsaking and turning from sin in deep contrition, then turning to Christ alone in faith as the only hope of salvation. It also includes the surrender of all we are to the Lordship of Christ over our lives.

Quick five-minute presentations will rarely bring a person to the understanding of these important truths. Enthusiastic soul-winners are lightning fast in their efforts to get people to pray the sinner’s prayer when they have not adequately dealt with the demands of Christ for repentance and faith. This method of soul-winning is never found in scripture. There is not one instance of it in the ministry of Jesus, the apostles, or any evangelist in the New Testament. None of them asked anyone to pray what we call the sinner’s prayer. None of them would have sanctioned this method as an indication of real conviction and turning to Christ in repentant faith. Does this mean we are not to call on the Lord in prayer for salvation? No, we must, but not before we have rejected all that we are and are ready to be humbly obedient to all the Lord commands.

I want you to see these truths. We do not want to sell the gospel short. Never let it be said we have wasted time because our converts never really understood the gospel. Jesus is Lord and Jesus saves! But, Jesus never saves with a false gospel. Repent of all your sins, place your faith in Christ with a faith that leads to obedience to His Lordship.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

For Sale: The Gospel: Are You Buying?

Berean Baptist on December 4, 2017

Our focus in this article is the real meaning of the gospel, which sadly is distorted and misunderstood by many. The gospel is the good news, but what particularly is this news?

Some say it is the news that God has a wonderful plan for your life. I believe this is far too simplistic even to the point of being almost heretical. There are many who have a very bad plan mapped for their lives because God has no dealings with them. To assume God has a good plan for them that might not happen is too have too little confidence that He is able to make any plan happen. On the other hand, for those who hear and believe, it is rare their lives include much good—at least not an attractive good that would cause them to come to Christ. Jesus said the lives of His people would be filled with suffering. They would be hated, ridiculed, and considered the scum of the earth.

As we know, God’s wonderful plan is for the afterlife which puts us in the position of enduring the world until this plan is realized. This is not to say a Christian cannot be happy and find peace and contentment in this life. The apostles suffered beatings for their preaching, and yet they rejoiced they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. Most do not consider this their kind of joy.

Rarely do we find an honest approach with the gospel. Most feel they must sell the gospel as the most attractive offer you can get. If the pot is not sweetened enough, nobody will buy. However, the real gospel does not need to be sold. The Holy Spirit is not concerned whether people weigh the pros and cons of believing and decide accordingly. The Spirit convicts the heart and brings the person to Christ despite all his objections. He makes us willing to receive the gospel when before we were dead set against it. No matter how bad it looks, people will come to Christ because they have been made willing through His power (Psalms 110:3).

In the days of the apostles, it was impossible to hide the negative aspects of belief in Christ. People could see what it meant to follow Him. Christians lining the roads for miles on crosses was a pretty good indication what it meant to trust Christ. If this is what you were selling, they weren’t buying. In one interesting case in Acts 5, it wasn’t enemies that killed Christians—it was God. Two believers were struck dead for lying to God. In that passage, it says fear came on the people. Many wanted nothing to do with the apostles for fear they would be killed as well. Interestingly, those that were drawn to Christ continued to come and the church continued its rapid growth.

Is it necessary to resort to deceitful tactics and hide the truth? A gospel that is not radical and changes the lives of those who believe is no gospel at all. The good news is the saving power of Christ not a short, sweet version that involves little to no commitment. The gospel may cost your life. It declares the wrath of God against sin and the penalty in hell for those who commit them. It provides the alternative for eternal death by repentance from all sin, faith in Jesus Christ alone, and surrender to His Lordship over the life.

This kind of commitment is not good news for those looking for comfort. Christianity does not end life’s problems. It may very well create many more. You cannot sell this because nobody is buying. Tell the truth. The truth is used by the Holy Spirit to save no matter how difficult it is to believe.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith