The World vs. The Word
Falling Prey to Customized Sin
What is truth? Based on the limited wisdom of mankind, Webster has defined “truth” as “a judgment, proposition, statement, or idea that accords with fact or reality and is logically or intuitively necessary.” However, as each person has their own perception of reality, countless definitions of truth exist.
Truth was what Pontius Pilate was searching for from Jesus prior to His crucifixion. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are You a king then?” Jesus said, “Thou sayest that I am king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:37)” Jesus clearly explains to Pilate that He came into the world to testify to the truth. Sure, Jesus could have told Pilate that He was born to bring salvation unto mankind, save the world, or fulfill the prophecies written about Him. Yet in no uncertain terms He told Pilate, “I have come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.”
We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with philosophies that contradict every instruction and commandment set by the God of the Bible. Everyone not of the truth follows the ways of the world and encourages sinful behavior that is opposed to the Word of God. The ability to know and discern the truth from deceitful philosophies is the difference between gaining everlasting life and losing your soul to eternal damnation.
Apostle Paul cautioned believers against following vain philosophies that sought to devalue the teachings of Jesus Christ. Colossians 2:8 forewarned,
“See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men's ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah). (Amplified Bible)”
Del Tackett, President of Focus on the Family Institute, decided to study the permeation of deceitful philosophies and developed the “Creator of the Truth Project” DVD series. Tackett addresses the seeds of deceit that first took root in the Garden of Eden and caused the fall of mankind. The devil convinced Eve to doubt God’s commandment not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. These actions in the Garden of Eden marked the beginning of Satan’s methodical agenda to deceive mankind in believing that the commandments set forth by God were not true nor needed to be obeyed.
Satan motives to lead mankind to rebel against truth and the laws of God are not unusual. When Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their wickedness, He explained that their desires to commit evil were similar to their father—the devil, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” (John 8:44-45)
From the moment he chose to lead a rebellion against God in Heaven, Satan’s efforts as a deceiver have been quite successful. Not only did he get one-third of the angels to join in his rebellion (Revelation 12:4), but he has since convinced countless humans to rebel against God in the belief that they themselves did not need to repent of their sins during their lifetime.
Unfortunately, because man is blind to the truth, persuading him to believe that he must repent of his sins is a difficult task. When spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ to unbelievers, Apostle Paul exhorted servants of the Lord “to use meekness when instructing those in opposition. Perhaps God will give them repentance, that they may acknowledge the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2nd Timothy 2:25-26)
Dakes Annotated Bible explains that it appears that those who oppose the truth are held captive by the devil to do his will. By willfully committing sins (unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, deceit, and murder), we have fallen for the Greatest Lie ever told by the Father of Lies: regardless of these actions, you are sinless and without penalty.
Since the Garden of Eden, there has been an active battle between Truth (God) and lies (Satan). Mankind has repeatedly rejected God’s commandments and has embraced Satan’s lies as truth by living in open rebellion to God. In 2nd Timothy 4:3-4, Apostle Paul cautioned “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
People fall prey to customized sin and do what gives them instant gratification versus doing what’s spiritually best for them in the long run. Have you have been blinded by Satan? Do you refuse to repent because of your own selfish desires not to change? Have you been deceived by those around you into thinking that there is nothing wrong with your sinful lifestyle? Ask Jesus to reveal the truth to you.
There is only one Truth—Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) If a person rejects Jesus Christ as the Truth what do they stand to gain besides eternal damnation to Hell? Regrettably, many will continue to follow the ways of the world and believe the deceitful philosophies presented by Satan. Seize the opportunity now to discern the truth from lies; tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone. Pray that you gain knowledge of the truth, for the truth will indeed set you free—free to gain everlasting life.
Visit https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/the-truth-project/ to learn more about “Creator of the Truth Project” DVD series.