OUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL

"Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world."

I Peter 5:8-9

The early Reformers in Europe and the pioneers of the American churches prayed fervently for God's help against the invisible hosts of evil. They believed unabashedly in the devil and lived their lives as a battle against his evil influences. Just because they are invisible does not make them imaginary, nor does it make us superstitious to acknowledge their existence. Let's have a serious Bible discussion of Satan and his activities.

Recently, someone hacked into my computer.  The hackers got hold of my secured passwords on Facebook and Lucia's blog.  It is unclear how the attackers altered my passwords and found unrestricted access to my accounts, especially Facebook.  Once they had access, they did as they pleased, publishing all kinds of foul language and pornography.  Believe me, this has been a very traumatic, degrading, humiliating, and terrifying experience for me.  I was determined to close my Facebook and other accounts and even stop writing for my blog, which I enjoy the most.  With much prayer and support from my family and friends, I decided to continue doing what I love, writing for God's glory.  

This awful incident reminded me and alerted me as well to the fact that Satan is at war with Christians.  It is an ugly spiritual war!  Why do I say that?  Simply because Satan fiercely seeks to accuse us of wrong, disgracing us.  He seeks us out like a roaring lion to destroy us.  Satan, our adversary, wants to destroy the faithful and righteous of God. Those who serve God faithfully in His kingdom.  He hates them and wages war against those striving to live for Christ, walking in righteousness.  Indeed, his primary purpose is to afflict God's children. And he uses all of his evil weapons against God's people.  He wants to destroy us utterly!  

That is why we must become aware, be on guard, standing firm in Christ with all prayer to resist him.  However, I am confident he can do nothing to us besides what God allows.  He still has the power to prowl and attack us fiercely.  His goal is to take us away from God's Word and His Hove.  He can do that only if we give him an open door.  He will do everything he can to discourage and sway us away from God and His ways.  He is eager to persecute all who desire to live godly (2 Tim. 3:12).  His mission is to attack our faith and joy. Therefore, let us take heed and be on the alert!

Undoubtedly, we have a real enemy, and we must be watchful! We cannot afford to be careless or lazy. Satan is the author of all our troubles, persecutions, and cares. Even so, we must not allow him to intimidate us. I will not allow him to intimidate me!! 

This enemy is like an outside force always working against God and us.  In the Bible, he is referred to by different names but is commonly known as Satan.  In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for “Satan” is used 19 times.  The word “Satan” makes reference to one who lies in wait or one who opposes.  In the New Testament, the Greek word for Satan is used 36 times, which means adversary, opponent, or enemy.  Another term to refer to him is “the devil” (used 33 times in the NT), the slanderer or traitor.

All this being said, we come to the following questions:  

• Who is Satan?  
• Is he real?  
• Why has he established himself as God's archenemy?  
• Why is he the enemy or opponent of mankind?  
• What is his origin?  
• Why has he placed himself against God and man?  
• Why has God allowed Satan to continue to exist?  
• What is his primary goal?  
• What are his powers?  
• What can Christians do to defend themselves against Satan?  
• And finally, what is Satan's final destiny?

Thankfully, God's Word provides us with the answers to all these questions.  In our study, I want to give some Bible answers so that we may better understand who our enemy is.  The better one knows this enemy, the more successful he will be in defending himself and defeating this enemy completely. We must not quit. We must keep pressing on even when we feel like giving up. Life is a ceaseless battle where we must strive to serve God with all our life, energy, and enthusiasm.  Remember that victory is just around the corner.  Let us treasure Paul's inspiring words that keep us motivated and going so that we may win the prize of the high calling of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude.”  (Phil. 3:13-15)

I.    IS SATAN REAL?

Many reject the existence of Satan as a real, personal, and spiritual being.  They instead speak of him as a myth (which pleases Satan!) that was invented to teach us moral values and scare us into obeying God and the Bible.  There is nothing strange about such disbelief coming from the world.  After all, if they choose not to believe in God and His Word, why should they believe in a spiritual being known as Satan, the Bible speaks of?  Sadly, some profess to be followers of Christ who likewise reject the existence of Satan. To them, Satan is some kind of evil personified.  They discard the idea that there really is a spiritual being out there whose aim is to ruin the souls of men.  I don't understand this way of thinking.  The same Bible that asserts the existence of God also tells us of the existence of Satan!  I can’t fathom how one may consistently believe the Bible and the existence of God but reject the existence of Satan.

It is crystal clear that Satan exists and is real. It is documented in both the Old and the New Testaments.  From beginning to end (the first book of the Bible to the last), his existence is affirmed as our adversary.  In Genesis 3, we are first introduced to Satan (as he arrives on the scene) as a serpent to tempt Eve.  In the last book of the Bible, we read, "And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan... "  (Rev. 20:2).  We see him again in I Chronicles 21:1, where he stood against Israel, trying to tempt King David to sin.  

Did you know that in the Book of Job, the word Satan is used 14 times?  In fact, the entire book of Job explores the dilemmas caused by the existence of Satan, especially the first two chapters.  In them, we see him acting against God and mankind as our adversary.  However, we also see God's ultimate authority and superiority over him.  Moreover, he is also mentioned in Zechariah 3, where he accuses and opposes the high priest.  He shows up ready to challenge God's authority and power to forgive men's sins.  He seeks to overthrow God's throne of grace, turning it into a seat of judgment and condemnation without any hope of redemption for mankind.

In the New Testament, his existence is reaffirmed as cunning, deceitful, and hypocritical.  In Matthew 4:1-11, he enters the scene to tempt our Lord Jesus in the wilderness as a literal and distinct being.  A few chapters later (Matt. 12:27), Jesus referred to him as "Beelzebub," which means the lord of refuse or the lord of the flies.  This is a term that expresses contempt. He is everything that is opposed to holiness and purity.  This was not just a term our Lord used to apply to some harmless, mythical character or fable.  No, Jesus used this term to refer to Satan as a dangerous being overflowing with wickedness!!

Jesus' apostles were aware of Satan as their bitter and worst enemy.  Take, for example, what Jesus told Peter:  "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat." (Matt. 22:31).  Notice that the pronoun “you” in the Greek is plural indicating that Satan wanted all of the apostles.  In Ephesians 2:2, the apostle Paul speaks of Satan as "prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience."  He has his "devices" (II Cor. 2:11) and his servants (ministers) who "disguise themselves as servants of righteousness" (II Cor. 11:15).  The apostle John also mentioned him as the one who has sinned from the beginning (I John 3:8).  John also noted, "that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one"  (I John 5:19).  Paul's thorn in the flesh was "a messenger of Satan" to torment him (II Cor. 12:7).  Perhaps the most troublesome fact is that it was Satan who "put into the heart of Judas Iscariot" to betray Jesus. (John 13:2).  

Moreover, Satan is called the author of sin (I John 3:8), sickness (Acts 10:38), death (Heb. 2:14), and the one who leads men to be deceived and go astray (II Thess. 2:9-10).  It is a fact that Satan is real and not figurative!

II.   WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF SATAN?

Although the Bible does not tell us much about the origin of Satan, there is enough evidence and information in the Word of God that we may draw some reasonable conclusions as to how Satan came into existence.  Is Satan a created being, or is he eternal?  Even though he is quite powerful, he does not share the deity status.  Why?  Because deity is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and righteous (Psalm 139).  Satan does not have these qualities!  He is not “all-powerful,” for God is greater and stronger than he is (I John 4:4).  God allows him to do certain things.  God also limits him (Job 1:12; 2:6; Rev. 20:2).  

• He is not omnipresent (all present) since he is restrained to a particular place.  Though he is the god (ruler) of this world (II Cor. 4:4), God will throw him into the "lake of fire" one day (Rev. 20:10).  
• He is not all-knowing (omniscient).  In Job, he thought that all men forsake God sooner or later when faced with severe trials.  Indeed, he was wrong and does not know everything! (Job 1:11; 2:5; James 5:11).  
• He is not very smart or powerful enough to "snatch" the disciples of the Lord from His hand (John 10:28).  

Therefore, Satan is not a deity in any sense, nor does he possess an eternal nature.  He has not always existed like our Creator; instead, he was created.

In Colossians 1:16, we have further evidence for this conclusion:  

"For by him [i.e., Jesus] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him."  

This text affirms that Jesus created everyone and everything (besides the Godhead)!  So, it is undeniable that God created Satan.  So the question is:  What was Satan like when he was first created?  Was he created "evil"?  The answer is a big NO!  Notice what Genesis 1:31 tells us:  

"And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good... "  

Indeed, everything that God had created was very good!  So whatever Satan might have been originally, he was definitely created good.  God did not create Satan as evil, but instead, he became evil later.

According to a couple of New Testament passages, there is evidence that Satan was originally one of the angels that inhabited the heavenly realm.  And that he, along with other angels, departed from all righteousness and rebelled against God (Job 4:18).  The New Testament explains this truth well in several places:  

• II Peter 2:4:  "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment."  
• Jude 6:  "And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day."

Although one might say that these verses don't specifically say much about Satan, the truth is that they do affirm that angels can and do sin.  This reality blends well with Jesus' statement in Matthew 25:41 and has powerful implications.  Notice what Jesus says,  

"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."  

So Satan was good when God created him, and now he is evil with his own angels, whom he leads in rebellion against God.  They were expelled from heaven as a result of their disobedience.  Some of the angels chose to break God's law by not keeping their real domain. They departed from the position God had established for them.  So, why did they do that, and when?  Unfortunately, we can't answer these questions because the Bible does not tell us.  We can be sure that this rebellion occurred before Adam and Eve were tempted in Genesis 3 since Satan appears to be playing his role as the adversary.

III.   WHY HAS SATAN PLACED HIMSELF AGAINST BOTH GOD AND MAN?

Although the Bible does not explicitly give us the answer to this question, it seems that after Satan rebelled and it became evident that he would be punished for his sin, he became angry and bitter and had an enormous desire for revenge.  You see, Satan lost, and no one likes to lose!   So, how was Satan going to get revenge against God?  How could he hurt God the Creator, who was stronger and more powerful than he?  Of course, Satan could not hurt God directly, but maybe he could hurt Him indirectly.  Who could he target?  Mankind!  Why?  Because man is made in the image of God (deity).  He is God's master creation on earth.  Satan and his evil angels realized how pleasant it was going to be to spoil the apple of God's eyes!  Therefore, it is through mankind that Satan was going to get his revenge on God.

Without a doubt, Satan is aware that his case is hopeless and that he cannot overpower God.  But he also knows he can indirectly hurt God by getting men to sin and forsake their Creator.  That is why he prowls among us, seeking to destroy us as our adversary,  "like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."  (I Peter 5:8).  Satan's great desire is to take as many souls as he can to hell with him.  This is his plan for revenge. It is a war against God. He will do everything in his power to accomplish his diabolic plan.  Indeed, he is our biggest "enemy" (Matt. 13:39).

IV.   WHY HAS GOD ALLOWED SATAN TO CONTINUE TO EXIST?

If Jesus called Satan a "murderer" in John 8:44, one might be wondering why God has not put him to death like other murderers? (Numbers 35:16).  What is God's justification for allowing one like Satan to be so wicked and continue living? In Luke 20:33-36 we might find at least one clue.  In this passage, Jesus spoke of the righteous who one day would be worthy of living in heaven.  Jesus declared:  

"For they cannot die anymore because they are equal to angels... "  

Stop now and think about that.  If the righteous person whose final dwelling will be heaven, where he cannot die, and he will be equal to angels, then angels cannot die.  Right?   We must understand that humans and angels are not eternal.  Why?  Because they have not always existed, but once created, they were made immortal (i.e., they will live forever:   "for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection").

Surely, if God wanted to eradicate Satan's existence, He would utterly destroy him.  God has all the power to do that.  However, the fact that God has allowed Satan to exist might suggest that perhaps God has a reason or purpose for Satan.  Consider what God said to Pharaoh in Exodus 9:15-16: 

"For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth.  But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth."  

Perhaps God wants to show His power through Satan as He did through Pharaoh.  Do you think this might be a possibility?  Why did God show His power through Pharaoh?  Because of Pharaoh's stubbornness and rebellion, God was able to work many miracles to free His people.  In doing all this, His name was exalted throughout all the earth.

God has allowed Satan to retain his power for a limited time only until He is finished with His purpose (using Satan to test us that we might be a purified and undefiled people for God's glory and purposes).  The beauty of all this is that we can overcome our enemy, Satan, through our Lord and Savior, that we might glorify our Father in heaven.  I think this is why Satan continues to exist.  I believe that he will continue even after the day of judgment for the sake of justice so that he may be punished forever for his wickedness.

IV.   WHAT IS SATAN'S PRIMARY PURPOSE OR GOAL?

As  I said earlier in this study, Satan's primary purpose or goal is to get revenge against God through mankind.  Ultimately, his mission is to destroy mankind in hell!  Suffering forever with him in the "lake of fire"  (Rev. 20:10). Consider some of Satan's descriptions in the Bible:  

• The adversary (Zech. 3:1).
• The devil (Matt. 4:1).
• The tempter (Matt. 4:3).
• Murderer and father of lies (John 8:44).
• The god of this world (II Cor. 4:4).
• The prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2).
• The ruler of demons (Matt. 12:24).
• The great dragon and the serpent of old (Rev. 12:9).
• The wicked one (Matt. 13:38).
• The ruler of darkness (Eph. 6:12).
• The accuser of the brethren (Rev. 2:10).
• A roaring lion (I Peter 5:8).
• Angel of the bottomless pit (Rev. 9:11).  

All these descriptive names indicate Satan's purpose or goal:  to alienate or separate men from God by making men sin.  So, how exactly does Satan do this?

VI.   HOW DOES SATAN CARRY OUT HIS PURPOSE OR GOAL?

I would answer this question with just two words:  temptation and deception.  Our enemy will do anything to get us to sin using his toolkit of temptation and deception.  As soldiers of Christ waging a spiritual warfare (II Cor. 10:3-4; Eph. 6:12), we must be wise and know our great enemy.  In II Cor. 2:11, the apostle Paul warns:  

"that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices." 

Paul makes us aware of Satan's wicked tools and techniques.  He will use them against all righteousness and against those who pursue righteousness or godliness.  Let’s consider some of the devices in his toolkit that he uses against those who want to live godly, doing the will of God.

• Desires:  This is a powerful weapon that Satan uses against us, and we must realize this.  We must examine our hearts to know where we come short here!  Even though one may not want to steal, get drunk, and commit fornication, one can still have the desire to lie, cheat, gossip, fight, or be proud.  James is very specific when he describes how sin starts with each of us and how it enters our hearts:  "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."  (James 1:14-15).  We must remember the three B's:  beckon, bait, and bend.  Take heed; Satan cannot enter our hearts and have power over us if we are walking in the Light.  So what does he try to do instead?  He will draw us away from the Light, playing off our desires.  Once one responds to the beckoning of one's desires, the bait is laid in the form of temptation.  At that point, the one being tempted is in a critical position but still can have control.  He/she can still use the "the way of escape"  provided to endure the temptation (I Cor. 10:13).  Therefore, sin can only be committed when one bends and yields (submit, surrender, give in) to the temptation.  Sadly, it is here that our enemy, the devil, scores a tragic victory.  Let us take heed and be mindful of our desires!

• Evil Company:  This is another powerful tool used by our enemy.  This is Satan's right tool for the job, and he knows the importance of such a tool.  It is here that our young must be careful and pay attention since evil company is one of Satan's best weapons or devices against them.  The devil knows how powerful this tool is, the pressure of one's peers.  It is good to remember Paul's warning to the Corinthians:  "Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals."  (I Cor. 15:33).  So, what is evil company?  It is merely the company that encourages to commit evil, sinful behavior.  Do not make the mistake of equating evil company with the company of strangers.  Why?  Because one might think of evil company as only those who are criminals, drug dealers, and gang members, but such is not the case.  Evil company can take many forms, such as friends, family, and even "religious" people!  And, of course, those who we know have the most influence on us.  It is sad, but many adopt the wicked and immoral behavior of our age from total strangers.  Let us be careful about the company we keep! Be wise!  Satan wants to lure us away from the path of righteousness.  Let this sink deep into your heart!

• Vanity (Pride):  Another tool in Satan's toolkit of devices.  Vanity is the excessive pride of one's appearance and accomplishments.  In other words, vanity is a wicked form of self-centeredness.  It could easily be divided into two categories:  vanity of position and vanity of possession.  Vanity of position is primarily fed by conceit and arrogance.  Vanity of possession is fueled mainly by greed, covetousness, and carnal desires. Indeed, Satan knows how to use both against us.  In Genesis 3, the devil appealed to Eve's vanity of position by enticing her to be "like God" if she ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And when Eve "saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate."  You see, Eve's vanity of position was awakened and stimulated.  Moreover, the devil tried to use this kind of vanity against the Son of God to tempt Him in the wilderness.  Vanity led Judas to betray our Lord Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matt. 26:14-15).   Vanity also directed Ananias and Saphira to lie and eventually cause their death  (Acts 5).  Sadly, vanity has caused many to "stray from the faith" (I Tim. 6:10).  It was vanity that led many of the Pharisees, Sadducees, chief priests and elders to reject and dishonor Jesus (Rom. 1:21).  Vanity caused Diotrephes to seek to "have the pre-eminence among" other Christians (III John 1:9).   No wonder the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes wrote many times saying that "all is vanity"!

• Ignorance:  Satan uses ignorance in his work against man since he does not want him to know God's Word that will set him free from the bondage of sin (John 8:32).  Indeed, ignorance is what keeps us captive from believing the Truth to set us free from sin.  Sadly, many people will be "destroyed for lack of knowledge" since they chose to reject it (Hosea 4:6).  Why then do you suppose the devil works so strenuously at snatching the Word, the Truth, away from man's heart?  In the parable of the sower in Luke 8:11, Jesus explains:

• " The seed is the word of God" (Luke 8:11). 
• "The birds of the air" who devoured the seed that "fell along the path " (Luke 8:5) represent the devil.
• Who "comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved" (Luke 8:12).

Satan's game is to steal away the seed of the Word of God before it can take root in the hearts of those who hear it.  The faster our adversary can do this, the easier his work becomes.  Therefore, we must take heed to this warning and make a vigorous effort to guard and protect the Word of God against our adversary.  Likewise, we must hide God's Word in our hearts so that we might not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11).

It is tragic to be ignorant of the Word of God and not be able to confront error and defend the Truth.   Alas, he will not even know the difference!   Consider what Paul wrote to the Corinthian church regarding such ignorance:  

"Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have no knowledge of God: I speak this to move you to shame."  (I Cor. 15:34).  

What a shame is the ignorance of the Word of God!!

• Lies:  We all know that a lie is a false statement deliberately presented as true.  But are we aware that it is a lie when our words are meant to deceive or give a mistaken impression?  Indeed, it is true, and Satan knows this better than any human being since "he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44).  "There is no truth in him."  Satan lied to Even back in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3.  God had explicitly commanded man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17).  In Genesis 3:4, Satan deliberately lied using a false statement saying, “You will not surely die.” You see, the devil was astute, repeating God's exact words of warning but added one more word, the word NOT.  In like manner, the devil lied to our Lord Jesus by twisting the Word of God when he tried to tempt Jesus, the Son of God.  Notice what Satan said, "Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” (Matt. 4:5-6).   Satan misused and twisted the Word of God to tempt Christ and make Him sin!

Today, we are surrounded by many false teachers, purveyors of lies and false doctrines, who will do everything possible to misuse and twist the Word of God for their own purposes and conveniences, "which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures."  (2 Peter 3:16).  And although they often appear to use Scriptures to back up their teachings, they are lying because they are not teaching the whole truth of God's Word.  They are deceiving because they leave the wrong impression with their lies.  These false teachers (the devil's instruments of lies here on earth) are merely "untaught and unstable" people who distort God's infallible Word to their destruction.  Among our enemy's powerful tools, lies are among the most harmful!!

Undoubtedly, our adversary, the devil, uses five devices (desires, evil company, vanity, ignorance, and lies) to lure us away from righteousness.  If we are ignorant of all his devices, he will take advantage of us (II Cor. 2:11).  That is why we must arm ourselves well to "stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:11).  Satan’s most powerful tool is deceit.  He is truthless, dishonest, and fraudulent.  He has deceptive devices and wiles, which he uses to trick us.  Indeed, he is very skilled in the art of deception, but we must equip ourselves with the whole armor of God to fight back!!

VII.  WHAT ARE THE DEVIL'S POWERS?

Satan is not omnipotent and is not all-powerful, but that doesn't mean he is weak!  So what exactly are his powers?  The Bible tells us that he is the "god of this world," the lord of this earth (II Cor. 4:4).  What does that mean?  It means that God has allowed him to rule this world but with limitations, and we surely see his evil ways.  The Book of Job illustrates this truth well. God allowed Satan to get his way and do as he pleased with Job, but with limitations and conditions that Satan had to follow.  Satan is powerful enough to rule the earth. Even Jesus acknowledged this in Matthew 4 when the devil was tempting Him.  The devil offered our Lord Jesus all the kingdoms of this world if He would bow down and worship him.  Indeed, we see that Satan has power since he dared to offer Jesus all the kingdoms of this world to tempt Him.  If Satan didn't have any power, he would not have tempted the Son of God, and the Lord could have just rebuked him and said, "You don't have the power to give Me those kingdoms, Satan"!  But our Lord Jesus didn't say that since He knew that Satan did have that power.  Jesus could have surrendered to Satan's temptation of accepting his offer and forgotten about dying on the cross for the redemption of mankind.  Jesus could have easily enjoyed this life as an earthly ruler and not have to endure the agony of crucifixion.  But Jesus did not give in to the devil's temptation.  He chose to die for our sins rather than enjoy this world's pleasures.  Jesus just said "NO" because He loved mankind and wanted to make accessible a way of salvation.  This moves me deeply!!

The Bible reveals that the devil can make suggestions in the hearts of men.  John 13:2 tells us, "During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him."  Isn't it scary that our adversary could suggest thoughts into Judas' mind (heart)!  Indeed, this is how he deceives and tempts us today.  It is important to stress that just because the devil had the power to suggest ideas in Judas' heart, Judas did not have to surrender or act upon that suggestion.  The same is true for us today.  We must become fully aware that although Satan can put sinful suggestions in our hearts, they are merely suggestions, and we must not yield or give in.  We all have to face these illicit suggestions, but we must be wise about what to do with them.  We must choose wisely and meditate on the Word of God, on what to do with those suggestions rather than make plans to do evil.  We must try to get those evil thoughts or suggestions out of our minds and not act upon them!

Satan also has the power to:

• Pervert the Word of God (Genesis 3:1-4).  
• He loves to instigate false doctrine (I Tim. 4:1-3).  
• He corrupts our minds and loves to steer us away from the simplicity and purity of the Gospel of Christ (II Corinthians 11:3).  
• He hinders the success of the Gospel by putting obstacles in the way and making the Truth hard to understand.  He snatches the Truth away from man's heart (Matt. 13:19).  
• He fights us to defeat whatever progress the Word of God makes in us (Eph. 6:12).  
• He loves to blind men's eyes to the truth of the Gospel by instilling doubt, keeping them from seeing the glory of our Lord Jesus (II Cor. 4:4).  
• He hinders many from coming to God in obedience through faith by enslaving them to sin (Gal. 4:8). 
• He tries to disable the effectiveness of the Word of God in us through confusion, discouragement, and despair (II Cor. 4:8-9). 
• He sows tares through false doctrine and false teachers to create disunity in the church (Mt. 13:24-39; II Cor. 11:13-15). 
• He leads many into embracing this false doctrine and compromising what is sound (I Tim. 4:1-3).  
• He persecutes those who want to live godly (Rev. 2:10).   
• He lays snares for men (II Tim. 2:26; I Tim. 3:7).  
• He undermines the sanctity of the home (I Cor. 7:3-5).  
• He hinders the work of God's servants (I Thess. 2:18).  
• He portrays himself as an angel of light to deceive us (II Cor. 11:14).

Since Satan is powerful, it leads me to the following question:

VIII.   HOW CAN WE, AS CHRISTIANS, DEFEND OURSELVES AGAINST THIS POWERFUL ENEMY?

Consider the following suggestions from the Word of God that would help us to overcome our adversary, the devil:

• We must put on our battle armor:  We cannot afford to be naive about Satan's wicked devices.  Our conflict with him is a spiritual one indeed.  Therefore, we must consider his evil ways and be equipped with the whole armor of God to fight back.  Ephesians 6:10-18 provides us with a list of these protections and arms for battle:  
• 
  
• Truth.
• Righteousness.
• Peace.
• Faith.
• Salvation
• God's infallible Word and
• prayer.  

If we put on this spiritual armor, we will be able to resist our adversary, the devil, and he will flee from us (James 4:7).  How do you suppose our Lord and Savior overcame Satan's temptations in Matthew 4?  With the Word of God.  Jesus quoted Scripture on every occasion that Satan tempted Him.  Now, if you are ignorant of the Word of God, you will not be able to overcome Satan's wiles and temptations. Most likely, you will give in to his temptations since you don't know what God expects and demands of you.  When one does not know the Word of God, he won't completely understand the difference between right and wrong.  Thus, one will be an easy target for Satan.  On the other hand, if one is fully saturated with the knowledge of the Word of God and the courage to keep pressing on, Satan will have no chance to defeat us. I guarantee you that!!

• We must remember that although God will allow Satan to tempt us, He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can endure (I Cor. 10:13).  "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."  Remember this comforting promise always!  This verse also restates that man is responsible for his actions or choices.  God will never put us (Christians) in a position of temptation that we cannot handle.

• We must remember that we have an advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord, even though we have Satan as the "accuser of the brethren" (Rev. 12:10).  Jesus, our advocate, is standing with us, is pleading our case, is protecting us from all evil and is refusing to forsake us (I John 2:1).  How comforting are these words to my soul!  Our Savior understands well what it is like to be tempted by Satan since He was tempted by the enemy.  Therefore, He is interceding for us (Hebrews 7:25).  He is on our side and wants to remain faithful to us if we are faithful to Him, walking in the Light "as He Himself is in the Light."  (I John 1:7)

• We must never forget that victory is within our grasp, and we must not let go.  Satan knows that he is going to lose in the end.  Therefore, let us make sure that we keep pressing on and never give up when the way gets tough and wrong seems so strong.  Let us heed the Lord's advice, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  (Matt. 26:41).

If we faithfully arm ourselves with these four Bible truths, we will surely overcome our adversary, the devil.

IX.  WHAT IS SATAN'S FINAL DESTINY?

On the Final Day of Judgment, the devil will be "thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Rev. 20:10). Satan knows very well that he has no hope!  In Matthew 25:41, God foretold that Satan will be punished eternally in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.  Of course, they won't be the only ones in that place of torment.  All those who refused to "know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might."   (II Thess. 1:8-9)

Therefore, let us live faithfully for the Lord, obeying His glorious gospel of grace.

CONCLUSION:

"Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom."  

All Christians are involved in combat with a powerful and deceptive enemy, and we must be alert.   The apostle Peter warns us about this big enemy in I Peter 5:8.  Therefore, we must stand firm and not let him intimidate us.  We must realize who our enemy is and learn his tactics of warfare.  He is dangerous!  We must acknowledge his power and devices.  He is a crafty snake!

Satan is the roaring lion encircling the flock to see if he can make the sheep stray away from the shepherd and the flock's protection. He is always prowling about, looking for an open door to attack us and discourage us. His goal is to devour or destroy us. Therefore, we must be watchful or vigilant and not be ignorant of his devices.

Today, many characterize Satan as a toothless lion that can only roar but cannot harm.  This is dangerous!  Because Satan does not intend just to scare us.  He means to destroy and take us to the "lake of fire" with him.  Let us pay attention to the Bible warnings about him.  

Satan and his ministers of evil (those angels who rebelled against God) want to attack our faith and our desire to obey the Lord.  Our struggle is not fleshly but rather spiritual, against spiritual forces of wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:10).  Hence, we must put on our spiritual armor and stand firm to defeat him.  How do we resist him?   By submitting to God, drawing near him, and purifying our hearts with His Word (James 4:7-8).  

We must always consider that Satan is patient and not easily discouraged, no matter how many times we turn him down.  He does not give up!  Remember what Luke 4:13 says, "And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time."  Satan attacked Jesus with various temptations during His time in the wilderness.  And although he was not successful, he certainly did not give up on Jesus.  He is back when another opportunity presents itself.  

Remember that Satan and his demons believe in God, heaven, and hell.  Notice what James wrote:  "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder."  (James 2:19).  They tremble because they know the eternal suffering that awaits them.  Satan is always working (day and night).  He knows his time is limited and he has much to accomplish with his wicked plans.  We read of this in Job 1:7.

One of the most vital things we must know  know is that Satan knows God's Word.  He quoted it to our Lord Jesus in Luke 4.  He is not ignorant of the Scriptures (though it does not stop him from rebelling against God).  The devil knows God's Word well enough to quote them directly, as we see in Genesis 3 when he tempted Eve, adding the word "not" as in, "you will not surely die."  That is why we must know the whole counsel of God by studying it so that we may know the will of God and not sin against Him.  We must know the whole Truth and not remain ignorant. We must combat evil and false teachings as well as obey God.  The devil is taking many souls with him into the lake of fire.  He uses his destructive devices and snares to draw man's soul to sin.  But God gives us all the  "defensive weapons": Truth, Righteousness, the Gospel of Christ, our Faith, and our Salvation.  Let's not leave out the "offensive weapons, " the Sword of the Gospel and Prayer,(Eph. 6:11-18). These are the only measures of war that we can take to stand firmly against him and win.  

May we stand on a firm foundation of faith, the knowledge of God and His Word, that we may be saved from Satan's wicked devices. May we submit to God and resist the devil so that he will flee from us. May we never surrender to Satan but rather dedicate our lives to God's service with zeal. May we always be vigilant with all prayer so that we may not enter into temptation. May we never forget that victory is within our grasp, and we must not let go.  

Luci

ADORNING THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST

 “But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.  Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.  Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior… teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.  Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.  Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative... but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect."

Titus 2:1-10

Some of the most beautiful prose written is found in Matthew 5-7.  It is the well-known Sermon on the Mount, the first doctrinal treatise taught by Jesus of Nazareth. Its doctrines have changed the world as it has changed the individual sinners who dared to put them into practice. They adorn the teachings of Him whom they adore.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how the world is always watching us, the children of Light. We seem to be under surveillance all the time. They are watching us!  For many, God’s doctrine is not attractive, especially to the unregenerate.  In fact, many find the Bible and its doctrines repulsive. Many claim that doctrine is not essential and that doctrine divides, and that love unites.  They don’t want to acknowledge that true and sound Bible doctrine is the only thing that can bring the unity that God approves.  Our job as Christians is to adorn it, i.e., to show the beauty of God's teachings.  God is always opening doors for us to show the beauty and value of following His doctrine. He has given His workers instructions that we may apply them and adorn His doctrine as we walk with Him.  It pleases Him.  Therefore, sound doctrine is essential to our salvation, and we are called to follow it.  We are to “speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.”  (Titus 2:1)

Sadly, few read their Bible and meditate on the Word.  They are not able to defend sound doctrine and let their light shine, making the gospel of Christ look more appealing!  Why?  Because we must live in such a way as to let others see the beauty of Christ living in us (Galatians 2:20).  We must also sanctify Christ in our hearts that others may know the hope that is in us.  When they ask about our hope, we must be ready to make a defense (give an answer, 1 Peter 3:15).  Only mature Christians (those who have grown in the doctrine of God, sound in faith) can do this.  In adorning the doctrine of God our Savior, the church can carry out His work and fulfill its purposes in everything to glorify Him.  It is grace that teaches us how to adorn the doctrine of our Savior (Titus 2:10-11).  We must be compelled to adorn it!  (Titus 2:13). 

The word “adorn” means to decorate, to make beautiful, to embellish, to display the excellence of something, to exalt, to honor as well as grace.  In fact, the word “adorn” is similar to the word “cosmos,” which makes reference to the beautifully created order of the universe.  In Psalm 19:1, the Psalmist exclaims, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows his handiwork.” Not only is the universe functional and exact, but it is beautiful.  Our God has adorned the universe majestically with its sunrises and sunsets, beautiful mountains and valleys and awe-inspiring panorama. Indeed, by His mighty power, He spoke into existence order and complexity in our universe!  Our God is majestic and amazing!  

The opposite of “cosmos” and “adorn” is confusion and chaos.  Paul reminds us in I Cor. 14:33 that our “God is not the author of confusion (chaos) but peace.”  We have been exhorted to “be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.”' Therefore, we must live, setting our lives in order so that we may adorn the doctrine of our Lord and Savior in all things.  It means that our lives ought to be a “letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.”  The Gospel can only be presented well by the way we live and serve our God.

In Paul's letter to Titus, he asks him to exhort all servants to be obedient to their masters, i.e., to please them, not talking back but “showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”  It is the opposite of blaspheming the doctrine of God, I Timothy 6:1: 

“Let as many as are servants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine be not blasphemed.”

So, how can one, as a Christian, effectively adorn the doctrine of Christ our Savior?

I.   BY ALLOWING THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST TO ADORN OUR “INNER MAN.”

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day."  (2 Cor. 4:16)

The imperishable adornment that is renewed according to the image of God is described in Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:24-32; and Colossians 3:10-12.  These words describe in detail the imperishable adornment of the inner man. Notice that all these Scriptures talk about putting on the new self.  They speak of the character traits or qualities (fruits of the Spirit) of someone created in the likeness of God, renewed and regenerated in the knowledge of God with all righteousness and holiness.  In Christ, we have all we need to be complete because “Christ is all, and in all.”  

Since we have all we need in Christ and our lives are hidden in both Him and the Father, we must put to death all lawlessness and set our minds on those things that are above where Jesus is.  Our job is to make sure that our “new self,” is well adorned and beautified to make it look more appealing or attractive to a world living in darkness and sin.  We become a magnet that attracts others to imitate Chris and have what He has to be like Him.  There is no better way to present the glorious Gospel of Grace to the unsaved.  

As those who profess and have confessed to being followers of Jesus Christ, we must put on this attractive garment or “uniform” and adorn it well as those who “have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Col. 3:10).  If we are not willing to put on the new garments of righteousness and holiness, imitating the character of Christ in us, showing others that Christ lives in us and that we now walk in His steps doing His will, how then can we teach others the gospel of grace and “convert” others to Christ?  Let this sink deeply into your hearts!

The key to adorning the doctrine of Christ is righteous and holy living, being a good example “in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (I Tim. 4:12).  In Titus 2, Paul is challenging older men, older women, young women, young men and bondservants to live in righteousness, in all integrity, respect, sound in speech, with purity in doctrine, “showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”

Non-believers seldom read the Bible but are reading the lives of all Christians as open letters of recommendation every day.  Therefore, we, as God’s chosen, must “put on” the Gospel of Christ in a way that is well presented (adorned) as possible without contradicting the message.  How is this possible? 

• By “denying ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.”  (Titus 2:12)  
• By presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, and not being “conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”  (Romans 12:1-2)
• By being "crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."  (Galatians 2:20)

So we must repent if we have not been wearing the garments of righteousness and holiness. We must start removing the dirty garments, the sinful practices, and habits of the “old self,” “dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”  (Romans 6:1-13)  Since “for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”  (Gal. 3:27)

Consider the characteristics of this new “garment” or “uniform” worn by those who have been buried with Christ and raised to walk in “newness of life,” walking by the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  (Gal. 5:22-24)

 

•  Love:  (Galatians 5:6, 13, 14; Rom. 13:10; I Cor. 13; Eph. 5:2; Col. 3:10-15).  Jesus said, 

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  (John 13:35)

Again,

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”  (Col. 3:14)

The apostles Paul, John, and Peter, spoke of love as one of the greatest graces (I John 3:14; 4:8, 19; I Peter 4:8).

“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”  (I John 4:8)

Therefore, it is vital that we, Christians, have genuine love for one another that we might “become partakers of the divine nature.”  (II Peter 1:4)

•  Joy:   This joy has nothing to do with our external circumstances but is the product of our good relationship with God.  Joy is in the heart of the one who has learned the will of God and obeys it.  Consider what the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians regarding this joy:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”  (Phil. 4:4)

So why should we have this joy as we walk in newness of life?  

1. Because God has redeemed us from our sins.  
2. Because we now have fellowship with God and with a new family, our faithful brethren. 
3. Because we have the joy of being partakers of the riches of the glorious gospel of Christ, making it known to all.  
4. Finally, because of the hope laid up for us in heaven.  

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”  (Col. 1:11-12)

 

So, when one walks with joy, his life is filled with love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Moreover, with joy, we must add to our faith moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Peter 1:5-7).  Therefore, “Rejoice always.”  (I Thess. 5:16)

•  Peace:  Genuine followers of Christ have joy and peace.  Notice what Jesus told His disciples in:  

 John 14:27:  “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

John 16:33:   “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Romans 2:10:  “but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Romans 15:13:  “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 5:1:  “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

It means that now God can accept us (since He has forgiven us), and we can maintain a good relationship with Him.  That is why the gospel is called the “good news of peace through Jesus Christ.” (Acts 10:36).  Those who preach and teach this gospel of peace are called “peacemakers.”  (Matt. 5:9)

• Patience (long-suffering):  The word "makrothumia” is composed of  'long + temper; the quality of being 'long-tempered' … ' which is a quality of God.  It means patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance, forbearance, long-suffering, and slowness in avenging wrongs.  In Colossians 1:11 these words (patience and longsuffering) occur together or in the same context: “strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience (hupomonen) and longsuffering (makrothumia) with joy.”

We find these two words also in 2 Corinthians 6:4, 6; 2 Timothy 3:10; James 5:10, 11.  According to Trench, N. T. Synonyms “hupomone” is the temper which does not easily succumb under suffering. While “makrothumia” is the self-restraint that does not hastily retaliate when suffering a wrong. 

In Webster’s Dictionary, long-suffering means bearing injuries or provocation for a long time; patient; not easily provoked.  In the Bible, longsuffering means to have self-restraint when one is stirred to anger. A longsuffering person does not immediately retaliate or punish; rather, he has a “long fuse” and patiently forbears. Longsuffering is associated with mercy (I Peter 3:20) and hope (I Thessalonians 1:4). It does not surrender to circumstances or succumb to trial.  Those who are unjust or harsh (I Peter 2:18).  The Christian, who is longsuffering, will not tolerate sin and error (Romans 16:17; 1 Cor. 5) but encourages the fainthearted, helps the weak, and is patient with everyone (I Thess. 5:14).  

Therefore,  

“Love is patient (longsuffering), love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”  (I Cor. 13:4-7)

 

• Kindness:  To be in the likeness of God, one must “put on… kindness” (Col. 3:12).  And “be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32).  Otherwise, we are in danger of losing our salvation.  I don’t deny how important it was for us to be baptized, that we come to worship and partake of the Lord’s Table and so on, but if we are not kind and merciful as God is, and if we do not forgive others, then our Father in heaven will not forgive us (Matt. 6:14-15).  Jesus told His disciples,

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.”  (Luke 6:35)

 

• Goodness:   This word occurs in just four passages:  Romans 15:14 (“full of goodness”); Eph. 5:9, (“for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth”); and II Thess. 1:11 (“fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power”). Some believe that goodness is the real manifestation of kindness.  Galatians 5:22 (“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness…”).

• Faithfulness:   From the Greek pistis, which also is translated as faith, belief, trust, confidence, fidelity, and faithfulness.  In Matthew 24:45, Jesus speaks of the “faithful and wise servant.” Again in Matthew 25:21:  "Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master."

Indeed, God requires that His stewards be faithful (I Cor. 4:2).  In the letter to the Galatians Paul declares that the Galatian brethren were no longer showing the same faithfulness and loyalty towards him and the pure gospel they had shown in the beginning (I Cor. 1:6-9; 4:13-17; 3:1 and 5:7).  Therefore,

1. We must be faithful in the same way that God is faithful (I Cor. 1:9; 10:13; I Thess. 5:24; II Thess. 3:3; II Timothy 2:13).  
2. We must be faithful like Christ is faithful (Rev. 1:5; 19:11; Heb. 2:17; 3:2,5).  
3. Paul also speaks of his co-workers’ faithfulness:  Timothy (I Cor. 4:17); Tychicus (Eph. 6:21); Epaphras (Col. 1:7); Onesimus (Col. 4:9).  
4. Peter said that Sylvanus was a “faithful brother” (I Peter 5:12).  
5. John said to Gaius, “Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; and they have testified to your love before the church.”  (III John 5-6). 
6. Likewise, Paul admonishes the women to be “faithful in all things” (I Timothy 3:11).

• Meekness or Gentleness:  Jesus said, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matt. 11:29; 21:5; 2 Cor. 10:1).  The Bible says that “Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth” (Number 12:3).  

1. In our relationship to God, as children of Light, our meekness means submission (“receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls”).  
2. In our relationship with men, our meekness is a sign of strength and gentleness.  It is the opposite of “fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions” (Galatians 5:20) as well as arrogance.

Notice what Paul says about exhorting the one who is caught in sin: “restore him in a spirit of gentleness (meekness)” (Gal. 6:1).  Those who don’t have the spirit of meekness or gentleness do more harm than good when they’re trying to restore someone.  They seem to ignore what 2 Timothy 2:24-25 says: 

“The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.”  

And also 1 Peter 3:15: 

“Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”  

Moreover, James 3:13 declares, 

“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.”

Did you know that meekness or gentleness is associated with love?  “What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?”  (I Cor. 4:2).  And humbleness: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matt. 11:29; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:12).  Notice that in Titus 3:2, meekness is contrasted with being contentious: “to speak evil of no man, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all meekness toward all men.”  Let us let this sink into our hearts!

• Self-Control (Temperance, KJV):   The Greek word egkrateria for self-control is found in Acts 24:25; Galatians 5:23; 2 Peter 1:6.  And according to I Cor. 9:25, “Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”  In Titus 1:8, the elder (bishop) must be “self-controlled.”  In 2 Timothy 1:7, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”  Therefore, it is imperative that the elders, deacons, preachers (evangelists), and teachers have self-control.

• Merciful:   (Matt. 5:7; 18:23-35; Luke 6:36; 18:13; James 2:13).

• Forgiving one another:  In Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus says that we must forgive others that our heavenly Father might forgive us also.  So how does God forgive?  “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And their sins will I remember no more”  (Heb. 8:12).  Many say, “I can forgive, but I cannot forget.”  Do you think that such people forgive the way God forgives? Not at all!  When God forgives someone, the evil that He has forgiven remains forgiven as if it had never happened.  What a merciful and forgiving God we serve!

• Humility (Humbleness):  Philippians 2:5-8 speaks of this kind of humility: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

• Being thankful:  God’s children must be thankful to Him all the time (Col. 1:3, 12; 2:7; 3:17).  We must be thankful in prayer (Col. 4:2):  “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father” (Eph. 5:20; Phil. 1:3; 12-21; Phil. 4): "singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Col. 3:16).

 II.   WE ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST BY OUR GOOD WORKS AND OUR FAITH:  (Titus 2:1-10).

• Teaching the “whole Truth and nothing but the Truth,” with the right spirit and attitude (2 Tim. 2:23-25).   Sadly, those who defend the Truth many times don’t present the doctrine of Christ in a good light.  Although “doctrinally sound,” many show an attitude of one who has “lost his first love,” therefore they need “to repent.” (Rev. 2:5).  It is essential that we understand clearly that we must not only “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3) but that we defend the Truth in a manner that is not contentious.  Indeed, we must love the Truth with conviction (Proverbs 23:23), but we must teach it following the golden rule of love (I Cor. 13:4-8).  
• In I Thess. 1:8 Paul says that “the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.”  The church must sound forth the gospel but do it with the attitude of the faithful bond-servant.  The bond-servant must be “well-pleasing, not argumentative… but showing all good faith”  (Titus 2:10).  It is then that the church adorns the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.  Christians ought to be prepared to defend the doctrine of Christ with meekness, yet boldly.
• Today many religious teachers leave the impression that the Word of God cannot be understood and applied to faithful living.  They say that the doctrines of the Bible are contradictory and conflicting. My question is:  If that is true, then how can the Bible be the book of Truth?  They ignore what Jesus said, “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).  If it appears not to be accurate, does the fault lie with the Word of God or with our teaching?  What do you think?  “May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, 'THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED."'  (Romans 3:4)  
• Therefore, let the Word of God be true and man a liar.  “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace”  (I Cor. 14:33).  Pay attention! God’s Word does not support division but demands unity on God's terms rather than unity in error. Unity is only possible when men give up their creeds, false doctrines, private interpretations, personal preferences, and the “think so’s” written by men.  We must let the Bible speak for itself and nothing else.  Period!  It is only then that we can adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.  Are you willing to do it?
• When we make our claim to follow the Truth and nothing but the Truth but then take away the clear teaching of the Bible, we are blaspheming the will of God before the world that is in darkness with our inconsistency.  Why?  Simply because we must teach all the counsel of God on issues of fornication, adultery, gossip, drunkenness, immodesty, submission to authority, divorce and remarriage, pornography, homosexuality, abortion, responsibility in the home (parents, children), racism, and so on and at the same time we must show ourselves as good examples, the kind of people our God demands that we be.  Consistency with the will of God is what adorns His doctrine and nothing else.  It is then that the gospel will impact the world around us.  Our barrenness and leanness of soul will absolutely hinder our reaching out to them.  Take heed to the words of Jesus in John 7:38, 

“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.”

 

• So adorning the doctrine of Christ, our Savior is the opposite of causing God’s Word to be blasphemed by our ungodly and worldly conduct (Titus 2:5; Romans 2:23-24).  When God’s people put into practice His moral principles, whether it be older men, older women, younger women, younger men, bond-servants, they adorn the doctrine of Christ.
• Likewise, when we are ashamed of the doctrine of Christ, we do not adorn it because deep down in our hearts, we do not like it. We despise it.  In Mark 8:38 Jesus said, 

“For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Again in Romans 1:16 Paul said,

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

 

• Our light must shine before ALL men if we are to adorn the doctrine.  Our lives must be lights that shine as good examples of good works before all men that they may glorify our God in heaven (Matt. 5:16).  
• We must hold fast to the Word of God without complaining and protesting but rather shining our lights in this world of darkness.  Only then do we adorn the doctrine “so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain” (Phil. 2:14-16).
• We adorn the doctrine when we walk in love as “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27).
• The doctrine is adorned by the righteous deeds of the saints.  “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.  Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints” (Rev. 19:8)

III.   THE WORD OF GOD TEACHES US THAT WHAT THE WORLD THINKS OF US IS CRITICAL:  

Consider the following Scriptures that urge us to behave in such a way as to cause them to honor God:

• I Peter 2:11-12: “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.  Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

Without a doubt, those in the world notice and ponder the good works of Christians and glorify our God in heaven.  They will be more open to the “Good News” that is preached to them by Christians. Think about this!

• I Peter 3:14-16:  “But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

• I Timothy 3:7 (requisites to be an elder):  “Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”

• Colossians 4:5-6:  “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

Many Scriptures likewise teach us that what the world sees and thinks of us as Christians is vital for the success of the preaching of the glorious gospel of Christ. Christians can influence the unbelievers to turn to Christ by their faithful service.

As those who have tasted of God’s goodness and grace we want the world to tell us, “I want to have what they have.” “I want to be like them.” “I want to be one of them.”  “I want to……”

CONCLUSION:

The only way that we are going to adorn the doctrine of Christ our Savior is by allowing His doctrine to adorn our spirit (our inner man).  Likewise, when we walk in a way worthy of our call, in our conduct and showing good works, we will adorn it as well.  There is no other way!

It is impossible to convert profane people to Christ if we are not walking in Truth and Spirit. That is, we must adorn the doctrine of Christ (the gospel) if we want them to listen to us.  It will be impossible to teach others the gospel of Christ if we ourselves are not imitators of Christ (I Cor. 11:1).

Hypocrites cannot adorn the doctrine of Christ. That is what we are if we do not put into practice what we preach or teach.  By the same token, if we are not sanctifying the Truth of God but rather finding fault with the Word of God, relying on our own creeds, doctrines, our own private interpretations, and reasoning, it will be impossible to adorn it.  And if we fail to let the Bible alone speak for itself, then we are blaspheming it instead of adorning it.

Moreover, if we minimize the doctrine of Christ, we become inconsistent and appear to blaspheme the will of God before outsiders.  Therefore, it is vital that we make Christ’s doctrine attractive to the unsaved.  Grace demands that we adorn it!  (Titus 2:12).  Let us then make it very attractive by our godly and holy lives.  Remember the time is short and the Lord is at hand!

When we as children of Light conform our lives to sound, healthy doctrine, we beautify the Word of God (His doctrine), making the gospel message more attractive to unbelievers.

So to adorn or beautify the Doctrine of God our Savior we must first believe it; engrave it in our hearts; study it with all diligence to present ourselves approved to God; obey it (being doers of the Word and not hearers only); defend it (we must be prepared to answer with meekness and boldness); live it (in integrity, respect, pure speech, etc.); and finally proclaim it:  “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so” and “With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth”  (Psalm 107:2; 119:3).

May we adorn the doctrine of God our Savior so that we might be partakers of His divine nature. May we be transformed into the image of Christ.  May our deeds of righteousness adorn the doctrine to let the grace of God bring salvation to all men.  May we be good examples and handle the Truth rightly that we might adorn the doctrine.  May we let our light shine before all men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.  And may we work out our salvation with fear and trembling proving ourselves blameless and above reproach as children of God who adorn His doctrine.

Luci

I'd like to leave you with the words of this beautiful song entitled "Are you adorning the doctrine?"

Are you adorning the doctrine—

The glorious doctrine of God?

Walking so holy before Him,

Following where He hath trod?

So when the world looks upon you,

Nothing but Christ is in view?

So when the world looks upon you,

Nothing but Christ is in view? 

Are you adorning the doctrine,

And making attractive the way?

Honoring Christ by your actions,

And by the words that you say?

Are you, my brother and sister,

Proving the Bible is true?

Are you, my brother and sister,

Proving the Bible is true? 

Are you adorning the doctrine,

By meekness, and love, and goodwill?

Gentleness, patience, and trueness,

Liberty’s law to fulfill?

Jesus will shine if within you,

Showing these graces divine;

Jesus will shine if within you,

Showing these graces divine. 

If you’re adorning the doctrine,

Its beauties your soul will array;

Showers of grace will be given—

Strength from the Lord as your day.

Light from on high will be streaming

Over the pathway you tread;

Light from on high will be streaming

Over the pathway you tread.

-- Charles W. Naylor