Satan's Lies

Ye shall not surely die

Genesis 3:1-6

1) Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

This is the very first example we are given in the bible where Satan deceives Eve, then Adam. The command was previously given in:

Genesis 2:16-17

16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

If you notice, there is a formula written here that Satan follows:

1) Ask a question ("Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?")

2) The direct command is provided ("And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hat said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.")

3) The lie ("Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.")

4) Human reasoning and lust sets in ("And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.")

1 John 3:4

4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

This formula that Satan uses works. He has deceived the whole world.

Revelation 12:9

9) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

You can apply this formula to anything that a church doctrine tries to explain. Whether it be a Sunday from a Monday Pentecost, or whether or not we are to observe New Moons as a Sabbath, follow a Jewish postponement rule, an International Dateline change, it has to follow God's Laws, Statutes, and Judgments, and fall within God's command. That is the rule we are to follow. Don't fall for Satan's lie, or allow human reasoning and lust to make us fall like Eve and Adam did.

Deuteronomy 12:32

32) What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

It could be said that, "Scripture never instructs us to use it as a pattern for evaluating disagreements." However, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states:

16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

If I read Genesis 3's example as a narrative, I can assume that because Adam and Eve were previously told that if they ate of the forbidden fruit they would die, that when Satan deceived them into believing they would not die, that this could be applied as a recognizable pattern one should avoid, if one wants to learn from history in order not to repeat it. The end result is found in Romans 6:23:

Romans 6:23

23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The "Lie" that Satans uses to deceive the Elect is that they are NOT under God's laws, statutes, and judgments ("ye shall not surely die...) because they don't apply to you..." whereas Christ said, "If ye love me, keep my Commandments." The same person who gave the laws, statutes and judgments (God) also said this:

Matthew 5:17-19

17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

18) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

19) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Human reasoning is dangerous? Jeremiah said this:

Jeremiah 17:9

9)The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

If we refuse to keep God's Commandments, Paul said, "the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God."

Romans 8:1-10

1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10) And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.