The First Lies

Jesus called the devil, “…a liar and the father of it” (Jn 8:44). Of course, he doesn’t always sound or look like a liar – he “transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Co 11:14) – and this is what makes him so dangerous!

From the beginning, the devil was “cunning” (NKJV, NASB), “crafty” (NIV, ESV) (Ge 3:1). And here are the lies he told to bring about the first sin:

God is too strict. The serpent said to Eve who lived in a paradise garden, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’” (Ge 3:1). Satan wants us to believe the lie that God’s law is too difficult, too restrictive, that we can’t survive and do what He requires.

God is not telling the truth. When Eve correctly responded that they could eat of all but one tree and would die if they ate of that tree, the devil said, “You will not surely die” (3:4). God says something is bad – is He trustworthy? Will we trust Him or ourselves, or someone else?

God is self-centered. The serpent lies about God’s trustworthiness by saying, “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Ge 3:5). This attack on God’s credibility questions God’s character, motives, and whether He wants us to be like Him. He is taunting our reasons for faith and obedience.

Your body, your eyes, and your pride determine what is right. “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate” (3:6). It was the “lust of the flesh”, the “lust of the eyes”, and the “pride of life” we struggle with (1 Jn 2:16). These don’t work as standards for right and wrong and produce sin.

Satan’s lies lead to sin. 2 Corinthians 2:11 says that we aren’t ignorant of his devices. So, we must consciously identify his lies and resist them. Will we trust the God of truth or the father of lies?

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