The objective of this writing is to show how sin attempts to deceive us by injecting thoughts and ideas into our minds that do not originate with us.  It is the hope that after reading this article, the reader will know how sin works its way into our lives and be better equipped through the gospel to know assuredly that sin shall not have dominion over you (Romans 6:14). 

Revelation 12:9 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.

To deceive someone is to lead away from the truth, to lead into error.  To cause a person to believe something that is not true, typically in order to gain some personal advantage.  A deceiver will use tactics or words to manipulate a persons thinking.

Satan is the author of deception.  Yet, there are many in this world who will deny his very existence.  That is his greatest deception of all.  Satan wants you to think he isn’t real.  That way he can make you believe that all of your choices in life are your own.

Let’s take a look at some of those whom he did or tried to deceive.  We will begin with the first man in creation.

Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  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.

God created man to be a free person.  But in order to be free they must have the right to choose, even if that meant they would choose to disobey God. Adam and Eve were given the command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  And that in the day they eat of it, they would surely die.

Genesis 3:1-5 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.  And he (the serpent) said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  And the woman said unto the serpent.  We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  But 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.  And the serpent said unto the woman, 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.

Notice that the serpent approached the woman in the garden, bringing her attention to the tree.  “Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”  He knew God had only forbidden the one tree, but he wanted to see where Eve stood in regards to the command.  Was she prepared to stand in obedience to God or could the serpent find a weakness and influenced her decision to disobey?  So, when confronted with a choice she used her freedom to make a decision.  Would she choose to be obedient to God’s command or would she listen to the serpent and disobey? 

The serpent first questions Eve as to what God had said.  “Hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”  Knowing what God had said was essential to her obeying His command.  Eve said, “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.”  She understood God’s command, but added, “neither shall ye touch it,” thus, polluting God’s word with an untruth.  Second, the serpent moves her to question the truth of what God had said, “Ye shall not surely die.”  So, the question now is would she believe God’s truth or the serpent’s lie?  Third, the serpent suggests that God knows something that would be beneficial to her and that by eating of the forbidden tree she could gain something for herself.  “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.”  

These were not Eve’s thoughts, but the thoughts of the serpent, planted in her mind.  She then began to entertain the thoughts. Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food…  The first indication that Eve was contemplating sin is when she ignores God’s command and begins to consider how taking of the tree will benefit her.  They were told that of every three of the garden they could eat freely, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they were not to eat (Genesis 2:16-17).  So, food was not the real issue here, only an excuse.  She considers further that the tree was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise.  She didn’t know it but the contemplation of these thoughts began to awaken her to self consciousness.  Instead of believing they would surely die as God had said and refuse to eat of the tree, Eve ignores God’s command for something she believed would bring her pleasure, knowledge and perhaps even equality with God.  She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  

In the freedom that God had given her, Eve entertained the thoughts of the serpent and was deceived.  She ate of the tree that God had commanded them not to eat and brought her, Adam, and all humanity into sin.  As soon as they ate, the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew they were naked, awakening their self consciousness (Genesis 3:7).  Thus, the serpent had infected man with his self seeking, self loving and self preserving sin nature.  And he did this by simply taking Eve’s mind off of what God had commanded and began injecting his own thoughts into her mind.  The serpent convinced her that what he said was true and deceived Eve into believing that by not eating of the tree, God was keeping something from her that could bring fulfillment to her life, opposed to believing and trusting God for their well being.  So now, Adam and Eve would be driven from the garden, unable to receive the life of God represented in the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). 

Now let us take a look at the temptations of Jesus, the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45).  Matthew 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.  Just as the serpent approached Eve in the garden, we see him now coming to Jesus in the wilderness.  He first tempts Jesus by appealing to his physical need for food.  Jesus had fasted forty days and was hungry, which is a legitimate need and nothing sinful (Matthew 4:2).  If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.  What did the devil hope to achieve by getting Jesus to turn stones into bread?  It was Jesus obedience and dependence upon God that the devil sought to impair; so he invited Him to use His privileges as the Son of God, to work a miracle in His own favor.  But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4  

Matthew 4:5-6 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.  It is written!  Here, Satan tries to cunningly use God’s own words from scripture, hoping to entice Jesus into sinning.  This however, demonstrates how important it is that we rightly divide the word of truth so that we will not apply or quote scripture out of its context, thus wrongly dividing it (2 Timothy 2:15).  So Jesus knew that this was written in God’s word but he recognized what the devil was asking him to do would be to tempt God.  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God (Matthew 4:7). 

Matthew 4:8-9 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.  And he saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.  God has sworn with an oath to David that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne to reign over the earth forever (Acts 2:30; Revelation 11:15).  Therefore, Jesus refused to act independently of his Father’s will to take up sovereignty of the earth before God’s appointed time.   Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan:  for it is written, Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve [Matthew 4:10].  Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him [Matthew 4:11].  

What we can see in these two illustrations is that the thoughts that came were not those of Eve or Jesus but the serpent/devil.  He used deceit to try to get them to act independently of God to do something in their own favor that would bring them self fulfillment.

We will use one other illustration more closely related to us.  We will now focus on David, the king of Israel.  Unlike Eve and the Lord Jesus, David had a sin nature, whereas they did not.  Adam and Eve were created without sin (Genesis 1:31a And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good).  And Jesus was born of the Spirit of God without a sin nature (Matthew 1:18…she was found with child of the Holy Ghost; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5).  However, David like all of us, became a sinner through Adam (Romans 5:12).  And David’s sins, like ours, would be the result of the workings of the fleshly desires resident in his members (Galatians 5:19-21, Romans 7:17).  When Adam disobeyed God, he took on the sin nature through the serpent.  So Satan does not have to tempt man directly as he did with Eve and the Lord Jesus.  Sin now permanently resides within man’s fleshly members and has the power to deceive and influence man to sin (Romans 7:17). 

Note that the devil departed from Jesus.  Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.  Matthew 4:11a Then the devil leaveth him…  So sin never leaves us and has the capacity to tempt us daily through our body members.  Romans 7:8a But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence (lust, desires, cravings). Romans 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me. And by it slew me.  Though sin has its origin in Satan, Paul does not blame him for his lust and desires but sin in his fleshly members (Romans 7:18, 20, 23). Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me. 

Undoubtedly, sins influence is that of its father, Satan.  Ephesians 2:2-3 Where in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Since Satan is not omnipresent, with the capacity to be present everywhere at the same time (Job 1:7, 12; Matthew 4:11; Luke 4:13), the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience more likely refers to the disposition or influence which fills and governs man’s flesh.  It is the efficient source of any power, affection, emotion or desire.  So in this sense the spirit working in the person does not necessarily refer to a being but to their nature or disposition.  It can refer to that nature that is characteristic of its father.

Now let us get back to David.  David, like Eve, would take what God had forbidden.  2 Samuel 11:2 And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful.  

Sin makes its attack on David’s physical needs and desires through his flesh.  As David watched the woman bathing herself, it stirred his flesh, where sin dwells (Romans 7:17, 20).  2 Samuel 11:4a And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her.  

We know God prohibits David’s actions.  Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, not his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbors.

As with the many trees Eve was allowed to take fruit, David was no less deficient in his choice among women.  2 Samuel 12:8-9 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah: and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.   Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou has killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and has taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.  

What lead David, who was described as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), to commit the sin of adultery and then murder?  It is because David, like Eve, began to entertain the thoughts that were coming into his mind, which Jesus never did.  2 Samuel 11:3 And David sent and inquired after the woman, And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?   After watching Bathsheba bathe, David inquired as to who she was.  When that information was provided to him, he sent messengers and took her.  Sin stirred David’s fleshly and lustful desires which cause him to lay with another man’s wife.  But sin’s attack did not stop there.  David tried to cover up his sin (2 Samuel 11:8-13).  When that didn’t work he had Bathsheba’s husband put on the front line of battle so that he would be killed, committing murder (2 Samuel 11:15).    

James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  The term lust only means strong desire.  God has given man the capacity to desire through his body and soul, so it is a legitimate function of his makeup.  We desire food, love or companionship, affection and so on.  But sin lures man into sinning through temptations that originate in the flesh where it resides.  Temptation is not sin.  It is only when man submits to the temptation and is drawn away by his own lust and enticed that it becomes sin.  James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  Lust is conceived when we submit to sin’s temptation accepting it as our own and giving in to its desires.  

SINS AFFECT ON MAN

In order for some believer’s in Christ to have victory over sin, they are going to have to be convinced through God’s gospel of grace in Jesus Christ, that they are eternally secure.  How difficult it would be to convince Adolf Hitler, that if he believes the gospel of Christ he can be saved, even though he had millions of Jews killed.  It will be Satan’s mission to convince him that he is not.  All sin is against God no matter what it is, but it may be more difficult to convince a believer that has a history of deliberate manifested sinful activity.  Adolf Hitler could have been saved, but imagine the accusations that would arise within his flesh against that truth.  The message of grace is the only gospel that could have given him hope.  The religions of today, with their works base theology do not have the power to address sin’s accusations, simply because the law always finds man guilty (Romans 3:19).

To use another illustration; some believers may have previously believed, or still believe they are homosexuals and perhaps believe that is how they were born.  Yet, that understanding is not supported in scripture. Romans 1:26b-27a…for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another.   God did not make man that way, any more than he made them adulterers, murderers, or child molesters. 

Sin is a problem to us all, so we know the struggles believers have with thoughts and   guilty feelings of sin even after one believes the gospel.  But the sinful thoughts that come to our mind originate from the sin nature in our flesh that we inherited from Adam (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:2-3).  We don’t have to accept these thoughts and feelings (2 Corinthians 10:5).  Scripture confirms believers are new creatures in Christ.  It may take years before some experience the liberty Christ has provided through the cross.  God knew it would be that way, and that is why he has given us his free gift of grace through the gospel and declared, “there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1a).” 

Again, all the law can do with its works performance program is keep pointing to man’s guilt.  So sin in the flesh will continue to accuse believers of their failures and will not let up until they have their new identity in Christ firmly fixed in their understanding and refuse to be moved.  Law based religion is not equipped to stand against the wiles of the devil, nor is it able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked (Ephesians 6:11, 16).   We are certain Paul had many struggles after he was saved.  Satan probably never let him forget his persecution of the believers of Christ (1 Timothy 1:12-17).  But like Paul, all believers are able to overcome the accusations and struggles of sin by the knowledge of who they are in Christ through the cross (1 Timothy 1:12-17).

Sometimes, when we sin, our first response is to blame someone else.  Adam blamed Eve (Genesis 3:12), Eve blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:13), Paul blamed sin (Romans 7:20), some of us blame our circumstances, and others even blame God.  But like Paul, we need to come to the realization and confess, sin planted the thoughts, flesh took the bait and lust was conceived. “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death (Romans 7:24)?  We have no one to blame for sin but our fleshly selves. 

Satan is the god of this world, and his ultimate purpose is to keep men blinded so that they will not know Christ through the gospel, who is the only light in this dark world.  2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 

Satan touched every human being when he transmitted his own sinful nature into Adam, which was passed on to us.  His real objective in sin is to turn people away from God.  He has a strong hand because men carry his sin nature with them everywhere they go.  So the unbeliever, within himself, is doomed because sin cannot be defeated through the works of the flesh. 

DELIVERANCE FROM SIN

Man’s only hope is through believing the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:2-4 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that, which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

Christ was our substitute in death on the cross.  The penalty and punishment for our sins have been paid for through his death, burial and resurrection.   When we believe the gospel we are justified (declared righteous) by faith through the finished work of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:8, 5:1).  Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lust.   The flesh, where sin resides, has been crucified with him.  Romans 6:6-7 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.  For he that is dead is freed (justify) from sin.  Yet, man must reckon (to account) it so. Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sin was not eradicated.  We reckon sin dead by renewing our minds in the truth presented to us in God’s word.  Romans 12: 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.  

When we believe and trust God’s word through the gospel, the Holy Spirit applies the accomplished work of Christ through the cross unto us.  It is only in trusting God’s word that our death, burial and resurrection with Christ will be realized.  Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

God has given us the victory over sin.  Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law but under grace.   All the law could do was condemn and point to our guilt.  So God took it out of the way.  Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.  Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

As believers, we must remain steadfast in our new identity in Christ and trust that what He has done through the cross is sufficient to deliver us from all our sins.  The word of God tells us who we are as new creatures.  We must believe it, trust it and refuse to be moved from that understanding.  1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  1 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.

We have the victory over sin through Jesus Christ.  Sin is not being imputed (accounted) to us today.  2 Corinthians 5:19a To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.  So there is no excuse.  It need not take years to have victory over our sins.  We will sin because sin is resident in our body members.  But we don’t have to let sin reign.  Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.   We have the power through the Spirit not to let it reign (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5). 

Man is made up of spirit, soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). We are not independent beings, so our choices are governed by whom we yield ourselves servants to obey (Romans 6:16).  We can, in our soul, either yield ourselves to Christ in our spirit or to sin in our flesh.

So if we don’t know victory, it is because we are not embracing our new identity in Christ and trusting what he has done on our behalf through the cross.   It is by believing the gospel of Jesus Christ by faith (1Corinthians 15:3-4) that allows the Holy Spirit to make the finished work of Christ through the cross a reality in our lives.