The Devil is in the Details

Conceptually, most folk are in agreement about the biggies; life, love, goodwill and peace. However, we differ greatly on how to live, how to love and how to obtain peace. When we are unskilled in the divisionary process between good and evil, we usually find ourselves in agreement with the concept of the admixture of good and evil without even realizing it.

It cannot be underscored enough that Satan works within God’s design, that is already present, and seeks to corrupt it with a replacement narrative. 

There are many points in Eastern mysticism and the world’s religions, that agree in concept, but underneath in the details are vile replacements that have hijacked the vehicle for the soul’s salvation – God’s truth! People who buy an airplane ticket and get hijacked, didn’t buy into it thinking they would be hijacked – they bought into arriving at their desired destination. By and large, folk desire to know God, but their search gets hijacked. We must be lovers of the truth that have committed ourselves to the pursuit of truth! 

Here is a fundamental principle to put in our discernment hopper – the Universe is of moral design, the human body is of moral design, our spiritual beings are of moral design – a moral design created by a moral God for us to be morally integrated. So, if our pathway of choice has departed from the Biblically defined moral path, we are are insisting on perversion, then we are enroute for sure destruction.

Doctrine used to be a structural word that held within it a sense of secure boundary. However, it no longer is a term of endearment for our beliefs but has been acclaimed religious or legalistic. Doctrine is a provisional tool to distinguish the innards of wrong and right concepts. Concepts need to go through the distillery of doctrine before we drink the Kool-aid! A great Scripture to keep close to heart is 2 Timothy 3:16,

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Judeo-Christian belief is rooted in God’s original and moral design for us, to be authorized finite souls that host by choice, knowing the truth, the Infinite One to demonstrate infinite capabilities of being in relationship with Him! As we remain connected to Him, we remain as an expression of Him. As He Is, so are we in the world (1 John 4:17). But when we choose independence from Him, we realize our finite limitations – both spiritually and physically.

The god of this world has used his doctrine of deception over and over and it has worked very well for him. Whether by hijacking the good intentions of mankind or empowering permissive sin, he has successfully led a campaign that bans the human soul from entering The Kingdom of God! 

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 

For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 2 Cor 4:1-7

Sobering, to say the least! It is a spiritual law that if we love darkness, rather than the light, we will live (present tense) in a state of condemnation and all our efforts will be bent on defending the darkness we so love.

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:19

Olam is the Hebrew word for world which means to conceal. The spirit of the world and the god of this world are biblical terms that refer to the network of an influential global deception under Satan to conceal the truth of God.

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 2 Cor 4:3

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 1 Cor 2:12

The spirit of the world operates to conceal both the glory and truth of God. The Judeo-Christian faith does not espouse escaping the world, but while having our beings in the world, yet not of the world, we become witnesses of the King and His Kingdom which is beyond this world. We in essence lift the world to the Light of Heaven and quite literally bring the Light of Heaven into the world. As Jesus taught us pray,

Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matt 6:10