The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians, “But I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3).
Initially Satan led other angels in a misguided attempt to overthrow God’s authority (Isaiah 14:12-15). His vanity, pride and lust for power led him into war against the ruler of the universe. Failing at that, Satan spitefully tried to thwart God’s dealings with the human race, doing whatever he could to bring harm. And his evil work has been incessant.
The first thing Satan tried to do was to destroy God’s relationship with the first human beings. Genesis 3 describes Satan’s appearance on the scene shortly after God created Adam and Eve. He introduced his first lie by telling Eve she would not die if she took the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:4). Then he followed with another falsehood, slandering God by accusing Him of holding Eve back by withholding valuable knowledge from her (Genesis 3:5).
Eve was deceived by Satan’s craftiness (2 Corinthians 11:3) and she took the fruit and then shared it with Adam, who wasn’t deceived (1 Timothy 2:14). He simply followed along and joined his wife in disobeying God’s clear instructions. Pressure from others to go along even when we know a course of action is wrong has been with us for a long time.
Human sin began through a combination of human weakness and the pernicious influence of a master manipulator. As the de-facto god of this world, Satan has succeeded in blinding humanity (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9), except for the few who have turned to God through repentance.
Satan even tried to entice Jesus (Matthew 4:1-10). When He had been fasting for 40 days, he endeavored to exploit His hunger and get Him to place His desire for food ahead of the purpose of His fast. Next Satan appealed to pride, tempting Jesus to prove He enjoyed infinite protection from physical harm. Finally, he tried to get Jesus to worship him in exchange for “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” (verse 8), appealing to the human desire for power and prestige.
Satan’s primary goal is to thwart God’s plan to build a family relationship with mankind, and extend to us His gift of eternal life. One of the Bible’s most familiar passages makes this plain: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). (See our free study guide: Why Were You Born?)
As a master of persuasion, Satan deceives mankind into focusing on anything but God. Through the theory of evolution, for example, he has convinced millions that God doesn’t exist. Through hundreds of corrupt religions he has over the ages convinced billions of people to worship pagan gods. Even among the many varieties of traditional Christianity, we find people divided over who and what God is, His purpose for us, how to worship Him and how we should live. (See the previous issue of Bible Insights Weekly #319 The Rise Of Counterfeit Christianity).
The devil has done an effective job of confusing people about what the Bible really says. Paul explains “the god of this age” has blinded those “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 Corinthians 4:4). Satan has effectively deceived the world throughout history by influencing human beings to cut themselves off from God’s guidance. He has led us into wanting to do things our own way, and to rely on ourselves rather than God as the ultimate authority.
Paul describes the results of rejecting God: “Since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. …They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice.They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil….Although they know…decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:28-32).
Peter admonishes us to “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8). Paul added: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11-12).
