Another sermon from Grace Baptist Church and Pastor Michael Phillips, I have listened through recently. Some comments: The sermon is one in regard to Satanic devices.
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Its title is "Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices". If that rings a bell with you--good! It's meant to. The title is borrowed from Thomas Brooks, who wrote on the subject more than 300 years ago.
Using II Corinthians 2:11
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
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The text is fairly simple to understand. Paul tells us that whenever God is at work, Satan is also active to undo it. Some of his "dirty work" is out in the open--as when Paul was stoned at Lystra. Or beheaded at Rome. But not all of Satan's work is so obvious. In addition to the "frontal attack", he also uses "devices" or tricks or cunning strategies. Some of them, we'll mention tonight; others in the weeks to come, if the Lord permits.
The First Device. To present the bait and hide the hook.
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Like a good salesman, Satan puts the best face on his product. He emphasizes the pleasure and profit sin may bring, while ignoring the wrath and misery that must follow.
Phillips mentions the deception of Adam and Eve by the Serpent, that led to the fall (Genesis 3) and sexual sin as biblical examples. that I reason are particularly helpful.
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In each case, the "hook" is "wrath and misery", but the devil's "bait" concealed it.
This is the classic 'half-truth'. This is not a plain literal presentation of half or 50% of the truth. Rather it is as Oxford defines as 'half-truth'...a statement that (especially deliberately) conveys only part of the truth. (613).
Satan's deception, and Satanic deception, like a presentation from a master salesperson. conveys the positive benefits and further results of the thing (s) under discussion and ignores and/or significantly negates the negative effects and following results.
The deception and half-truth is specifically, in the satanic context, designed to turn a human being in spirit, mind and inclination, in nature, consciousness, desires, will and choices, further toward embraced human sinfulness, already embedded in fallen humanity (Genesis 3 and Romans as examples).
By embracing human sinfulness, God is opposed in human sin and rebellion, fueled by satanic rebellion against God.
The actual fuller truth, from the scripture and other sources of reason and truth, would be negated for the half-truth (s).
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Satan has his "devices". We mustn't be "ignorant of" them. One of the most common is this: He "presents the bait and hides the hook". We all know this, but how often do we think about it? How often do we look for the hook? God give us the eyes to look for it, to see it, and to turn away from it.
Half-truths are also commonly used within human deception and human self-deception, in my view. Satanic influence is not a requirement.
CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.
THE CONCISE OXFORD DICTIONARY (1995) ‘Half-truth’, Della Thompson (ed.), Oxford, Clarendon Press.
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