Snares of Satan

Snares of Satan

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The great controversy between Christ and Satan, that has been carried

forward for nearly six thousand years, is soon to close; and the wicked one

redoubles his efforts to defeat the work of Christ in man's behalf and to

fasten souls in his snares. To hold the people in darkness and impenitence

till the Saviour's mediation is ended, and there is no longer a sacrifice

for sin, is the object which he seeks to accomplish.

When there is no special effort made to resist his power, when indifference

prevails in the church and the world, Satan is not concerned; for he is in

no danger of losing those whom he is leading captive at his will. But when

the attention is called to eternal things, and souls are inquiring, "What

must I do to be saved?" he is on the ground, seeking to match his power

against the power of Christ and to counteract the influence of the Holy

Spirit.

The Scriptures declare that upon one occasion, when the angels of God came

to present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also among them (Job 1:6),

not to bow before the Eternal King, but to further his own malicious designs

against the righteous. With the same object he is in attendance when men

assemble for the worship of God. Though hidden from sight, he is working

with all diligence to control the minds of the worshipers. Like a skillful

general he lays his plans beforehand. As he sees the messenger of God

searching the Scriptures, he takes note of the subject to be

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presented to the people. Then he employs all his cunning and shrewdness so

to control circumstances that the message may not reach those whom he is

deceiving on that very point. The one who most needs the warning will be

urged into some business transaction which requires his presence, or will by

some other means be prevented from hearing the words that might prove to him

a savor of life unto life.

Again, Satan sees the Lord's servants burdened because of the spiritual

darkness that enshrouds the people. He hears their earnest prayers for

divine grace and power to break the spell of indifference, carelessness, and

indolence. Then with renewed zeal he plies his arts. He tempts men to the

indulgence of appetite or to some other form of self-gratification, and thus

benumbs their sensibilities so that they fail to hear the very things which

they most need to learn.

Satan well knows that all whom he can lead to neglect prayer and the

searching of the Scriptures, will be overcome by his attacks. Therefore he

invents every possible device to engross the mind. There has ever been a

class professing godliness, who, instead of following on to know the truth,

make it their religion to seek some fault of character or error of faith in

those with whom they do not agree. Such are Satan's right-hand helpers.

Accusers of the brethren are not few, and they are always active when God is

at work and His servants are rendering Him true homage. They will put a

false coloring upon the words and acts of those who love and obey the truth.

They will represent the most earnest, zealous, self-denying servants of

Christ as deceived or deceivers. It is their work to misrepresent the

motives of every true and noble deed, to circulate insinuations, and arouse

suspicion in the minds of the inexperienced. In every conceivable manner

they will seek to cause that which is pure and righteous to be regarded as

foul and deceptive.

But none need be deceived concerning them. It may be readily seen whose

children they are, whose example they follow, and whose work they do. "Ye

shall know them by

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their fruits." Matthew 7:16. Their course resembles that of Satan, the

envenomed slanderer, "the accuser of our brethren." Revelation 12:10.

The great deceiver has many agents ready to present any and every kind of

error to ensnare souls--heresies prepared to suit the varied tastes and

capacities of those whom he would ruin. It is his plan to bring into the

church insincere, unregenerate elements that will encourage doubt and

unbelief, and hinder all who desire to see the work of God advance and to

advance with it. Many who have no real faith in God or in His word assent to

some principles of truth and pass as Christians, and thus they are enabled

to introduce their errors as Scriptural doctrines.

The position that it is of no consequence what men believe is one of Satan's

most successful deceptions. He knows that the truth, received in the love of

it, sanctifies the soul of the receiver; therefore he is constantly seeking

to substitute false theories, fables, another gospel. From the beginning the

servants of God have contended against false teachers, not merely as vicious

men, but as inculcators of falsehoods that were fatal to the soul. Elijah,

Jeremiah, Paul, firmly and fearlessly opposed those who were turning men

from the word of God. That liberality which regards a correct religious

faith as unimportant found no favor with these holy defenders of the truth.

The vague and fanciful interpretations of Scripture, and the many

conflicting theories concerning religious faith, that are found in the

Christian world are the work of our great adversary to confuse minds so that

they shall not discern the truth. And the discord and division which exist

among the churches of Christendom are in a great measure due to the

prevailing custom of wresting the Scriptures to support a favorite theory.

Instead of carefully studying God's word with humility of heart to obtain a

knowledge of His will, many seek only to discover something odd or original.

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In order to sustain erroneous doctrines or unchristian practices, some will

seize upon passages of Scripture separated from the context, perhaps quoting

half of a single verse as proving their point, when the remaining portion

would show the meaning to be quite the opposite. With the cunning of the

serpent they entrench themselves behind disconnected utterances construed to

suit their carnal desires. Thus do many willfully pervert the word of God.

Others, who have an active imagination, seize upon the figures and symbols

of Holy Writ, interpret them to suit their fancy, with little regard to the

testimony of Scripture as its own interpreter, and then they present their

vagaries as the teachings of the Bible.

Whenever the study of the Scriptures is entered upon without a prayerful,

humble, teachable spirit, the plainest and simplest as well as the most

difficult passages will be wrested from their true meaning. The papal

leaders select such portions of Scripture as best serve their purpose,

interpret to suit themselves, and then present these to the people, while

they deny them the privilege of studying the Bible and understanding its

sacred truths for themselves. The whole Bible should be given to the people

just as it reads. It would be better for them not to have Bible instruction

at all than to have the teaching of the Scriptures thus grossly

misrepresented.

The Bible was designed to be a guide to all who wish to become acquainted

with the will of their Maker. God gave to men the sure word of prophecy;

angels and even Christ Himself came to make known to Daniel and John the

things that must shortly come to pass. Those important matters that concern

our salvation were not left involved in mystery. They were not revealed in

such a way as to perplex and mislead the honest seeker after truth. Said the

Lord by the prophet Habakkuk: "Write the vision, and make it plain, . . .

that he may run that readeth it." Habakkuk 2:2. The word of God is plain to

all who study it with a prayerful

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heart. Every truly honest soul will come to the light of truth. "Light is

sown for the righteous." Psalm 97:11. And no church can advance in holiness

unless its members are earnestly seeking for truth as for hid treasure.

By the cry, Liberality, men are blinded to the devices of their adversary,

while he is all the time working steadily for the accomplishment of his

object. As he succeeds in supplanting the Bible by human speculations, the

law of God is set aside, and the churches are under the bondage of sin while

they claim to be free.

To many, scientific research has become a curse. God has permitted a flood

of light to be poured upon the world in discoveries in science and art; but

even the greatest minds, if not guided by the word of God in their research,

become bewildered in their attempts to investigate the relations of science

and revelation.

Human knowledge of both material and spiritual things is partial and

imperfect; therefore many are unable to harmonize their views of science

with Scripture statements. Many accept mere theories and speculations as

scientific facts, and they think that God's word is to be tested by the

teachings of "science falsely so called." 1 Timothy 6:20. The Creator and

His works are beyond their comprehension; and because they cannot explain

these by natural laws, Bible history is regarded as unreliable. Those who

doubt the reliability of the records of the Old and New Testaments too often

go a step further and doubt the existence of God and attribute infinite

power to nature. Having let go their anchor, they are left to beat about

upon the rocks of infidelity.

Thus many err from the faith and are seduced by the devil. Men have

endeavored to be wiser than their Creator; human philosophy has attempted to

search out and explain mysteries which will never be revealed through the

eternal ages. If men would but search and understand what God had made known

of Himself and His purposes, they would obtain such a view of the glory,

majesty, and power of Jehovah that

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they would realize their own littleness and would be content with that which

has been revealed for themselves and their children.

It is a masterpiece of Satan's deceptions to keep the minds of men searching

and conjecturing in regard to that which God has not made known and which He

does not intend that we shall understand. It was thus that Lucifer lost his

place in heaven. He became dissatisfied because all the secrets of God's

purposes were not confided to him, and he entirely disregarded that which

was revealed concerning his own work in the lofty position assigned him. By

arousing the same discontent in the angels under his command, he caused

their fall. Now he seeks to imbue the minds of men with the same spirit and

to lead them also to disregard the direct commands of God.

Those who are unwilling to accept the plain, cutting truths of the Bible are

continually seeking for pleasing fables that will quiet the conscience. The

less spiritual, self-denying, and humiliating the doctrines presented, the

greater the favor with which they are received. These persons degrade the

intellectual powers to serve their carnal desires. Too wise in their own

conceit to search the Scriptures with contrition of soul and earnest prayer

for divine guidance, they have no shield from delusion. Satan is ready to

supply the heart's desire, and he palms off his deceptions in the place of

truth. It was thus that the papacy gained its power over the minds of men;

and by rejection of the truth because it involves a cross, Protestants are

following the same path. All who neglect the word of God to study

convenience and policy, that they may not be at variance with the world,

will be left to receive damnable heresy for religious truth. Every

conceivable form of error will be accepted by those who willfully reject the

truth. He who looks with horror upon one deception will readily receive

another. The apostle Paul, speaking of a class who "received not the love of

the truth, that they might be saved," declares: "For this cause God shall

send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they

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all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in

unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. With such a warning before us it

behooves us to be on our guard as to what doctrines we receive.

Among the most successful agencies of the great deceiver are the delusive

teachings and lying wonders of spiritualism. Disguised as an angel of light,

he spreads his nets where least suspected. If men would but study the Book

of God with earnest prayer that they might understand it, they would not be

left in darkness to receive false doctrines. But as they reject the truth

they fall a prey to deception.

Another dangerous error is the doctrine that denies the deity of Christ,

claiming that He had no existence before His advent to this world. This

theory is received with favor by a large class who profess to believe the

Bible; yet it directly contradicts the plainest statements of our Saviour

concerning His relationship with the Father, His divine character, and His

pre-existence. It cannot be entertained without the most unwarranted

wresting of the Scriptures. It not only lowers man's conceptions of the work

of redemption, but undermines faith in the Bible as a revelation from God.

While this renders it the more dangerous, it makes it also harder to meet.

If men reject the testimony of the inspired Scriptures concerning the deity

of Christ, it is in vain to argue the point with them; for no argument,

however conclusive, could convince them. "The natural man receiveth not the

things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can

he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14.

None who hold this error can have a true conception of the character or the

mission of Christ, or of the great plan of God for man's redemption.

Still another subtle and mischievous error is the fast-spreading belief that

Satan has no existence as a personal being; that the name is used in

Scripture merely to represent men's evil thoughts and desires.

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The teaching so widely echoed from popular pulpits, that the second advent

of Christ is His coming to each individual at death, is a device to divert

the minds of men from His personal coming in the clouds of heaven. For years

Satan has thus been saying, "Behold, He is in the secret chambers" (Matthew

24:23-26); and many souls have been lost by accepting this deception.

Again, worldly wisdom teaches that prayer is not essential. Men of science

claim that there can be no real answer to prayer; that this would be a

violation of law, a miracle, and that miracles have no existence. The

universe, say they, is governed by fixed laws, and God Himself does nothing

contrary to these laws. Thus they represent God as bound by His own laws--as

if the operation of divine laws could exclude divine freedom. Such teaching

is opposed to the testimony of the Scriptures. Were not miracles wrought by

Christ and His apostles? The same compassionate Saviour lives today, and He

is as willing to listen to the prayer of faith as when He walked visibly

among men. The natural cooperates with the supernatural. It is a part of

God's plan to grant us, in answer to the prayer of faith, that which He

would not bestow did we not thus ask.

Innumerable are the erroneous doctrines and fanciful ideas that are

obtaining among the churches of Christendom. It is impossible to estimate

the evil results of removing one of the landmarks fixed by the word of God.

Few who venture to do this stop with the rejection of a single truth. The

majority continue to set aside one after another of the principles of truth,

until they become actual infidels.

The errors of popular theology have driven many a soul to skepticism who

might otherwise have been a believer in the Scriptures. It is impossible for

him to accept doctrines which outrage his sense of justice, mercy, and

benevolence; and since these are represented as the teaching of the Bible,

he refuses to receive it as the word of God.

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And this is the object which Satan seeks to accomplish. There is nothing

that he desires more than to destroy confidence in God and in His word.

Satan stands at the head of the great army of doubters, and he works to the

utmost of his power to beguile souls into his ranks. It is becoming

fashionable to doubt. There is a large class by whom the word of God is

looked upon with distrust for the same reason as was its Author--because it

reproves and condemns sin. Those who are unwilling to obey its requirements

endeavor to overthrow its authority. They read the Bible, or listen to its

teachings as presented from the sacred desk, merely to find fault with the

Scriptures or with the sermon. Not a few become infidels in order to justify

or excuse themselves in neglect of duty. Others adopt skeptical principles

from pride and indolence. Too ease-loving to distinguish themselves by

accomplishing anything worthy of honor, which requires effort and

self-denial, they aim to secure a reputation for superior wisdom by

criticizing the Bible. There is much which the finite mind, unenlightened by

divine wisdom, is powerless to comprehend; and thus they find occasion to

criticize. There are many who seem to feel that it is a virtue to stand on

the side of unbelief, skepticism, and infidelity. But underneath an

appearance of candor it will be found that such persons are actuated by

self-confidence and pride. Many delight in finding something in the

Scriptures to puzzle the minds of others. Some at first criticize and reason

on the wrong side, from a mere love of controversy. They do not realize that

they are thus entangling themselves in the snare of the fowler. But having

openly expressed unbelief, they feel that they must maintain their position.

Thus they unite with the ungodly and close to themselves the gates of

Paradise.

God has given in His word sufficient evidence of its divine character. The

great truths which concern our redemption are clearly presented. By the aid

of the Holy Spirit, which is promised to all who seek it in sincerity, every

man may

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understand these truths for himself. God has granted to men a strong

foundation upon which to rest their faith.

Yet the finite minds of men are inadequate fully to comprehend the plans and

purposes of the Infinite One. We can never by searching find out God. We

must not attempt to lift with presumptuous hand the curtain behind which He

veils His majesty. The apostle exclaims: "How unsearchable are His

judgments, and His ways past finding out!" Romans 11:33. We can so far

comprehend His dealings with us, and the motives by which He is actuated,

that we may discern boundless love and mercy united to infinite power. Our

Father in heaven orders everything in wisdom and righteousness, and we are

not to be dissatisfied and distrustful, but to bow in reverent submission.

He will reveal to us as much of His purposes as it is for our good to know,

and beyond that we must trust the Hand that is omnipotent, the Heart that is

full of love.

While God has given ample evidence for faith, He will never remove all

excuse for unbelief. All who look for hooks to hang their doubts upon will

find them. And those who refuse to accept and obey God's word until every

objection has been removed, and there is no longer an opportunity for doubt,

will never come to the light.

Distrust of God is the natural outgrowth of the unrenewed heart, which is at

enmity with Him. But faith is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and it will

flourish only as it is cherished. No man can become strong in faith without

a determined effort. Unbelief strengthens as it is encouraged; and if men,

instead of dwelling upon the evidences which God has given to sustain their

faith, permit themselves to question and cavil, they will find their doubts

constantly becoming more confirmed.

But those who doubt God's promises and distrust the assurance of His grace

are dishonoring Him; and their influence, instead of drawing others to

Christ, tends to repel

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them from Him. They are unproductive trees, that spread their dark branches

far and wide, shutting away the sunlight from other plants, and causing them

to droop and die under the chilling shadow. The lifework of these persons

will appear as a never-ceasing witness against them. They are sowing seeds

of doubt and skepticism that will yield an unfailing harvest.

There is but one course for those to pursue who honestly desire to be freed

from doubts. Instead of questioning and caviling concerning that which they

do not understand, let them give heed to the light which already shines upon

them, and they will receive greater light. Let them do every duty which has

been made plain to their understanding, and they will be enabled to

understand and perform those of which they are now in doubt.

Satan can present a counterfeit so closely resembling the truth that it

deceives those who are willing to be deceived, who desire to shun the

self-denial and sacrifice demanded by the truth; but it is impossible for

him to hold under his power one soul who honestly desires, at whatever cost,

to know the truth. Christ is the truth and the "Light, which lighteth every

man that cometh into the world." John 1:9. The Spirit of truth has been sent

to guide men into all truth. And upon the authority of the Son of God it is

declared: "Seek, and ye shall find." "If any man will do His will, he shall

know of the doctrine." Matthew 7:7; John 7:17.

The followers of Christ know little of the plots which Satan and his hosts

are forming against them. But He who sitteth in the heavens will overrule

all these devices for the accomplishment of His deep designs. The Lord

permits His people to be subjected to the fiery ordeal of temptation, not

because He takes pleasure in their distress and affliction, but because this

process is essential to their final victory. He could not, consistently with

His own glory, shield them from temptation; for the very object of the trial

is to prepare them to resist all the allurements of evil.

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Neither wicked men nor devils can hinder the work of God, or shut out His

presence from His people, if they will, with subdued, contrite hearts,

confess and put away their sins, and in faith claim His promises. Every

temptation, every opposing influence, whether open or secret, may be

successfully resisted, "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith

the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 4:6.

"The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto

their prayers. . . . And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of

that which is good?" 1 Peter 3:12, 13. When Balaam, allured by the promise

of rich rewards, practiced enchantments against Israel, and by sacrifices to

the Lord sought to invoke a curse upon His people, the Spirit of God forbade

the evil which he longed to pronounce, and Balaam was forced to exclaim:

"How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the

Lord hath not defied?" "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my

last end be like his!" When sacrifice had again been offered, the ungodly

prophet declared: "Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and He hath

blessed; and I cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob,

neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him,

and the shout of a King is among them." "Surely there is no enchantment

against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to

this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!"

Yet a third time altars were erected, and again Balaam essayed to secure a

curse. But from the unwilling lips of the prophet, the Spirit of God

declared the prosperity of His chosen, and rebuked the folly and malice of

their foes: "Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth

thee." Numbers 23:8, 10, 20, 21, 23; 24:9.

The people of Israel were at this time loyal to God; and so long as they

continued in obedience to His law, no power in earth or hell could prevail

against them. But the curse which Balaam had not been permitted to pronounce

against

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God's people, he finally succeeded in bringing upon them by seducing them

into sin. When they transgressed God's commandments, then they separated

themselves from Him, and they were left to feel the power of the destroyer.

Satan is well aware that the weakest soul who abides in Christ is more than

a match for the hosts of darkness, and that, should he reveal himself

openly, he would be met and resisted. Therefore he seeks to draw away the

soldiers of the cross from their strong fortification, while he lies in

ambush with his forces, ready to destroy all who venture upon his ground.

Only in humble reliance upon God, and obedience to all His commandments, can

we be secure.

No man is safe for a day or an hour without prayer. Especially should we

entreat the Lord for wisdom to understand His word. Here are revealed the

wiles of the tempter and the means by which he may be successfully resisted.

Satan is an expert in quoting Scripture, placing his own interpretation upon

passages, by which he hopes to cause us to stumble. We should study the

Bible with humility of heart, never losing sight of our dependence upon God.

While we must constantly guard against the devices of Satan, we should pray

in faith continually: "Lead us not into temptation."