What was Satan's primary lie to Eve?
Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. He limited Eve's reasoning to a false choice. The fruit of the tree of good and evil looked good for food, and it would make them know something that God knew and they did not at the time. Two things that seemed good, by her understanding, caused her to act. What Satan failed to tell Eve, was that by eating the fruit, she would be disobeying God, and rather than become His equal, she would be becoming His enemy. It is the way our minds are wired from the fall. We like to limit our minds to things that feel good and ignore information that makes us feel bad or uncomfortable.
For all of our brain power, we are a species that does not like to think. Why? Because the proposition is true, "the truth hurts". The truth is what we must face, but it is the one thing that we just do not want to do. We think we already know the truth, and then we ignore all information that challenges us. We seek out teachers that make us feel better, and make then mental conflict go away, because the conflict is bad and we already know the truth, or do we?
What does God say? Come let us reason together says the Lord, though your sins be as red as scarlet, I shall make them white as snow. Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. Do we do that? or rather pay lip service to the truth, claim it for our own, and ignore the instructions of Our Lord? He say you will seek me and you shall find me, when you seek me with all of your heart. Do we do that? or rather live as the Church in Laodicea? I am rich, well fed and have need of nothing, when God says we are miserable, blind poor and naked?
God says that the road to life is narrow and the gate straight, stive to enter by the straight gate, for broad and easy is the way that leads to destruction. That way is not paved with our sins, but with our thoughts or the lack thereof.
We all know what a false friend is, one who flatters us with words but has no idea who we are or listens to what we say. If we cannot tolerate false friends, what makes us think God would tolerate us, when we behave the same way?
The refusal to think is harder to overcome than evil. Evil is apparent, refusal to think makes itself out to be good, and refuses correction. The refusal to think caused Jesus to lament over Jerusalem. Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who slew the prophets, how have I longed to gather you as a hen her chicks but you would not. Paul knew what it was like to be wise in his own eyes and sure of his truth, so much so he persecuted the Chruch, but Jesus Himself confronted him.
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Who are you Lord? I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. Saul could have hardened his heart and thought Jesus must be an evil spirit as he already knew the truth with certainty, yet God granted him the grace of repentance, and he was blind for a time to contemplate his own thoughts and behavior.
What happens when we try to discuss subjects which require thought? We do not like to think, so we revert to emotions, which are only animal instincts to protect us against feeling harmed or humiliated. Does God say to hold onto what we think is true and revert to violent emotion when confronted? No. We all put on our false peace and follow the command to never discuss religion or politics with those whom we disagree. Is that what God call us to? Certainly not! we can all hold on the the air of superiority in our ability to avoid conflict, but what does Jesus call us to do? Love our enemies. what good are we if we great only those that love us and avoid those that challenge us. Do we play the victim and say i love my enemies but they hate me, so it is not my fault, they hate me because of Jesus, but have you offered them Jesus, or just tried to push your own beliefs down their throat and called it Jesus?
Jesus says, you will be hated by all men for my name's sake, the primary virtue of a Christian is humility, not obnoxious speech. Jesus says that to follow Him, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. Resist not evil, if one strikes you, offer your other cheek, conscript you to walk with him, go twice as far, takes your coat giver your shirt as well. Do we do that? or do we just say, I took Jesus as my savior, and I don't have to do any works to be saved. Do we not realize that works do not save us so that we can avoid them, but they are useless to save because we cannot stop doing them until we die? Fear not, Jesus says to take His yoke upon you, His yoke is easy and His burden light. He does not tell you to take His name and throw His yoke away. Be faithful unto death and you will be given a crown of life.
There is no work that we can do to earn eternal life, yet we all look for that grand gesture that we think will make God proud of us. Jesus use me, how many people have you lead to the Lord? yet the grand gestures never come, and when they do, we still feel empty. God does not require grand gestures, as He says He who is faithful in little will be given more to do. There are no grand gestures, only our surrender of our free will to God, admit we are miserable, blind, poor and naked. I believe, help thou my unbelief. How do we know we are surrendering to God? Love your enemies and seek out thoughts that are uncomfortable, and wrestle them as Jacob wrestled with God. I will not let you go save thou bless me.
I have recently been confronted with my lack of thought, which is termed stupidity in the following video. Yes, I admit that I was stupid. I have repented and decided to confront uncomfortable thoughts and learn what I do not know, rather than have others accept what I do know. I accept the rebukes of my Orthodox brethren, and will learn from their words they have recommended to me. I would ask their forgiveness, but I would rather have their derision, as in my flesh dwells no good thing. I would hope that we could put behind our own selves and discuss the things of God. It will take a while, but I will pursue that day in earnest. I want sound doctrine, and not teachers to tell my itching ears what I want to hear
Don't understand what I am talking about? Watch the behavioral science research from the 1940s To me it read like Jesus is talking to all of us. He that has an ear, let him hear........
Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. He limited Eve's reasoning to a false choice. The fruit of the tree of good and evil looked good for food, and it would make them know something that God knew and they did not at the time. Two things that seemed good, by her understanding, caused her to act. What Satan failed to tell Eve, was that by eating the fruit, she would be disobeying God, and rather than become His equal, she would be becoming His enemy. It is the way our minds are wired from the fall. We like to limit our minds to things that feel good and ignore information that makes us feel bad or uncomfortable.
For all of our brain power, we are a species that does not like to think. Why? Because the proposition is true, "the truth hurts". The truth is what we must face, but it is the one thing that we just do not want to do. We think we already know the truth, and then we ignore all information that challenges us. We seek out teachers that make us feel better, and make then mental conflict go away, because the conflict is bad and we already know the truth, or do we?
What does God say? Come let us reason together says the Lord, though your sins be as red as scarlet, I shall make them white as snow. Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. Do we do that? or rather pay lip service to the truth, claim it for our own, and ignore the instructions of Our Lord? He say you will seek me and you shall find me, when you seek me with all of your heart. Do we do that? or rather live as the Church in Laodicea? I am rich, well fed and have need of nothing, when God says we are miserable, blind poor and naked?
God says that the road to life is narrow and the gate straight, stive to enter by the straight gate, for broad and easy is the way that leads to destruction. That way is not paved with our sins, but with our thoughts or the lack thereof.
We all know what a false friend is, one who flatters us with words but has no idea who we are or listens to what we say. If we cannot tolerate false friends, what makes us think God would tolerate us, when we behave the same way?
The refusal to think is harder to overcome than evil. Evil is apparent, refusal to think makes itself out to be good, and refuses correction. The refusal to think caused Jesus to lament over Jerusalem. Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who slew the prophets, how have I longed to gather you as a hen her chicks but you would not. Paul knew what it was like to be wise in his own eyes and sure of his truth, so much so he persecuted the Chruch, but Jesus Himself confronted him.
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Who are you Lord? I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. Saul could have hardened his heart and thought Jesus must be an evil spirit as he already knew the truth with certainty, yet God granted him the grace of repentance, and he was blind for a time to contemplate his own thoughts and behavior.
What happens when we try to discuss subjects which require thought? We do not like to think, so we revert to emotions, which are only animal instincts to protect us against feeling harmed or humiliated. Does God say to hold onto what we think is true and revert to violent emotion when confronted? No. We all put on our false peace and follow the command to never discuss religion or politics with those whom we disagree. Is that what God call us to? Certainly not! we can all hold on the the air of superiority in our ability to avoid conflict, but what does Jesus call us to do? Love our enemies. what good are we if we great only those that love us and avoid those that challenge us. Do we play the victim and say i love my enemies but they hate me, so it is not my fault, they hate me because of Jesus, but have you offered them Jesus, or just tried to push your own beliefs down their throat and called it Jesus?
Jesus says, you will be hated by all men for my name's sake, the primary virtue of a Christian is humility, not obnoxious speech. Jesus says that to follow Him, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. Resist not evil, if one strikes you, offer your other cheek, conscript you to walk with him, go twice as far, takes your coat giver your shirt as well. Do we do that? or do we just say, I took Jesus as my savior, and I don't have to do any works to be saved. Do we not realize that works do not save us so that we can avoid them, but they are useless to save because we cannot stop doing them until we die? Fear not, Jesus says to take His yoke upon you, His yoke is easy and His burden light. He does not tell you to take His name and throw His yoke away. Be faithful unto death and you will be given a crown of life.
There is no work that we can do to earn eternal life, yet we all look for that grand gesture that we think will make God proud of us. Jesus use me, how many people have you lead to the Lord? yet the grand gestures never come, and when they do, we still feel empty. God does not require grand gestures, as He says He who is faithful in little will be given more to do. There are no grand gestures, only our surrender of our free will to God, admit we are miserable, blind, poor and naked. I believe, help thou my unbelief. How do we know we are surrendering to God? Love your enemies and seek out thoughts that are uncomfortable, and wrestle them as Jacob wrestled with God. I will not let you go save thou bless me.
I have recently been confronted with my lack of thought, which is termed stupidity in the following video. Yes, I admit that I was stupid. I have repented and decided to confront uncomfortable thoughts and learn what I do not know, rather than have others accept what I do know. I accept the rebukes of my Orthodox brethren, and will learn from their words they have recommended to me. I would ask their forgiveness, but I would rather have their derision, as in my flesh dwells no good thing. I would hope that we could put behind our own selves and discuss the things of God. It will take a while, but I will pursue that day in earnest. I want sound doctrine, and not teachers to tell my itching ears what I want to hear
Don't understand what I am talking about? Watch the behavioral science research from the 1940s To me it read like Jesus is talking to all of us. He that has an ear, let him hear........
