Why Man Rejects the Knowledge of God

Many modern Christians are decidedly uncomfortable with the reality of Satan and the biblical accounts of Jesus Christ's encounters with deranged spirits, which the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. calls demons. But sooner or later we have to come to terms with the truthfulness of Christ's personal witness.

Who is the ultimate source of all misinformation and disinformation—whether about scriptural or secular knowledge?

". . . The god of this age has blinded [the minds of those who are perishing]" (2 Corinthians 4:4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
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The King James Version renders this same phrase: "the god of this world" Many modern Christians are decidedly uncomfortable with the reality of Satan and the biblical accounts of Jesus Christ's encounters with deranged spirits, which the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. calls demons. But sooner or later we have to come to terms with the truthfulness of Christ's personal witness. He stated as fact: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
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As a direct result of the deception described by the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 4:4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
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". . . Jesus Christ . . . gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age . . ." (Galatians 1:3-4 [3] Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
[4] Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

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Again, the King James Version translates the key phrase as "this present evil world." So the god of this world has blinded its inhabitants through his many deceptions (compare 1 John 5:19And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
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Who are we talking about? Who is really responsible for this massive world-encircling deception?

"So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world . . ." (RevelationThe disclosure of God's Word and plan to mankind. In the Bible this refers to making obscure things clear; bringing hidden matters to light; causing especially called individuals to see, hear, perceive, know and understand the things of God; the unveiling of biblical mysteries (Romans 16:25). 12:9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
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Satan is a fallen archangel. As the righteous Lucifer (meaning "Light-bringer") he had been present at the very throne of God, but he turned from God's way to a diametrically different way of life, and he was eventually consumed with vanity, jealousy and greed. Two chapters in the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. deal with the devil's origin and his subsequent rebellion against God (carefully compare Isaiah 14:12-15 [12] How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
[13] For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
[14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
[15] Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

See All... with Ezekiel 28:11-16 [11] Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[12] Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
[13] Thou hast been in EdenThe land in which the Lord planted a garden for Adam to live in (Genesis 2:15). It was located at the branching of 4 rivers: the Euphrates, the Hiddekel (the Tigris), the Pishon, and the Gihon (Genesis 2:8-14). It was also the location of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life (Genesis 2:16). the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
[14] Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
[15] Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
[16] By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

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How extensive is Satan's influence?

". . . The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
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Most people assume that the world is a pretty good place or at least neutral in its influence. But the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. reveals that Satan is the god of this age, and at this time this is his world. Tragically, his deception is so widespread that few realize the extent to which the world has accepted his disinformation and distorted knowledge (to learn more about his influence, be sure to request our free booklet Is There Really a Devil? )

How did Satan approach Eve ("the mother of all living") in the Garden of EdenThe land in which the Lord planted a garden for Adam to live in (Genesis 2:15). It was located at the branching of 4 rivers: the Euphrates, the Hiddekel (the Tigris), the Pishon, and the Gihon (Genesis 2:8-14). It was also the location of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life (Genesis 2:16).?

"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 11:3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
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God revealed true spiritual knowledge to Adam and Eve. Then Satan, in the guise of a serpent, caused Eve to doubt their very Creator's truthfulness. She persuaded her husband to join in the subsequent act of disobedience—eating the forbidden fruit. God had said, in effect, to Adam: "You should not have listened to the voice of your wife" (Genesis 3:17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
See All...). Satan had misrepresented God! He lied to Eve about her ultimate fate. "You will not surely die," said the serpent (compare verses 1-7).

In deceiving Eve, what assurances did the devil offer her?

"For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (verse 5).

This much of Satan's manipulation of Eve is true. Their eyes were opened to the knowledge of good and evil. "Then the LORD God said, Behold the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil" (verse 22). This unfortunate trend of rejecting God's instruction, established right at the time of our human beginnings, has continued unabated to the present day. The world is filled with both truth and error, both good and evil. The devil cunningly mixes right with wrong. Often people can't discern the important difference. God has to reveal it. For that revelation, His Word is essential. It is the foundation of all true knowledge!

What was one of the reasons that Jesus Christ entered the world?

"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself [Jesus] likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy [render powerless, New American Standard BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ.] him who had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
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Jesus Christ's death provided the perfect sacrifice for the sins of humanity. He paid the death penalty for us and offers humankind the gift of eternal life. This act defeated Satan's purposes and was the essential first step of salvation upon which more spiritual knowledge could then be added.