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The Real Deal: Avoiding Counterfeits

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The Real Deal

Avoiding Counterfeits

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If someone owed you money, would you accept payment in the form of Monopoly money? Unless you were playing Monopoly and really wanted to buy Park Place , you would not. No, you would not accept it because it is not real money.

Most of us can easily distinguish the difference between genuine money and play money from a board game. We recognize the characteristics of real money.

However, the U.S. Treasury estimates that $1 in every $10,100 is a counterfeit. This means that there is a slight chance you could be carrying a counterfeit bill without even realizing it.

The Greatest Counterfeiter

There is a much greater counterfeit that is rampant in society today. In fact, the operation is so successful that society doesn't even realize it is being deceived. This is a counterfeit way of life that has been circulated by the greatest counterfeiter in the universe—Satan.

To counterfeit means to imitate or feign with intent to deceive. Counterfeiting means making a fraudulent replica of something of value. God's truth is of the greatest value. Jesus Christ compared it to finding a pearl of great price in Matthew 13:46. Understanding God's way leads to life. Satan has cleverly counterfeited God's Holy Days with his own days and has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9).

Counterfeiting is one of the oldest crimes in history. During the time of the Civil War in the United States , the U.S. Treasury estimates that one third of all currency in circulation was counterfeit. Approximately 1,600 state banks were designing and printing their own notes. Over 4,000 varieties of counterfeits were difficult to distinguish from the 7,000 genuine notes.

So a national currency was adopted in 1863 in the hope of solving the counterfeiting problem. Yet the national currency was so extensively counterfeited that by 1865, the U.S. Secret Service was established as a necessary measure to suppress counterfeiting.

Satan started circulating his counterfeit way in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Satan is very subtle and knows exactly how to make his counterfeit pass for the real thing. (He is nothing like the joke about the dumbest counterfeiter who was caught trying to pass notes made from $1 bills with corners from $20 bills taped to them.) Satan purposely tries to deceive mankind in an effort to cloud our minds from understanding God's truth.

"Improving" Techniques

The U.S. Secret Service admits that a counterfeiter today can easily produce accurate looking currency using computers and other readily available technology (www.secretservice.gov/counterfeit.shtml). As those with criminal intent become more fluent in technology, they expect counterfeiting statistics will increase.

As time progresses, Satan also continues to improve his counterfeiting techniques to circulate his counterfeit culture and mind-set. He works constantly to promote his ways that are contrary to God.

"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ" is a strong warning from Colossians 2:8 that we should be vigilant to follow. Just because everyone around us may accept the counterfeit way does not make it genuine.

The Counterfeiter Will Soon Pay

The typical life of a counterfeit bill can range from just a few months to almost a year, according to the U.S. Treasury. A genuine bill will stay in circulation for about eight years.

As we wait for God's Kingdom to come, it may seem that Satan has been circulating his counterfeits for a long period of time. However, God tells us that Satan's time is actually short and will soon come to an end (Revelation 12:12).

Manufacturing counterfeit currency or altering genuine currency in the United States carries a stiff penalty including fines and imprisonment for up to 15 years. Trying to pass off counterfeit money carries the same penalty.

Satan, as the great counterfeiter, will also receive punishment. He will answer for his crimes against the Almighty and for defiling God's Holy Day plan. God will bind Satan for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3). After a short release period in which Satan will return to his old counterfeiting ways, God will stop Satan forever (Revelation 20:7, 10).

Unfortunately, the world today cannot see through Satan's counterfeit way of life, and they are paying the penalty through the suffering and confusion that exists. God has allowed mankind to be blinded.

In fact, in a strange twist, society often feels that God's way is the counterfeit. Many of the days and seasons on our calendar are counterfeits of God's plan. Only because of God's mercy do we understand. Satan the counterfeiter will be caught and stopped. But in the meantime, Satan will try any means to get you to accept his counterfeit. Make sure you look for the real deal. UN

Andy McClain attends the Indianapolis, Indiana, congregation.