1 Peter 5: 6-10 NKJV
Live long enough, and we shall all be witness to the consequences of christians falling into the temptations of satan. For there are many doors into this realm. Doors of hatred, lust, arrogance, pride and malice. Once opened, these doors are often not slammed shut until transgression is commited, if at all. Such is the reach of the devil upon the children of God. It not unheard of for this master of lies and deceit to lead many astray into behavior which is contrary to our Lord. His main goal being the driving a wedge between us and Christ Jesus. For it was satan himself who, deluded into thinking that he himself was independent of and higher than God Himself, was cast out of heaven along with those who followed him.
"How you have fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest dephs of the pit."
Isaiah 14: 12-15 NKJV
Such arrogance! Is it no wonder that this deceiver was not cast from heaven, but from Gods creation in the garden of eden? For it was satan who introduced the doubt which led to the fall into sin of all mankind. One suggestion, one instant led to our being born into the sin nature which Christ Jesus died to abolish! Yet, despite his downfall, it is satan, even today, who serves up suggestions which entice us into those behaviors which are contrary to our Lords desire for us. As the apostle Peter warns us in 1 Peter 5 that it is satan who "Walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." This father of all lies who was cast out from our Lords paradise, spends his time these days wandering the earth seeking more victims that he might turn against God. Oh, we're not at all alone in this plight today. For scripture tells us of the exploits of satans travels in our Lords creation. From the fall to the temptation of Christ Jesus himself, satan certainly keeps himself busy.
Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its lusts.
Romans 6: 6-12 NKJV
Since I've been there before many times, I can relate to the process of sin and its aftermath. The worst part for any believer who falls into temptation is after he has partaken of the temptation he has given into. For is here where we often feel that tug of guilt and shame that always accompanies our mistakes. How could God ever love a sinner such as myself? How can God, who hates sin, ever put up with me ever again? Christian, these ARE NOT the words of God speaking into us! Far from it, for these are the words of the very same accuser whose suggestions we fell victim to in the first place. We do well to remember that it is satan who wants nothing more than to put distance between us and God. We can be assured that he will use any means at his disposal to accomplish this! So, does God despise us for our sins? The apostle Paul knew that answer.
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5: 6-8 NKJV
So we, who were born into sin, may often feel as if our Lord is not pleased with us due to our behaviors. However, far from being displeased, our loving heavenly Father loved us enough to provide for our redemption even when we still carried the guilt of sin. In stark contrast to satans deceptions and lies is our Lords love and mercy upon His children. Those feelings of condemnation, guilt and shame are not of God, but of the accuser.
~Scott~
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