Grace Thoughts
The Big Lie
“… you will be like God …” Genesis 3
That is the “Big Lie.” Every lie that has followed Satan’s lie to Eve in the Garden of Eden stems from that moment.
Jesus Christ expressed it this way –
You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:44
Like God
Satan’s lie to Eve is the same lie that people have been telling themselves and others since the Garden. People believe they can be “like God.” That is not possible. No one can be “like God.” To be “like” God would mean that someone was God, with the same nature and characteristics. Only one Person who has ever walked the earth has been “like God” and that Person is Jesus Christ. Everyone else who makes such a claim is a liar. God is the only “Necessary Being.” All others are “contingent beings.” We depend on God for our very existence –
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1-5
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Colossians 1:15-18
However, something Satan said to Eve in the Garden was true. Right after saying she would be “like God” if she ate of the forbidden fruit, Satan said she would know “good and evil.” After Eve and her husband disobeyed God, the Lord said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil.” (Genesis 3:22). Humans had become “like” God, not in the perfection of His Eternal Nature, but in the knowledge of “good and evil.” That was not a good thing.
That knowledge of good and evil has followed the human race since that time. People are prone to “wander,” to sin against God, to do evil to others. God removed the first humans from the Garden of Eden so they would not eat from the tree of life and live forever. Eve gave birth to two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain became jealous of Abel and killed him, even after God warned Cain not to do it.
So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it. Genesis 4:6-7
Cain did not “do well” and killed Abel. God sent Cain away from his family and humanity has struggled with sin since that time. Cain bought into the “big lie” that he could be “like God,” but he couldn’t. His descendants believed the same lie.
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:5-8
Even after God destroyed the earth with a great flood, people continued to lie and believe they could be like God. God knew that “the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21). Flooding the earth and killing all but one family to give give humans a new opportunity to glorify God did not change the heart of human beings. They still bought into the “big lie” that they could be “like God.” We see the descendants of Noah, his wife and his sons many years later and their desire had not changed.
Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:3-4
The descendants of Noah did not want to obey God who told Noah and his children, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). They decided instead to find a place where they could build a tower “whose top is in the heavens” in order to “make a name” for themselves, rather than obey God’s will. They played God, but lost. God put a stop to their disobedience, confused their language, and scattered the families across the world.
The history of humanity has seen the unending desire to be “like God.” The “big lie” has touched every human, every family, every government, every civilization. It continues to this day. We live in a time of the Big Lie. Even as the prophet Jeremiah wrote thousands of years ago –
“An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?” Jeremiah 5:30-31
God established the system He would use to communicate “truth” to His people, Israel. He would speak through prophets, and rule through priests and kings. Jeremiah was a true prophet of God who lived before, during, and after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and exile captivity of the Israelites. Even though God had warned Israel of the impending doom of their civilization while He cleansed the land of the evil of their worshipping false gods, the people of Israel preferred to listen to the false prophets and government leaders who told them everything would be fine. Sound familiar?
Deception and Delusion
The “Big Lie” is based on deception –
For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 1 Timothy 2:13-14
Lying is deceiving others to believe something that is false. Satan lied to Eve and she was deceived. Adam, on the other hand, was not deceived. He saw what was happening, but did not step in to prevent it. Why?
As we study Scripture carefully we learn that while Satan lies and deceives, God sends delusions to believe Satan’s lies. Here’s an example of what I mean –
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
The Greek for “strong delusion” is ἐνέργειαν πλάνης. It means “working of wandering.” πλάνης comes from πλανάω, which means “to lead astray, to cause to wander, get off course.” The ancient Greeks understood πλάνης (delusion) to mean “an error leading to wandering, a roaming into error.” In 2 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul was writing about “the lawless one,” who we would also know as the anti-christ. The appearance of the lawless one (ἄνομος – lawless, wicked) would be “according to the working of Satan.” The devil will use supernatural “powers, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception” to deceive “those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
It is for that reason that God “will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.” Notice that God did not lie. Satan lied. What God will do is send a “strong delusion” so that the perishing people will believe the lie.” Why? “… that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
God is not deceiving anyone. He has always told the truth. God told Adam that if he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would “surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Satan challenged that true statement when he told Eve, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). That’s why Satan is described as – “that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). As Jesus said about Satan, “When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”
Satan “deceives the whole world.” Remember that. The “Big Lie” has demeaned and disgraced the human race since the devil deceived Eve. The lies we hear, whatever the source, are part of that today. People lie to themselves, to family members, neighbors, fellow students, co-workers, and strangers. Just like ancient Israel, government leaders lie to the people they are supposed to represent. Lying abounds. It’s everywhere.
Deception in the Church
Unfortunately, the “Big Lie” has affected Christians across the world. Followers of Jesus Christ are supposed to be truth-tellers, not liars –
Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. Ephesians 4:25
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds. Colossians 3:9
Jesus and the apostles warned God’s people many times in the New Testament to beware of the lies they would be told, even by church leaders –
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-16
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Acts 20:28-30
They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. Titus 1:16
These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever … These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. Jude 1:12-13, 16-19
The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 1 Peter 5:1-3
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 2 Peter 2:1-2
The Apostle John ended his first letter in a way all Christians should take note –
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:19-20
Christians are the only people on earth who can possibly know when someone is telling “The Big Lie.” Why? Because we “know” the Son of God “who is true.” Jesus said, rightly so, that He “is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
Time To Shape Up
The time has come (in fact it is long past due) that Christians need to wake up and shape up. We are buying into the “big lie” being told all around us. Many of us are even participating in sharing those big lies in our churches, small groups, and with friends. That has also been predicted –
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. 1 Timothy 4:1-2
Notice the progression –
- some will depart from the faith
- giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons
- speaking lies in hypocrisy
- having their own conscience seared with a hot iron
That is happening all across the world today as people are “deconstructing and deconverting.” It’s happening in churches, denominations, Bible colleges and seminaries. People are departing from the faith. They are giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. They are speaking lies in hypocrisy. Their consciences are seared with a hot iron.
Jesus is building His Church, so He will be successful. However, many people in churches across the world will never see Heaven. They have bought into the “Big Lie.”
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Matthew 13:41-43
Apologetics for False Preachers & Teachers
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Published by gracelifethoughts
Founder & Director of GraceLife Ministries View all posts by gracelifethoughts
