True Lies #1

Fred R. Coulter—July 9, 1994

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As I was going out of a store there was advertising for the television schedule for the week, and it was promoting a television show that stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, which is called True Lies. We know that there is no such thing as true lies.

We know that the Apostle John gives us some very profound things concerning lies, liars, and so forth. In putting all of this together it gives us quite an impact. Today we're going to do a study in the Bible concerning lies.

I thought it was profound, what a time we live in, that we actually have the title of television program called True Lies. We're going to see that Satan the devil would love us to believe, that his lies are true.

From: Special Studies of Greek Words The Seven General Epistles book, pg 115:

"LIE," "LYING," "LIARS" and "FALSE PROPHETS"

In stark contrast to the Truth…

We'll do a special study of "Truth" a little bit later.

…are lies, liars and lying prophets who teach false doctrines. The English noun "lie" is translated from the Greek noun 'pseudos.' The English verbs "lying" and "lie" are translated from different forms of the Greek verb 'pseudomai,' which means "to lie." He Greek noun that is translated "liar" is 'pseustees.' He word for false prophets, literally "lying prophets," is 'peseudopropheetees.'

We have in the English words that are called 'pseudonyms,' which then are false names. There is such a thing as 'pseudo grace' and 'pseudo Truth,' which then is almost the title True Lies. Let's review all the Scriptures in 1-John:

LYING:

1-John 1:6: "If we proclaim that we have fellowship with Him, but we are walking in the darkness, we are lying to ourselves, and we are not practicing the Truth."

Of course, that's the worst form of lying, to lie to yourself,  because you believe the lies as though they are truth. When you live that way, you cannot practice the Truth. The Truth is the whole way of God! So, John gives us the clear cut realities so that we can understand the days we're living in.

LIE—the noun:

1-John 2:21: "I did not write to you because you do not know the Truth, but because you know it, and you understand that not one lie comes from the Truth." Why?

• God is Light
• God is Truth
• God cannot lie

So, there's never a lie that's going to come from God! A lie is never going to originate out from God.

People can twist and turn the Scriptures to make the Scriptures appear to say something that it doesn't. We're warned of that, and this is exactly what people are doing today.

We have never lived in a time when the value of truth has been so lowered that we would even come to the point of having a movie or video put out called True Lies.

2-Peter 3:15: "And bear in mind that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation, exactly as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has also written to you; as he has also in all his epistles, speaking in them concerning these things; in which are some things that are difficult to understand…" (vs 15-16).

Now John, in writing his epistles is not giving us anything that's hard to understand. It is clear, precise, light and darkness, truth and error; that's the whole basis of writing these epistles. But here's what they do:

 "…which the ignorant…" (v 16)—unlearned; they don't know the Scriptures, they don't understand God, they have never really comprehended the Gospel.

"…and unstable…" (v 16). What does it say about 'every wind of doctrine' and about 'the slight of men'? Unstable! In other words, if they're unstable and don't know the Truth, what are they going to do with the Word of God? They're going to interpret it the way that they want to! If you're walking in the darkness you misinterpret the Truth and twist it. We're going to see how that is accomplished today.

"…are twisting and distorting, as they also twist and distort the rest of the Scriptures to their own destruction" (v 16).

So, the Apostle John is writing about the same thing: there is not coming from the Truth a single lie!

Here's what becomes important for long-time Christians who should know better. There are people today who know better.

One evangelist, before he was called into the Church of God, who was ready to write a book on metaphysics, which is a term used for all of the philosophy and demon-type religions of the world. So, he confronted another evangelist in the Church of God and said, 'I know where you are getting all of this Trinity stuff; from Plato, from Aristotle, from Socrates. I know because I studied it.' So, the man who was promulgating it, the evangelist who was the leader in this, said, 'Yes, that's true.'

God is also going to bring the Truth to the liars, so that the liars have to admit that they know the Truth and that they know they're lying, which is even more damnable than you can think of. Here is where true Christians should be today:

continuing in Word Studies:

1-John 2:27: "But you yourselves have dwelling in you the anointing… [from the Holy Spirit] …that you received from Him; and you do not have need of anyone to indoctrinate you… ['didaske'—to teach] …for the same anointing instructs you in all spiritual things, and is true, and is not a lie; and if you do exactly as it has taught you, you will be dwelling in Him."

True Christians today should have the stability, the conviction, and the understanding that when someone comes along to indoctrinate you with false teachings, that you know what's happening. That's why John is writing.

LIARS:

1-John 1:10: "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us."

That's what Satan is always done, tried to make God the liar. What does a liar always do? You can watch it on the nightly news! A liar always accuses someone else of exactly what he is doing!

We're going to see that Satan is the father of lies, and he's accusing God of lying. If we make God a liar, we are blaspheming God directly, and His Word is not in us! This is saying that:

• we don't have a sinful nature
• we don't sin
• we're all good people

What we're doing is saying that God is a liar.

1-John 2:4: The one who says, 'I know Him' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him."
When people say that you don't need to keep the commandments of God to be saved, you know they're a liar. And anyone who is a liar 'does not have the Truth dwelling in them.'

Verse 22: "Who is the liar if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist—the one who denies the Father and the Son."

1-John 4:20: "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if he does not love his brother whom he has seen, how is he able to love God Whom he has not seen?

1-John 5:10: "The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar…

If you don't believe God, if you don't believe Christ, you make God a liar.

…because he has not believed in the witness that God has witnessed concerning His Son" (v 10).

FALSE PROPHETS:

1-John 4:1: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits… [that's what we are doing] …whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Concerning 1-John 2:22: "Who is the liar if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist—the one who denies the Father and the Son."

Antichrist means that they are against Christ, so we are talking about those who are against Christ. You have a category of people who are 'twilight Christians.' They're kind of in the light, but still in darkness. They're straddling the fence. I think you have a whole lot of Protestants in that category. They're not antichrist, but they're not really for Him; they're kind of in that middle ground.

Here John is giving no middle ground. He's saying that if you're denying Christ, especially in works, then you are antichrist, you're denying the Father and the Son!

So, these things are more than just verbal. How do you really deny? In works, in your life, in your communication! A lot of people say they 'love the Lord, I know the Lord.'

Let's look at the translation concerning knowing. After John goes through the Light and the darkness:

1-John 2:3: "And by this standard we know that we know Him: if we keep His commandments. The one who says, 'I know Him' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar… [we're going to be dealing with liars today and see what they do] …and the Truth is not in him. On the other hand, if anyone is keeping His Word, truly in this one the love of God is being perfected…." (vs 3-5)—constantly being perfected.

• Do you love God more today, than you did when you were first called? Yes!
• When you were first called, did you have the love of God perfected in you to that point? Yes!
• After knowing God more, loving God more and understanding His Word more, do you have it perfected in you to a greater degree? Yes!

So, it is a constant state of perfection! And he pinnacle of that perfection is going to be at the resurrection. So, it is being fulfilled! Being perfected!

"…By this means we know that we are in Him" (v 5).

What does a liar do? This becomes very important. As a matter of fact, when I went through the series on James, I did a whole sermon on judging the Law. This is what happens.

There are some people who are not totally against God. There are many people who are totally against God. I think that what we are seeing is that God is giving in this society a clear distinction between those who are willing to follow God and those that aren't.

But here's what happens when a person does not keep the commandments of God. They may keep some of them, but remember: Commandment-keeping is required of all human beings! That is a requirement!

James 4:11: "Brethren, do not talk against one another. The one who talks against a brother, and judges his brother, is speaking against the Law, and is judging the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law; rather, you are a judge. But there is only one Lawgiver, Who has power to save and to destroy. Who are you that you presume to judge another?" (vs 11-12).

This means judging them unto salvation! Condemning them when they perhaps should not be condemned. Sitting in the seat of God to judge their heart!

How many times that you thought that you really knew what someone was thinking? Which is an incongruity. You may guess what they're thinking, but you cannot know what they're thinking! Who is the heart-knowing Being? God is! He's called the heart-knowing God!

This does not mean that we are not to make judgments that we are supposed to make, because we are. Jesus said that we are to judge righteous judgment! But then this has to be judging unto condemnation. This has to be sitting in the seat of God! This has to also come over to judging the Law as to which Laws of God are good or not good. They're all good! This is picking and choosing to do what you want to do, and then condemning other people thinking that you know their heart.

So, this is pretty profound, they're actually sitting in the seat of God. That's why He says there is one Lawgiver, Who is God!

Isn't that what people do when they judge the Word of God? There's only one heart-knowing God. That's what it means where you read in the King James, 'God Who knows the heart'; it's actually the  heart-knowing God!

The whole basis then is what happens when these people come along, and this is where the Protestants put themselves in a bind. They come along and say that they like commandment #1, and we like commandment #2, 'but we have to have our cross. Yes, we like commandment #3, but we hate commandment #4.' Why do they say they don't want to keep the Sabbath? Here's the judging of the Law! This happens all the time, and this is how the deceitfulness of the mind works. They say that they keep the first day of the week because:

• God gave the Sabbath to the Jews.

Wrong! He gave it to mankind!

• the Jews abused the Sabbath, so therefore we don't keep the Sabbath, we keep Sunday

What have they done? They've judge God! They've judged the Law! And they have approached it in a carnal-minded manner, which is this way: Whenever sin abounds, and they can't control it any longer, they do away with the Law.

One that they're trying to get into California is: Since prostitution really is a 'private sin,' and so many people are doing it, we ought to take it off the statute books as a law. You could say the same thing with murder. Since so many people are being murdered, we ought to take it off the statute books; after all, just think how much money we could save the state.

So, the Protestants have taken the same approach to the Sabbath and the Holy Days. 'Since the Jews abused it, and we don't want to be like the Jews, we'll keep Sunday, we're good enough.'

• they have judged God
• they have judged Christ
• they have judged the Law

That's what people do! That's why it's very important that we understand the difference between the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of deception or error.

Now we're going to study in the Bible certain things of what people do, and we are seeing exactly how this society is being taken down. The say the same thing concerning homosexuality, 'We are here, we are queer and we aren't going away.' So, what do they do? Let's take away all the laws concerning sexual behavior! But you better find a cure for AIDS or you aren't going to get our vote. Do you see the incongruities that happen? Remember that because certain people:

• break the commandments of God
• or a majority of people are breaking the commandments of God
• or because a law no longer becomes enforceable because everyone is breaking it

does not do away with the Law! You can take any Law of God, any commandment of God and say that the population is breaking it so much that we ought to do away with it. 

• they did away with honoring father and mother; look at the trouble we have
• they have done away with most of the sex laws, and look what we have
• they have allowed divorce for any reason, and look what we have

All of those extract a penalty upon society. Here's how it gets started; this is how people come to the attitude of having what they believe are true lies.

Isaiah 5:18: "Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin with cart ropes." In other words, they're just pulling their sins along with them.

Verse 19: "Who say, 'Let Him hurry and hasten His work, so that we may see it…'"—challenging God! 'We want to see what God is going to do, and He better do it quickly. If He doesn't do it quickly, we won't believe.'

What did they say of Jesus when He was on the cross? If You're the Son of God, we'll believe You if You come down off the cross! But you don't accept God on your terms. You come to God on Histerms.

"…and let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, so that we may know!" (v 19). Challenging God! What does God do? He just backs off and let's them have their way, their vanity, and do what they want to do! Then the next step:

Verse 20: "Woe to those who call evil good…" That's what happens when you depreciate, denigrate, or do away with laws and commandments, because people don't keep them. Let's do away with the Law 'thou shalt not steal.' Let's do away with any of the Laws and you have problems!

"…and good evil…" (v 20). We become the evil people; we are the radical right. And it has been shown that those of Judaism are the ones who are stirring this all up, because of their hatred for Christ, and their hatred toward people who want to live peaceable and quite lives, and have standards. So, we are the radical right; we are the unchristian Christian, as we are called politically today.

"…who put darkness for light and light for darkness… [that is true lies; there it is] …who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" (vs 20-21).

• What happens when that takes place?
• What happens when people are wise in their own eyes?
• What happens when people reject the Law of God?
• What happens when people call evil good and call good evil?
• It turns the whole world upside down!

Which is what John is fighting here in 1st, 2nd & 3rd-John. He's making it clear to the true Christians, don't let that happen! Don't let the deception come on you?

Romans 1:18: "Indeed, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the Truth in unrighteousness."

Brethren, we have never lived in a time when the general population of the world holds the Truth in unrighteousness, as we have today. "…who suppress the Truth in unrighteousness." That is the Truth of God.

Verse 19: "Because that which may be known of God is manifest among them, for God has manifested it to them… [How did He show it to them?] …for the invisible things of Him are perceived from the creation of the world, being understood by the things that were made…" (vs 19-20)—the whole creation! Can you imagine that?

• God created the universe
• God created the solar system
• God created the earth and everything that is here

Everything for us! This whole beautiful, wonderful earth! He gave it to man, saying, 'I'm giving this to you.' He created us with the mind and abilities that we have, making us just a little lower than Himself.

• we turn around and hate God
• we turn around and have the audacity to say that God does not exist

I say we in relationship to human beings, not us who are Christians! God showed to them, being clearly seen:

Verse 20: "For the invisible things of Him are perceived from the creation of the world, being understood by the things that were made—both His eternal power and Godhead—…" (v 20)—because God upholds the whole vastness of the universe and everything that there is.

"…so that they are without excuse" (v 20). Every time I see Carl Sagan trying to explain the universe, it just makes me want to vomit!

Verse 21: "Because when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but they became vain in their own reasonings, and their foolish hearts were darkened. While professing themselves to be the wise ones, they became fools and changed the glory… [Is that not happening today? Yes!] …of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of corruptible man…" (vs 21-23).

• What happens when they are wise in their own eyes and they are prudent in their own sight?
• What do they do? They reject God! They reject the Truth!
• Has not mankind always done that? Yes!
• Under the guise of education, have they not educated themselves into more and more evil? Yes!

Isaiah 5:22: "Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!" (vs 22-23).

That's what they're trying to do. There's going to come a day when we're all going to have to stand before God in a public way. Exactly how it's going to come, exactly how it's going to happen, we don't know, but it's going to come!

Verse 24: "Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame burns up the chaff; their root shall be like rottenness, and their blossoms shall go up like dust…"

Note Rev. 20-21; you can pick out the verses concerning the Lake of Fire. So, not only is it going to happen now, it's also going to happen at the Lake of Fire. Why?

"…because they have cast away the Law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel" (v 24).

This ties in with exactly what we have seen. Not only is it commandment-keeping, but it's the words of God and the sayings of God. Christ said that they came from the Father. We need to know where this comes from, and if there's anyone who is a master at bringing true lies—which is a contradiction; there's no such thing as a true lie, but a lie that looks true; a lie that sounds true—it is Satan the devil!

This ties right in with what John was writing. That's why Christianity, though there can be some very technical things involved, true Christianity and God's way is really very simple, as simple as:

• light and darkness
• truth and error
• commandment-keeping vs sin

John makes it very profound and clear:

John 8:34: "Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a servant of sin.'" And a servant you are to whom you obey!

Verse 35: "And the servant does not live in the house forever; but the Son lives forever. Therefore, if the Son shall set you free, you shall truly be free" (vs 35-36). That's what we want, but there's the obligation for us to keep the commandments of God.

Verse 37: "I know that you are Abraham's seed; but you are seeking to kill Me, because My words do not enter into your minds." Again, if you're not keeping the commandments of God you're a liar. The Truth of God cannot have an entrance in to someone who is a liar.

Verse 38: "I speak the things that I have seen from My Father, and you do the things that you have seen from your father." He uses that four times in relationship to the devil!

Verse 39: "They answered and said to Him, 'Our father is Abraham.' Jesus said to them, 'If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.'" What did Abraham do?

• Abraham obeyed!
• Abraham believed God!

Isn't that part of obedience? Yes! God told Abraham, 'You get up from your father's house and your kindred and country and you go to a place that I will show you.' He went! God took Abraham out and showed him all the stars at night, and said, 'Abraham, look up at these stars and if you can number them'—which he couldn't—'I tell you so shall your seed be.' Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness!

Why did Isaac receive the promise that was given to Abraham and passed on to him? Let's read that! John 8 shows that they were not doing the works of Abraham, but their own works.

For those of you who are combating Protestants, this is a very good verse to go to, because you can have them turn there and you can just ask them: What does this mean?

Genesis 26:4: "And I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and will give to your seed all these lands. And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws" (vs 4-5).

That, brethren, is a powerful verse! That tells you the whole summation of the Gospel, right there, these two verses, but especially that"

• "…Abraham obeyed My voice…" that's what we're to do.

• "…and kept My charge…"—whatever it was that God wanted him to do.

• "…My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."

See how that ties in with anyone who says, 'I have known Him and is not keeping His commandments is a liar and the Truth is not in him.' If you know God, you're going to want to keep the commandments. Why? Because the commandments are all based on love! The commandments tell us what sin is! God is so fantastic that He didn't make us robots to where every time we sin we would be cattle-prodded—ZAP! He gave us choice! That's what God is going to do with everyone in the world, everyone in the Church. We're going to exercise our free choice:

• Are we going to do the works of Abraham?

or

• Are we not?
• Are we going to believe God and follow what He says?

or

• Are we going to judge God, and judge God's laws?
• Are we going to keep the commandments of God

or

• Are we going to judge them and say which ones we will or won't?
• Are we going to say, because this has been abused in the past, that because there's so much sin around that we need to get rid of the Law?

There are some people even within the Church of God who have that attitude. Which is the least commandment to you?

John 8:39: "…Jesus said to them, 'If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has spoken the Truth to you, which I have heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father'…." (vs 39-41).

• Who is our father?
• Every Christian needs to ask: Is God your Father?
• If He is, are you doing the works of Abraham?
• If you are, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise!

Notice what happens when they're confronted with the Truth.

"…Then they said to Him, 'We have not been born of fornication….'" (v 41). How do you discredit someone who is telling the Truth? You lie! You impugn them! You accuse them!

"'…We have one Father, and that is God.' Therefore, Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I proceeded forth and came from God. For I have not come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why don't you understand My speech? Because you cannot bear to hear My words'" (vs 41-43).

The Greek there is 'un dunatai'—you do not have the ability or the capacity. If you are living in sin you cannot understand the Truth of God. How can those who are living in sin and know not God interpret the Bible for us? Can't be done!

Verse 44: "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you desire to practice. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the Truth because there is no Truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he is speaking from his own self; for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I speak the Truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you can convict Me of sin? But if I speak the Truth, why don't you believe Me? The one who is of God hears the words of God. For this reason you do not hear, because you are not of God" (vs 44-47).

These were the people who were the physical descendants from Abraham; Jesus said, 'I know you're Abraham's seed.' This is some pretty powerful stuff! This all ties in with judging the Law, with true lies! You make the lie sound so truthful, that it sounds so good that everyone wants to follow it.

2-Peter 2:1: "But there were also false prophets among the people, as indeed there will be false teachers among you…"

That's why John said, 1-John 4:1: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." This is telling us that false prophets are led and motivated by the demon spirits, the false spirits.

2-Peter 2:1: "…there will be false teachers among you…" The way that you destroy that guard is to say that 'the elect can never be deceived; that's it's impossible to deceive the elect. That this corporation is the only Church of God'—they will claim—'and if you stay in this Church of God you will never be deceived. If you leave you will be deceived.' But they never ask what will happen when the 'slight of hand' takes place in the leadership and the false teachers come from within here's what happens.

"…there will be false teachers among you, who will stealthily…" (v 1)—who will secretly, unknowingly to the people in the Church bring in damnable heresies:

"…introduce destructive heresies, personally denying the Lord who bought them, and bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many people will follow as authoritative their destructive ways; and because of them, the way of the Truth will be blasphemed" (vs 1-2). That is God's way, "…the way of the Truth…" and shall be evil spoken of.

That's how they begin calling good evil, and evil good. Then it takes place right within the very Churches of God. We're going to see, when we get into John a little bit further, that he also shows that there are 'the children of the devil.'

John 8:44: "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you desire to practice. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the Truth because there is no Truth in him…."

We're going to see how Satan the devil comes and twists the Truth and speaks evil of the Truth. Unless you know the Truth and stand for the Truth, when these things come along to twist it, you're going to come up short.

"…Whenever he speaks a lie, he is speaking from his own self; for he is a liar, and the father of it" (v 44).

Let's take a little bit different view of Gen. 3. I know that for years all one minister did was preach Gen. 1-3. Every time people came to church that's all they heard and got literally worn out with it. Every time he would get up and preach and say, 'I want to tell you about Adam and Eve…' CLICK! The lights (in the mind) would go off, the mind would shut down and they would sit there and say, 'Oh, no, not this again!' So, let's look at it a little differently!

Genesis 2:15: "And the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and keep it." That's our responsibility to take care of the Earth. God gave it to us.

Verse 16: "And the LORD God commanded the man… [whatever God commands is a command of God] …saying, 'You may freely eat of every tree in the garden, but you shall not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil…'" (vs 16-17). This is not an allegory; I believe there was a literal Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and there was a literal Tree of Life. They did symbolize two ways.

• the Tree of Life—God's way
• the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil—Satan's way, which became man's way

At this point Adam and Eve were not hostile.

Verse 17: But you shall not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil for in the day that you eat of it in dying you shall surely die." It does not have any implication whatsoever to be immediate or instantaneous. But if the potential for death comes into you "…in the day that you eat of it…" the law of death, are you not dead though you are still alive in the flesh? Yes!

All of us are in the process of aging and dying. And if it is not for Christ and God the Father we would have no hope. I know that no one is going to turn back the hand of the aging process. We can slow it a little bit, we make it so that it is not as painful. We can make it maybe a little easier, but it's going to happen! "…in dying you shall surely die." That applies to everyone.

Verse 18: "And the LORD God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make a helper compatible for him.'"

Now let's see what the serpent did. I think we can answer one Scripture a little later without condemnation of women.

Genesis 3:1: "Now, the serpent was more cunning than any creature of the field, which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman…" Here comes the challenge! Here is a true lie; part of the truth, but a lie.

"…'Is it true that God has said, "You shall not eat of any tree of the garden"?'" (v 1)—except one. So, Satan came along and said, 'God said that you can't eat of any of the trees. Is that not right?' So, you have to answer the challenge:

Verse 2: "And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may freely eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has indeed said, "You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die"'" (vs 2-3).

We don't know if "…neither shall you touch it…" was added instruction or something that Eve added into it. We can't say. I've heard people say that Eve twisted it and added to it, but that may have been a proper answer. God did not say they couldn't touch it, but then on the other hand, it's like anything else, like any sin, you get up next to it and you stroke it a little bit. What's happening is that your lust is getting carried away already.

Verse 4: "And the serpent said to the woman, 'In dying, you shall not surely die!'" The way of Truth is evil spoken of! There's the tactic, right there! What's another way of saying it?

• There can be a different way of salvation!
• You're good people and all good people are going to find God sooner or later!
• All religions have goodness in them!

Verse 5: "For God knows…" If you use God, now you speak evil of God! Isn't that what you do when you judge the Law? You speak evil of the Lawgiver!

• God Who is Light
• God Who is Truth
• God Who is love

• Now you accuse God of sin?
• Now you accuse God of being evil?

The liar accuses his enemy with the same accusation that he's doing. That's exactly what Satan did! "…God knows…" is saying that 'I [Satan] know more than God.' Isn't that what Satan is saying? Yes!

Verse 5: "For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be like God…"—Elohim. Satan always gives a counterfeit salvation, which is guaranteeing death!

"…deciding good and evil" (v 5)

• you determine what is right and wrong
• you determine what is good and evil
• you be the judge
• you create the law
• you make the law

God doesn't know what He's talking about! God knows that if you eat of this tree you will be intelligent, wise, understanding and your eyes will be opened!

Verse 6: "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasing to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise…"

What are we told over and over again? Instead of repentance to stop sin, we are told we need to study the matter and understand it!

• if we know more about the AIDS virus, we will be able to conquer it
• if we know more about human beings hate each other, we can overcome it

Rather than repentance!

Everything that Satan does, he replaces false knowledge for Truth and repentance. That's how all these false doctrines get in.

"…she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. And the eyes of both of them were opened…" (vs 6-7). Not to understand Truth, but to understand and practice sin.

"…and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves" (v 7).

You know the rest of the story, they were sentence to death with 'the law of sin and death in them.'

1-Tim. 2 will help us to understand a little bit more concerning what happened then.

1-Timothy 2:13: "For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived…" (vs 13-14). I've wondered about that verse; have you wondered about that verse? In order to eat of it he had to be deceived. It says that:

"…Adam was not deceived; but the woman came to be in transgression by being deceived" (v 14). The answer is so simple it's incredible. Adam did not talk to Satan! Eve did, and she was deceived by Satan directly. Adam was not deceived by Satan directly. What he did, he opted to sin knowing better, because his wife said, 'Try it, you'll like it!'

• He knew better!
• He had no excuse!

So, what it is here is that Adam's sin was greater than Eve's! Did Adam sin? Yes! Did he talk to the devil? No! His sin was worse because he gave into his wife! The moral of the story, if it is Truth you never give into error! There could have been another way.

Romans 5:12: "Therefore, as by one man…" Adam sinned! He knew better! Eve was deceived; she didn't know better. She was in transgression through deception because of talking to the devil. Adam was in transgression and sin because he knew better and had not talked to the devil; but he believed his wife over God. How many men do that? I had not figured that out until just preparing for this sermon today.

It's not a condemnation of women that women are worse and men are better. They both sinned, but Adam's sin was not after talking to Satan. He had no excuse!

Verse 12: "Therefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and by means of sin came death; and in this way death passed into all mankind; and it is for this reason that all have sinned." That's pretty profound!

Now what happens? Let's take a Scriptural principle and let's apply it to the book of Genesis. What is sin represented by? What is symbolic of sin? A little leaven leavens the whole lump! Let's apply that to the beginning of mankind. You know the story, Cain killed Abel.

Note these Scriptures:

• Jeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"

We've all got human nature because of the sin of Adam and Eve!

• Romans 8:7: "The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God; neither indeed can it be. But those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (vs 7-8).
• Proverbs 14:12 & 16:25: "There is a way, which seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death."

Every time you think of human nature, those Scriptures should pop right into your mind. What happens when everyone is operating their lives that way?

Genesis 6:5: "And the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth…" We are experiencing that again today. And for those who know the Truth of God it is a painful and mentally difficult thing to live in this world the way that it is.

"…and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (v 5). It means that not only the thoughts, but the purposes, goals and the desires. Evil mean from his youth up!
Are we experiencing the same thing today? Yes! What have they had to do because of horrible and heinous crimes? They have to try some teenagers as young as 13-years-old as adults!

It wouldn't surprise me it they wouldn't have to lower that to age 10, because there are some kids who—because of this society that Satan is running—are so evil in every imagination that they have, that they are capital crimes at age 10. When God sees that, there can be no greater evil! "…the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

Verse 6: "And the LORD repented that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart." That's a profound verse! Why did it grieve Him? Because God is love! God knew not only the suffering that human beings were going through, but God also knew what He would have to go through!

Verse 7: "And the LORD said, 'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and the crawling thing, and the fowl of the air; for I repent that I have made them.' But Noah found grace… [one man] …in the eyes of the LORD." That's something! That for the sake of one man!

How many times when we come to the Bible and the narration of the Truth vs evil does it get down to one man?

• Noah
• Abraham
• Isaac and Jacob received it because of Abraham

You might go through and study the story of one man. You can apply that to many different men down through the Bible, and it comes down to the one man Christ! Very profound!

Let's understand that God said and promised to Noah and his descendants that He would never flood the earth and destroy all life like He did. He gave the sign of the rainbow as His word that He would not do it.

One of the reasons why it is so difficult to live in this en-time is because now God has taken off the restraining factors of evil. That's why it's so difficult. Evil is succeeding where evil in the past failed. It's going to get so bad in this society… and remember what it says in the Proverbs, that when the king is evil or the leaders are evil, all the people become increasingly more evil! So, it gets down to this:

Ezekiel 14:12: "The Word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'Son of man, when a land sins against Me by trespassing grievously…'" (vs 12-13). We don't have a full comprehension or the degree of what grievously means.
"'…and I stretch out My hand on it, and break the staff of its bread… [we're seeing that happening] …and send famine on it, and will cut off man and beast from it" (v 13). Just keep up with the news!

Verse 14: "'And though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job… [none of us can hold a candle to any of them] …were in it, they should deliver only their own lives by their righteousness,' says the Lord GOD." That's pretty tough! We need to think about that when we think about:

• Light and Truth vs darkness
• commandment-keeping vs commandment-breaking
• having a pseudo grace, where anything is okay to do as long as you love the Lord

We need to think about that! This is profound! This is prophecy. Jesus said:

• heaven and earth will perish, but My words shall not perish
• think not that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets; I came not to destroy but to fulfill
• I say to you, heaven and earth may perish, but no one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law until all be fulfilled

That also includes the Prophets

Verse 15: "'If I cause wild beasts to come through the land, and they spoil it and it becomes desolate, so that no one may pass through because of the beasts, though these three men were in its midst, as I live'…" (vs 15-16).

When God swears by His life, that's pretty powerful!

"…says the Lord GOD, 'they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters. They only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, "Sword, go through the land"; so that I cut off man and beast from it; though these three men were in it… [Noah, Daniel and Job] …as I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out My fury upon it in blood, to cut off man and beast from it; though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'they shall deliver neither son nor daughter. They shall only deliver their own lives by their righteousness.' For thus says the Lord GOD, 'How much more when I send My four evil judgments against Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the destroying beast, and the pestilence, to cut off man and beast from it?'" (vs 16-21). That sequence always happens in that way! That's exactly the way the seals of Rev. 6 unfold.
Revelation 6:2: "And I looked, and behold, there was a white horse…"

• false religion
• false gods
• deception

When that happens, v 3: "And when He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, 'Come and see.' And another horse went out that was red; and power was given to the one sitting on it to take peace from the earth, and to cause them to kill one another; and a great sword was given to him" (vs 3-4).

Ezekiel 14:21: "For thus says the Lord GOD, 'How much more when I send My four evil judgments against Jerusalem…" why was it upon Jerusalem? Because of their false religion! What did He send?

"…the sword…" (v 21). What is the second seal? A Sword! It follows the same pattern.

"…and the famine…" (v 21).

Revelation 6:5: "And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, there was a black horse; and the one sitting on it had a balance in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say, 'A measure of wheat for a silver coin, and three measures of barley for a silver coin… [famine] …and see that you do not damage the oil and the wine'" (vs 5-6).

The next one is the pestilence, v 7: "And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, there was a pale horse; and the name of the one sitting on it was Death, and the grave followed him…" (vs 7-8).

If you ever see on the news anything to do with Rwanda, there it is. They had war, death, disease, starvation, all of those things right there. They follow just like that, one, two, three, four; just like God said, same pattern.

Again, remember the title of this sermon: True Lies! What do you believe is true, though it is a lie?

Jeremiah 9:1: "Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! Oh, that I had in the wilderness a lodging place for traveling men, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men" (vs 1-2).

How bad is it going to get? Here's Jeremiah who said he just wanted to go some place and bawl until there was nothing left within him. That's something!

Verse 3: "'And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies. But they are not valiant for the Truth on the earth… [all these lies] …for they go from evil to evil, and they do not know Me,' says the LORD. 'Everyone beware of his neighbor, and do not trust any brother! For every brother will supplant his neighbor, and will walk with slanders. And everyone will deceive his neighbor and will not speak the truth…'" (vs 3-5).

I never thought there would be a time that we could say that's literally what's happening in the world today, in the society around us today. All the leaders stand up and all they do is lie! No one will speak the truth! You can't trust anybody!

"'…they have taught their tongue to speak lies…'" (v 5). When you come to that point and you have lied to yourself, you believe the lies! What becomes so sad is when clever men come along and take the Scriptures and twist them and deceitfully use the Scriptures for their own gain. Then the brethren are put in such a compromising position that they cannot stand for the Truth in their own lives because of fear! That's what becomes so bad!

"'…and they weary themselves to commit iniquity. Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me,' says the LORD." (vs 5-6).

So, we're living in a society of true lies! In Part two we will see how it affects everyone and what God is going to do about it.

All Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version

Scriptural References:

• 1 John 1:6
• 1 John 2:21
• 2 Peter 3:15-16
• 1 John 2:27
• 1 John 1:10
• 1 John 2:4, 22
• 1 John 4:20
• 1 John 5:10
• 1 John 4:1
• 1 John 2:22, 3-5
• James 4:11-12
• Isaiah 5:18-21
• Romans 1:18-23
• Isaiah 5:22-24
• John 8:34-39
• Genesis 26:4-5
• John 8:39-47
• 2 Peter 2:1
• 1 John 4:1
• 2 Peter 2:1-2
• John 8:44
• Genesis 2:15-18
• Genesis 3:1-7
• 1 Timothy 2:13-14
• Romans 5:12
• Jeremiah 17:9
• Romans 8:7-8
• Proverbs 14:12
• Proverbs 16:25
• Genesis 6:5-7
• Ezekiel 14:12-21
• Revelation 6:2-4
• Ezekiel 14:21
• Revelation 6:5-8
• Jeremiah 9:1-6

Scriptures referenced, not quoted: Revelation 20; 21

Also referenced:

• Book: Seven General Epistles by Fred R. Coulter
• Sermon Series: Epistle of James

FRC: bo
Transcribed: 6/5/17