Deceived or Willing Disobedience

flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life all three of the devil's devices Eve succumbed to the Temptation the next phrase together with that phrase that she took of the fruitinate says and he and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat will provide the context for this lesson and here's what we want to talk about in a very real sense we see that Eve was deceived by the serpent it's quite clear in the preceding verses where the serpent begins to seed sow those seeds of doubt and then makes false promises concerning what would happen if she partooker the fruit Adam's role is almost told incidentally it's like it's it's almost an aside Eve eight she handed the fruit to her husband and he ate the interesting thing is there is no mention of Temptation of deception or or really even a discussion about what she had done it appears he just followed her lead and so I want to look today at both of these actions in this lesson and probably more on the the first one than the second one but we will discuss both and that is I've titled the lesson deceived or willingly disobedient so let's look at this deception of e even its implications for us the verse we read said that Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression Now that statement does not in any way vindicate Adam it doesn't make Eve out to be the one that was well it's all her fault and it's wrong and not in any way but what it does point out is that Eve fell because she was deceived she fell due to deception and yet Adam willingly followed her into that Disobedience when God asked Eve in Genesis 3 13 she said he said what is this that thou has done Eve answered the serpent beguiled and the word there is sometimes translated his same word translated deceived he deceived me he fooled me I wasn't expecting it and because of that I did eat now last week we spent plenty of time to see how he did that so I don't want to look so much how he does that how he tempts but I do want to talk to us about a very important subject today and that is deception now I thought about this it's it's not really the best thing that you know exciting thing to do on a Sunday morning talk about deception but there's really no way to frame the fall in a good light other than there is a promise of a redeemer that will come later but when you look at the father there's really nothing good about it but it is bring us a good warning and that is why it is there

Webster defines deception as the act of causing someone now this is interesting to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid to accept it as true even though it's not that to accept it that way and indeed the Serpent's lie has compelled Eve to accept it as truth that what God had said was a lie think about that to he convinced her he deceived her into thinking what God Said is not the truth according to Eve God had said in Genesis 3 3 God told us but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst you shall not eat of it don't touch it lest you die yet the devil turns around and said I don't believe that you shall not surely die for God knows when you eat thereof your eyes will be opened and you'll be as God's knowing good and evil and so Eve was deceived into accepting the Serpent's words and ignoring the things that God had to say so deception will do to us it may seem at the outset that Eve's Choice should have been quite a simple just a simple decision right do I believe God am I going to believe you I believe God that comes and talks with us in the cool of the day and communes with us in the garden or do I believe this snake over here which one am I going to go with and and here's the thing while it is true that under most circumstances it here's what is when one begins to be deceived things get complicated when suddenly we're not really sure about things things get mixed up and here's the the thing about deception by its very nature it can trip up any one of us we have to be careful we have to be on guard for it because if one is truly deceived you don't realize you're deceived that's why it's called deception if you're deceived you can believe something and have and be convinced of it and have no idea that what you're in the middle of is wrong that is why we need to be so careful when it comes to the things of God and so this lesson is a warning to us to help us today there are many voices in our world that are going to tell you many different things there are false doctrines that are just so close to the truth that that if we're not careful we can find ourselves believing a lie and it's imperative that we understand how to avoid deception and being deceived in spiritual things

throughout the Bible we're cautioned against deception Moses warned Israel in Deuteronomy 11 16 he told them he said take heed to yourselves and to your that your heart be not deceived because if it is you'll turn aside you'll serve other gods in your worship them take heed that word there be careful watch out be looking for it expect it be careful it is possible that your heart can deceive you you see heart refers to that seat of emotions and if we're not careful the one thing that will deceive us usually before up here is right here because often what feels so right can be in direct opposition to the word of God and that word translated heed means to guard or to watch or to keep yourself keep yourself because your heart can lead you astray

Jeremiah warned us this of Jeremiah 17 9 he said the heart it is deceitful it is deceiving above all things and and desperately wicked he said and who can know it in other words our heart will tend to deceive us because we will follow those emotions and we will follow those things even though we may know better and we've all been there let's admit it I know I shouldn't be doing this but I just really want to do it I just really feel like I should and the Heart can lead us into deception that's why Proverbs the wise man Solomon wrote in 423 he said you need to keep your heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life be careful where your affections lie be careful the things that you let control your life is it any wonder that David we pray God created me a clean heart take care of this thing oh God renew a right Spirit within me I want to have the right attitudes and the right desires and those things and he said God I need you to help me with that fortunately God did promise he would do that through Ezekiel in 36 26 he said I will give you a new heart and I will put my spirit within you a new spirit and I will take away that Stony heart out of your flesh

Jesus warned us about deception the disciples asked Jesus about the last days in in Matthew 24 and he begins to tell them the things that would happen we've heard it before there's going to be wars and rumors of wars and earthquakes and all these things that he begins to talk about but then he says this at the beginning of it he said in verse 4 take heed that nobody deceives you again we see this this emphasis take heed why are we talking about that this morning well it's it's all through the Bible take heed be on guard don't be deceived and here's what Jesus lets us know this deception is going to increase more and more as we see the end approaching in verse 4 he says take heed in verse 24 he said there's going to arise false Christ there's going to be false prophets in other words there's going to be false doctrines and false teachings and he said some are going to show great signs and wonders in so much he said if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect take heed be careful Church don't think you can fight deception alone don't think that well I can just do it the way I think is right you're gone on Dangerous Ground it is only by the help of God and it is only by getting into his word and letting his word get in you that we will make it

Paul warned us on three different occasions be not deceived don't take it lightly don't entertain any thought contrary to the word of God verse we we quoted last couple of lessons bring into captivity every thought to The Obedience of Christ bring what this mind says and what this heart wants us to do and bring it into obedience to God's word

last week we observed the serpent began his deception by planting doubt in Eve's mind he said those words hath God said did God really say that is that God what what God really meant now you may not hear that exact words did God say that but what we might hear are things like this do you really believe that do you really think that lifestyle you're living is necessary here's one you'll hear do you really think that God will allow someone to go to hell if they're not following Acts 2 38 salvation how about do you do you have to be so narrow can't you be a little more open-minded about that is that really sin is that really wrong if I do that and if we're not careful we begin to listen to those voices and we begin to question what the word of God has to say before you answer those questions get in the word of God see what the word of God has to say

Paul like Jesus sees an increase in the deception as we get closer to the Lord's return he wrote in second Timothy 3 13. he said but evil men and seducers are going to wax worse and worse there's going to be more and more I think that's why this lesson is so important for us today if it was important two thousand years ago when Paul's writing it how much more for us don't be deceived he said because they're going to wax worse and worse and here's what they are going to do they're going to deceive and they are going to be deceived not only will they deceive others but they will even deceive themselves they don't even realize they're doing it you know there's no no one more convincing this than someone who's convinced no one is more convincing than when they are convinced about something told this story a few years ago when I was I never liked popcorn unless it you know was caramel corn or something to just eat it never really cared for it a whole lot growing up and so in eighth grade the school decided Let's do an eighth grade trip and we're gonna sell popcorn so they gave us all popcorn and I went to the first door and I knocked on it I said do you like to die some popcorn we're doing an eighth grade trip and he looked at me said is it any good I said I don't know I don't like popcorn yeah I don't think I want any it's kind of hard when you get to say this stuff is great this is the best popcorn I've ever had man you ought to try this stuff makes a whole lot of difference doesn't it when you're convinced when you're convinced the problem is some people are so deceived that they can be as convincing as someone who knows the truth you can hear someone that is just convinced that this is a way you need to go and this is what the word this is how you need to live and this is okay for you to do and this and they are so convinced in themselves that if we're not fully convinced of the truth we'll believe a lie know what the word of God has to say

I can tell you when we get to revelation we see what God is going to deal how he's going to deal with the deceiver the devil that deceived them the Bible said is going to be cast in the lake of fire and brimstone with where the Beast and the false prophet are and it also talks about them who deceived many and they're going to be tormented day and night God does not like deception and this is why we need to study it

there's an interesting passage in Isaiah that kind of describes the plight of the of those that are deceived it's kind of an interesting passage he's talking about a man and he said he plants an ash tree so he puts this tree in the ground the rain does nourish it then later he takes it down it said it shall be for a man to burn so he's going to use it for firewood and he's going to take thereof and this is Isaiah 44 beginning at 14 if you want to follow along he said he's going to take thereof and he's going to warm himself yeah he kindled it he sets it on fire and he bakes bread with it and then it says yea he makes a God and worshipeth it he makes a Graven image and he falls down thereof there too so then he repeats he said he burns part of it in the fire and with part thereof he eats flesh he roasts the roast that sounds good put some on the fire to eat and he is satisfied yeah he warmeth himself and he says Ah I'm warm I've seen the fire and went the rest of it he makes a god even his Graven image and he falls down into it and he worships it and prays into it saying deliver me you're my God

and then God begins to explain this deception to us he said they have not known nor understood they're deceived they don't see what they're doing he said for he hath shut their eyes that they cannot see and their hearts that they cannot understand so they are completely deceived in what he is doing and he said in none considereth in his heart neither is there knowledge or understanding he does these things he does not understand to say I burn part in the fire I bake bread on the coals I've roasted flesh and eaten it and shall I also take the rest of it and make an Abomination does that even make sense shall I fall down he says to the stock of a tree I mean how how great a God is this if you can take part of it and burn it to satisfy your own desires and then take the rest of and say wow this is great I'm going to worship it he said you're deceived he feedeth on ashes he said a deceived heart can turn him aside here we come back to that issues of the heart it turns him into the side so much so that he cannot deliver his soul and he cannot say is this they're not a lie in my right hand is this not a false god you see there was nothing wrong with planting the tree there was nothing wrong with using it for firewood there was no issue with Building A Fire to warm himself up but be good on a day like today right there was a good thing to to break bread or to cook a roast that also sounds good today the problem was taking that same firewood and creating an idol the same tree that provided warmth and food became the thing that he worshiped at least the part that he didn't burn was the same tree that was good for nothing more than to throw in the fire the thing that would answer his prayer could the wood that warmed his flesh be that which would deliver him

now I understand none of us are going to do that today you're not going to go out in your yard cut down a tree cook some food with it warm yourself up with it and then take the rough and say oh that's my God and worship it it's not going to happen we're not going to do that we're not that Society and yet how often I have to ask are we deceived by the things that bring us comfort how many have the things that they have become the things that they live for and while we may not bow down to worship them yet when they consume our passions they can deceive us into living them for them instead of putting God first

Jesus warned us in Luke 21 34 he said and take heed here that word is again to yourselves that's at any time your hearts and here again your desires the things you do be overcharged servanting drunkenness cares of life and so that the day comes upon you unawares you're not looking you're not paying attention because you're following after what this heart wants to say Isaiah's story ends with this charge he feedeth on ashes his life in other words consistent things that are worthless in the words of Jesus in Matthew 16 26 he asked the question what is a what is a man prophet of if you gain the whole world and you lose your own soul or what will you give in exchange for your soul don't be deceived by anything that competes with the word of God we're living for the Lord Jesus Christ

so if deception is so dangerous how do we keep ourselves from it first things know the things that can deceive us be aware be looking for it both Paul and John in their writings give us examples and warnings of what to watch for First Corinthians chapter 6 Paul gives us a list of those who the Bible says will not enter the kingdom inherit the kingdom of God and he says it this way and I'll read it from the NIV version in First Corinthians 6 9 and 10. do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God well that makes sense you would think that but then he says this do not be deceived because he wants to make sure we understand what he's talking about don't be deceived don't fool yourselves and then he gives a list neither the sexual immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes or homosexual offenders nor thieves nor greedy nor drunkards nor Slanders nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God be not deceived it's quiet and I knew it would be but that's okay we're in the word of God our society has embraced all manner of immoral lifestyles people are celebrated because they came out announcing a lifestyle that Paul just says don't be deceived about it's commonplace for couples to say let's live together let's raise kids and later on down the road we'll decide let's go ahead and get married or maybe not there are so-called Christian churches that endorse these lies we're a an affirming Community we're an accepting community that will let any kind of Lifestyle be comfortable on our benches we're accepting in that we want everyone to come but we want them to meet Jesus Christ and there are even they will cater to those who live in what Paul has just condemned yet Paul's warning to us Rings loud and clear don't be deceived what may be socially acceptable may not be acceptable to God and we cannot a church we cannot deceive ourselves into thinking well let's just kind of Overlook that because see deception will always make an excuse deception will seek to justify the wrong deception will say and you've heard this well what can be wrong if they really love each other tell you today that you must base your life on the word of God if you wish to make Heaven your home there is no other way and that's why Paul says be not deceived be not deceived

the second thing Paul warns us about is who we associate with I'm not talking about who you work with and who you're friends with and but I'm talking about those that you really are close to be not deceived he said in First Corinthians 15 33 evil Communications is the way the King James translates it corrupt good manners another translation puts it this way don't let anyone deceive you associating with bad people will ruin decent people it does matter who you let influence your life if I decide well I'm going to go out with the guys on Friday night I can tell you it will put a drag on my spiritual life and while it is true I may be able to hang out in the bar and not have a drink and not participate in the things that are going on that environment will corrupt you and bring you down Bible talks about a lot and he said

he pitched his little tent toward Sodom he saw a city that he knew was sinful and yet he kind of pitched it in that direction kind of heading that way a few chapters later we hear of him again and we find out this lot is living in Sodom he's no longer just kind of looking at it but he's right there in the middle of it and shortly before God destroys Sodom we find that he is sitting in the gate of the city in other words he is in a position of influence he's comfortable he's living there in this sinful City however it's apparent his influence did nothing to impact their ungodly ways he wasn't winning them to Christ by moving into sin and having sinful things wasn't winning them to God he wasn't impacting their life the scripture never says that he actually became involved in in their sin but it does did affect his family and it affected his decision first lot was willing as the Angels Came to pull him out of Solomon Sodom the perversion of the city came beating on lots of doors saying send out the two men that you put in here so that we can lay with them and and lot said you know what how about you take my two daughters and said he was willing to sacrifice his daughters to the perversions of the crowd outside the door second the Angels literally had to grab and drag him out of the city he grabbed hold of them began to pull him come on lot it's time to go and finally lot's own wife longing for it looked back to see what was going on the Bible says she turned to a pillar of salt you can take the attitude while I'm trying to win them to Christ but you better make sure that they're not influencing you deception says I can handle it I'm strong enough I got enough Holy Ghost it won't matter but I can repeat Paul says do not be deceived you have to remember we are all flesh and we are not immune to Temptation we need to take Paul's advice to Timothy right when you see that stuff he said flee get away from it don't put yourselves into compromising situations

another deception we face is the idea that I can live however I want and God will love me anyway well he created me this way this is the way I am he'll just love me here is what we have to understand God is a god of love yes God welcomes all who come to him in faith he won't turn anyone away I don't care what you've done I don't care how you've lived if you come to him in faith and say God I want to serve you he will love and he will forgive that sin but what is not true is that he will continue to overlook that sin once you came to him we see time after time that people came to Jesus and he talked to them they were caught in sin I'm thinking of the woman in adultery they caught her in the Sin they the Pharisees they were ready to Stone her the law said she's got to die let's let's kill her Jesus looked at her and of course we know the story he wrote In The Sand we don't know what he wrote everybody eventually walks away and he looks at the woman and he said I don't condemn you either but go and sin no more he didn't say go back to your lifestyle go back to what you're doing I don't care no he said you got to change Paul asked this question in Romans 6 1. he said what shall we say then shall we continue in sin that Grace May abound you know God will forgive me there'll be more grace because every time I sin there's just more grace to you he just piles on so I'll just continue doing it because I'll get more no he said God forbid how so we that are dead to sin live any longer therein there are some who preach that once you're saved you have a guarantee of Salvation no matter what you do well you were saved don't worry about it well I know but I've slipped and I'm doing this and I'm living in sin and I'm doing this wrong and I know I shouldn't be doing that that's okay he saved you yeah you need to get back to doing right but don't worry about you're saved you accepted Jesus as your savior don't fall into that deception Paul said this is the division to the Galatians in six seven and eight be not deceived here it is again don't be deceived God is Not mocked you're not going to make fun of him whatsoever you sow you are going to reap and we like to put that in the Old Testament oh that's Old Testament stuff if you sin you shall die the soul that sinneth it shall die that's one that lives righteous he's going to live he said don't be deceived and he's writing to a church whatever you sow you will reap if you sow to the flesh you shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that sows to the spirit shall of the spirit reap everlasting life don't be deceived don't fool yourself you're never going to pull anything over on God if you sow the seeds of sin you will reap the Bible says the wages of sin is death but if you sow seeds of righteousness you will reap eternal life

We Don't Preach that you can earn salvation it's not about Good Works that save you it's about not doing evil works that's not works it's living for God we're saved by his grace and yet that grace of God that saves us is the same Grace that will keep you in fact the Bible doesn't even referred to as his works of the spirit he said there are fruit of the spirit so you forsake the works of the Flesh and then you let the Fruit of the Spirit come out in your life and to bear fruit don't be deceived it does matter the life that you live

John concurs with Paul we said he also agreed Saints even were forcefully he says it this way in First John 3 7. little children don't let anyone deceive you don't be deceived if you do righteous your righteousness you're righteous and he that committeth sin he puts it real strong is of the devil Matthew 7 17-20 Jesus said even so every tree that brings forth good fruit good tree will bring forth good fruit a corrupt tree will bring forth evil fruit a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit so if you're living for God and you've been grafted in you're part of that good tree you're not going to go live in sin neither can a sinful or a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit every tree that doesn't bring forth the good fruit he said is cast down and cut cast Into the Fire cut down and cast in the fire wherefore by their works no by their fruits ye shall know them by their fruits the spirit working in all life

so how do we overcome deception brother wilford's talked about this many times as a way to know the false to understand what is false is to know what is true he gave us the example of a bank teller to find counterfeit money they don't give you a bunch of counterfeit and say see why this one's wrong you see see this is they give you the real thing handle it know what it's like you know you get used to that that special woven paper it's whatever you know exactly how it looks you've seen them in and you know what is right and once you know what is right when something false gets slipped in there whoa this isn't right something's wrong here and they can tell the same principle will hold for Spiritual things the way to battle deception is to be certain of what is true we must know the truth number one and we must love the truth ample scriptures remind us the importance of the truth

the psalmist said in 119 11 Thy word have I what I've hid it in my heart so that I might not sin against thee get the word in your heart when the word is in your heart there's no room for the deception of the things that are false when the devil says hath God said we can say like Jesus yeah it's written that's a response we need to have had Eve stood by what she knew from God she would not be deceived it's only as we begin to question his word that we start down that road of deception it's when we question well is this really relevant for us today does this really apply because society's changed well the word doesn't change it is forever settled in heaven perhaps Solomon said it right Best Buy the truth and sell it not don't let anything take it from you and

it's not enough just to know truth because a lot of people can quote it and know what it says we've got to love it we must be consumed with it Paul wrote concerning the Antichrist in second Thessalonians 2 18 8-12 he said and the wicked one is going to reveal this Antichrist he said and he is going to come with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish and here's why they received not a love for the truth because they did not receive a love for the truth they didn't love what God's word had to say they were deceived into unrighteousness Paul said in Romans 1 he talks about those he said they knew God but they glorified him not as God they weren't thankful they didn't love it they didn't want any part of it and so they became vain in their imaginations and the Bible said their foolish heart was darkened in other words they were deceived and then it said in verse 25 and so they changed the truth of God into a lie just what Satan did with Eve right and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator they did not love God they did not have a love for his word and that is why they failed get his word and your heart and love it with all your being and you will not be deceived

we've only got a few minutes left but I want to look at the other side of this and this is the Willing Disobedience although the bulk of this lesson is focused on Eve we would be remiss not to discuss Adam's response this is interesting to me she took of the fruit and ate and gave also to her husband and he did eat with her and he did eat notice that phrase there's no conversation recorded between Adam and the serpent there's not even a conversation between Adam and Eve she wasn't it doesn't say come on honey take a bite you got to try this it's really good it doesn't say anything she just gave it to him and he ate what was he thinking well let's look at three possibilities real quick number one and brother Berry kind of mentioned this to me a couple weeks ago there's a POS one possibility it's possible that he stood by just to see what was happening she took the fruit he's watching she doesn't fall down dead he used her for a guinea pig she didn't die well I might as well try it too if that were the case he was willing to sacrifice her to see if God were telling the truth in fact it's interesting later when when God questions her what's he say well it was her the woman you gave me she gave me the tree and I did eat of course more than blaming her he was blaming God you gave her to me it's your fault God after all she's the one you gave me the second possibility and many commentators think this is the Adam joined Eve when he saw that she had failed to keep God's word because he loved her so much he wasn't going to let her bear the transgression alone well honey you failed so I'm going to go along right there with you if you're going to die I'm going to die with you that seems to be some people's consensus he'd rather identify with her actions rather than to be separated from her in other words he desired fellowship with Eve more than communion with the Creator and finally it is possible that Adam was tempted along with Eve there's something I noticed I've never really seen seen it until studying this passage it said she gave also unto her husband who was with her and he did it now what it does not say is when was he with her was he there after the serpent left was he there listening the whole time that even the serpent were talking we don't know did he hear the arguments and not speak up I don't know what he did or when it happened but here's what we know for sure Paul said he was not deceived here's the point to be made however and why ever he chose to go along he made a willful choice to say I'm going to go ahead and do it I know it's wrong but I am going to do it anyway he knew exactly what God said he didn't share those doubts that were birthed from the words hath God said in Temptation he did it because he wanted to

there are those like Adam who faced Temptation and they just choose to ignore God's command Paul said it this way again in Romans 1 he said and is even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge they didn't want any part of it I'm willfully choosing I don't want you and then he said they know the Judgment of God and that they're worthy of death but yet they go ahead and do it anyway I know this isn't a feel-good lesson but I also know it's something we have to hear sane is a deceiver and he will take every opportunity to lead us away from truth but here's what I know the writer of Hebrew said but we are persuaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation we talk about that because I know there's people that want to live for God and they don't want to be deceived the only answer is for our lives to be firmly planted in his word and in his love you do that you will be able to stand

Paul's prayer for the church and just go ahead and stand and I'll just close with this verse in Ephesians 3 16-19 Paul said I'm praying that he would Grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man I'm praying that God will strengthen you help that heart of you that Christ May dwell in your hearts by faith not a deceit deceptive heart but God living in us that you being rooted and grounded in his love can be able to comprehend the love of Christ and to be filled he said with all the fullness of God be full of the things of God be full of the word of God love it be rooted and grounded in it and you will not be deceived I wanted to thank him for that promise thankful Lord that we know we don't have to walk around afraid don't have to be afraid that something's going to happen that we're going to fall and it's going to mess up but we can rest assured there's a confidence in you knowing you will keep us if we will found our lives on your word if we will speak your word into situations if we will know what your word says and to love your word and to love you and to follow your way in Jesus name thank you Lord thank you Lord amen