Satan's Favorite Lie
by Bryan Gibson
Jesus
had this to say about the devil: “Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the
father of lies” (John 8:44). We may know some “good” liars, but none of them could possibly measure up to
the devil. Among his many lies is this “whopper”: the average man cannot understand the Bible. This lie has kept
many from studying the Bible on their own, making them susceptible to a variety of false doctrines.
The
following points should help expose this lie.
First,
God desires that we understand His word—that we be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding” (Colossians 1:9); that we “have the full riches of complete understanding” (Colossians 2:2);
that we “understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17); that we “be saved, and come to the knowledge
of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Would God desire that we understand His word, when it is impossible to do so?
Coupled
with this desire of God is the fact that He has the ability to make his word understandable. Who would argue with that, when
according to Jeremiah 32:17, there is nothing too hard for God? Do we honestly think that God failed in His effort to make
his word understandable, when that is exactly what He had his heart set on doing? Who among us is willing to make that charge?
Consider,
too, God’s plans or goals for His word—that which He seeks to accomplish through His word—to produce faith
(Romans 10:17); convict us of sin (John 16:7-15), sanctify us (John 17:17), set us free (John 8:31-32), revive, strengthen,
and uphold us (Psalms 119:25, 28, 116); equip us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17), save our souls (James 1:21), etc. God’s
word is powerless to do these things—if we cannot understand it.
We’ll have
more on this subject next week, but let’s close with these words from Deuteronomy 30:11-14, a portion of which is quoted
in Romans 10:6-8: “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up
in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’
Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may
obey it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.”
In Lesson 2
we will take up Jesus’ statements with regard to the subject. Please e-mail
us if you have any questions:
