The Six Enemies of God's Truth - Part 1

March 7, 2021 Enemies of God’s Truth 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Jude 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are [i]sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. GM GP . . . Page | 1 This morning’s message is the capstone to our long-running series on the Truth of God -- The Answer to Every Test & Trial in 2021. The intent of the series is to remind Believers (and would-be Believers) of the criticalness of God’s Truth alone in our personal lives and its everyday significance and application in discerning the schemes and deceptions of the world’s system. In our time of learning, we have firmly established the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ from Matthew 8: 31 & 32 . . . “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” This morning’s message is one final reminder to us to remain vigilant in our commitment to God’s Truth. As we learned in Jude’s letter to Believer’s that the “truth” which was once delivered for all time to the Saints is under constant attack – today’s lesson provides one more layer of practical evidence of a few other kinds of attackers on the Truth. We call those attackers – Enemies of the Truth. Those words are also the title of today’s message: [SLIDE] Enemies of God’s Truth! 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 Page | 2 I want to appreciate those of you who responded to my request to share your impressions of what you perceived as Enemies of the Truth. I will weave your submissions into this message or share outright your contributions toward the end. [Three came to mind for me (commentary added to explain why chosen): 1) idolatry - engaged worship of "things" or people whether purposeful or not. 2) pride - puffed-up sense of knowledge or experience (no one can tell you anything). 3) irrelevant truth - what I call a combination of facts that, although true in and of themselves, still do not with intent point persons to the paramount Truth of God as inspired in His Word. Knowledge without pertinent purpose.] Before we dive into the deep, I want to define what and who an enemy of the Truth is. Take note: enemies come in all shapes, sizes, forms, and varieties. That’s what makes Truth enemies so effective against those who lack the Spirit of God. To begin, let me be clear about What Truth and Whose Truth we’re talking about: the Truth opposed by every enemy is God’s Truth. His Truth – not my truth, your truth or any other truth. [SLIDE] God’s Truth Comprehensively Defined: God’s Truth is the Holy Bible Truth; Capital “T” TRUTH; God’s WORD alone, divine, Spirit Truth. It is God’s Law; the True Light of Truth that reveals to man his sinfulness and the world its darkness; God’s Truth is God Breathed – infallible, living, breathing and powerful; it is the mind of God Page | 3 – totally apart from man’s intellect., human wisdom, and man’s portable, convenient Small “t” truth. [SLIDE] Enemy of God’s Truth In earnest, and By definition, an enemy of the Truth is anyone or any entity that opposes, resists, hates, rejects, copies or disbelieves God’s Revealed Truth. Remember an enemy can be a “what” or “who” as in a person, a power, a thing, an entity, or institution. Given that, I want to share with you the first 2 of 7 Enemies of God’s Truth [SLIDE] The First Enemy of God’s Truth is Satan the Devil – Isaiah 14:12-17; Luke 10:18; Rev 12:8-10 He is a force to be reckoned with, especially if you don’t have the Holy Spirit in you life as the Comforter, Teacher and Protect. Satan has earned every name God has allowed him to don: Accuser, Adversary (against God), Beelzebub (Lord of the fly), Belial (worthless); Devil (slanderer), Dragon (destructive), Enemy (opponent); Evil one (intrinsically, naturally evil) God of this age (influences thinking of this world) Page | 4 Liar (Perverter and hater of the truth), Murder, Prince of the Power of the Air (controller of unbelievers); Ruler of demons; Ruler of this world; and Tempter (solicits people to sin.). According to Jesus Himself in talking to some of Satan’s converts in John 8:44, He says of him that he can’t be trusted because he is a liar and the father of it. [SLIDE] John 8:44 says . . . 44 You, Pharisees [the highly religious], 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. [SLIDE] Five Things Seal Satan’s Reputation as Enemy Number #1 of God’s Truth. 1. He is a Deceiver and He’s Real: Revelation 12:9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 2. He is a Practicing Liar and Deceiver: Genesis 3:1 – 5 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the Page | 5