Deeper Life #100

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

—Matthew 4:10

SATAN TEMPTED JESUS TO COMPROMISE with the evil that is in our world—with Satan himself. The Devil sought from the King of kings and Lord of lords a supremacy and sovereignty in this world.

Satan said that he could give the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them to Jesus if He would worship him. What was Satan’s goal as he tempted our Master on this occasion? I believe he wanted to abolish hell. If he could convince the Son of God to worship him, Satan thought, he might spare himself from everlasting doom.

Satan is still trying to abolish hell. He wants all of us to banish hell from our beliefs and teachings. But Jesus would not, and we must not also.

Our Lord is opposed to all compromise with evil (Luke 14:28–33). We compromise with evil whenever we try to satisfy our desires at the expense of doing the will of God. The only people who do not see the enormous danger of compromising with evil are those who are ignorant of the snares of Satan.

Prayer Thought: Oh, I shun compromise with evil. I want the Holy Spirit to empower me to overcome evil with good.

SUGGESTED READING: Matthew 4:8–11