Rejecting The Liar

Rejecting the Liar

Read: John 8:31-47

“When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

John 8:44

“Satan strikes either at the root of faith or at the root of diligence.”

—John Livingstone

IN WORD Not only will Satan lie to us about ourselves; He will lie to us about God. Just as we may count on the fact that any search for fulfillment in something other than God and His gifts is futile, we may count on the fact that the enemy will lie to us about the character of the Father.

Have you heard him? Any hint that God is not trustworthy came from him. Any nagging doubt that perhaps God’s promises are not entirely reliable came from him. Any subtle thought that depicts a God made in the likeness of corruptible human beings, with petty thoughts and an unforgiving spirit, is his work. He is a liar and the father of lies. Nothing he says is legitimate.

Satan is out to distort God’s image. He poisons our understanding by inspiring false philosophies, by offering false promises, and even by manipulating the Word of God to say what it doesn’t really say. He is not so much interested in our thoughts and our captivity. He is interested in degrading the reputation of God on earth. In that pursuit, he is zealous.

IN DEED We let him get away with it, don’t we? Any time we question God’s goodness, distort His Word, pursue unbiblical insights, or craft our own image of God to suit our own purposes, we have fallen for the lies. The world is full of false deities. “God” has become the force, the embodiment of “love” (by our definition), the philosophical first cause, a distant observer, the opiate of the masses, a psychological crutch, and a host of other impersonal, unholy entities. Why? Because Satan is a liar and we far too often believe him.

The father of lies has many children. Where in this world can we turn for safety? To what bedrock may we anchor to avoid tossing around on the waves of phony concepts? Jesus gives us the answer: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (v. 32). This Truth is a person (John 14:6). Cling to Him and believe no one else.