3 MARCH
Don’t doubt the sure word of God
‘Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’ Genesis 3:1
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Psalm 119:9–24
Satan’s arguments. We shall find a train of Satan’s subtleties in his discourse with the woman, and in her answers we shall see how he prevails by degrees, when he can get us to listen to his reasonings. He does not show all his design, but begins with starting a doubt.… ‘Is it possible?—I can hardly believe it’ … and this he expresses ambiguously—of every tree?—as if he asked for information. Such questioning, where the command of God was concerned, the woman ought not to have indulged. Here seems to have been the beginning of sin and we are often endangered the same way. Satan’s doubt respected:
(i) the reality of the command. And so still he prevails, persuading many that the precepts and threatenings in the Bible are not the sure word of God. Yea, he would sometimes force such doubts even upon believers.
(ii) the reasonableness of it. Why should God say so? Thus he teaches sinners to reason: ‘If God has threatened, he will not make his threatenings good; sure he will not punish me with everlasting misery for taking my pleasures here a few years.’
So there are many points of doctrine as plainly expressed as words can express them, yet Satan teaches men to reason about them till they deny and disbelieve them totally. Even some of God’s dear children are kept in suspense to their hurt.
FOR MEDITATION: But I must stop for the present, adding a word concerning Jesus, who was revealed to destroy the works of the devil. In him there is pardon for all transgressions and wisdom to enable us to withstand Satan. Without him sinners must perish—but those who believe in him shall be made more than conquerors and placed out of Satan’s reach for ever. Seek his face therefore and your souls shall live.
SERMON SERIES: GENESIS, NO. 6 [3/3], GENESIS 3:1
Milo 