The
dialectic process
has raised the
pressure on Christians to compromise and yield to tempting visions of
unbiblical unity. Refined for our times, this tactic was first
demonstrated in the Garden of Eden. Look at the dialogue in Genesis 3:1-5 and ponder
the familiar process, then read the notes below:
Now the serpent was more
cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the
woman, "Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the
garden’?"
[1]
And the woman said to the
serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of
the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not
eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’[2]
Then the serpent said
to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat
of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and
evil."[3]
So when the woman saw
that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and
a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also
gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
Then the eyes of both
of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig
leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord
God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid
themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Then the Lord God called to Adam
and said to him, "Where are you?"
So he said, "I heard
Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid
myself."[4]
"And He said, "Who told you
that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you
that you should not eat?"
Then the man
said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the
tree, and I ate."[5]
And the Lord God said
to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said,
"The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
[5]
Notes:
1. This question illustrates the
"critical thinking" strategy used to change the "fixed beliefs"
and values of children everywhere. It begins by challenging or questioning current
beliefs, raising doubts about the validity of truth.
2 Eve is slightly confused
(cognitive dissonance) and changes God's command slightly. Already, her position or
convictions based on truth is becoming shaky.
3. Satan presents a counterfeit
promise -- a half-truth that sounds believable -- to Eve if only she would rebel
against God and eat the forbidden fruit. The reward for choosing to actually
experience evil (in contrast to accepting God's command to avoid it) is to see both
good and evil from Satan's twisted perspective rather than from God's holy
perspective.
4. Adam feels shame, but not genuine
guilt. He cannot see sin from God's perspective.
5. No longer able to see good and
evil from God's perspective, neither Adam nor Eve repent. Instead, they rationalize
their sin and blame others.
Evil is rising by popular demand.
And while Satan masquerades as 'an angel of light,' he can only
oppress Christians to the extent God allows. His main work is to
turn people away from God, to distort their understanding of His
Word, to draw them toward "new" ways of thinking, and to open
their eyes to feel-good thrills of the occult:
-
Pagan priests, shamans, spiritists,
New Age teachers and (sad to say) "pastors" who twist God's
Truth into popular feel-good deceptions.
-
Followers and supporters: those who promote the new spirituality
and delight in today's occult thrills.
-
The deceived masses: those who flow with the social changes and deny the
reality of our sovereign God.
-
So-called
"Christians" without a personal relationship with Christ: those
who claim Christ's name but distort His truths and follow contrary pathways. They
serve Satan by presenting a false view of Christ.
Of course, God is always
greater! See Unequal
Contenders in the Spiritual War. But if His children mock His standards
and go their own way, they will face consequences of their rebellion. And His
loving disciplines are not likely to be comfortable. See Hebrews 12.
"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast,
immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
" 1 Corinthians 15:57-58
|
See
also
What
the Bible tells us about persecution
Three Cultural Paradigms |
Biblical
vs. Cultural Christianity
America's Spiritual Slide
|
Paradigm
Shift: Total transformation
Three Sets of Meanings for Educational Buzzwords
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