Demons vs. Angels

He plotted with his followers to overthrow the Power that ruled the universe. He made the case to those who would listen, “If you will follow me we will be great and rule the universe.  We no longer need anyone to tell us what to do. We are powerful and do not need God!”

This was most likely a scene in heaven before Satan was cast out with one third of God’s angels following him. Isn’t that what Mankind has done on this earth. Every type and form of religion has been devised so that man can “rule himself.” The folly of that thinking is immeasurable. Can a man plan what happens the day after his death? Of course not! Like Satan and his angels, man has been trying to be in control since the Garden of Eden.

Just like he tricked his angels into following him, Satan came to Eve with the promise of greatness.  Genesis 3:6 says, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” Notice it says, “. . . also desirable for gaining wisdom.” What wisdom was she looking for? The wisdom of God! The previous verse has the serpent, Satan, saying, “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” She was looking to be like God.

Man has been doing the same thing ever since. 1 Corinthians 11:3 says, “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” Satan still works from the same playbook in the twenty-first Century! Because of the arrogance of man, he does not need to change his tactic. If something works why change it?

• Barak Obama, “We are no longer a Christian Nation”
• Oprah Winfrey, “There are many ways to get to heaven outside of Jesus”
• Rick Warren, “Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, megachurch pastors, speakers: Christians and Muslims should build relationships which ‘genuinely reflect our common love for God and for one another’.”
• Joel Osteen in an interview with Larry King, “Answering whether Jews or Muslims would go to heaven, he was noncommittal, ‘You know, I’m very careful about saying who would and wouldn’t go to heaven… I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don’t know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don’t know. I’ve seen their sincerity. So, I don’t know’.”

Translation of all of these comments: The Bible is not true. Anyone can go to heaven if they sincerely love God. However, one has to ask, “Which God?” You might be thinking, “Rick, if there is one God of the universe wouldn’t that mean that everyone is worshiping him?” It is true that there is only on true God, he is Yahweh. He is the Creator of the universe. He makes up the Triune Godhead of the Father, Jesus, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Even so, many worship the gods they have created themselves. Allah, Buddha, Hindu gods and goddesses and even those who claim to worship Jesus but worship him in their own image instead of the image of God are not worshiping the one True God.