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f) The devil, murderer and liar (John 8:37-47)
JOHN 8:44
44 You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and its father.
Jesus tells everyone who does not love him that the devil is their father. With this he showed the Jews the truth about themselves even though they claimed to know God. The legalists were far from God. The Evil One was their parent.
The devil causes turmoil wherever he goes. His aim is to bring the downfall of God’s creation. He looks out for the weak points in every person and tempts by trickery to dominate and drive him to commit sins. Than he runs to God’s throne accusing the fallen one to justify the punishment of the judge on the wretch; so ugly is deception!
Jesus declared Satan to be the sum total of wicked lusts which have deprived him of good will. He became slave to self, hating everyone. In the same spirit lived all the enemies of Christ, destroying others and themselves while driven by their lusts. All who live apart from the Lord are bent on evil which Satan incites in them.
What are Satan’s lusts? Jesus tells us that he was a murderer from the start; that is because he loathes God’s image in man. He also separated himself from God the life-giver. In him eternal death took place. He was the dominion of death. His aim is to exterminate all living beings.
The cause of this ferocity is deceit. The devil duped the original pair by lying to Adam and Eve towards unbelief and transgressing God’s command. He also fooled himself while heading the angelic host, imagining himself to be greater and more beautiful and stronger than God.
This self-deception is the essence of Satan who did not realize the limits of his ambitions and fell abysmally. Christ is the opposite of this for he is the meek and lowly one. Sadly, man prefers delusion and boasting rather than Christ’s humility and self-denial. So the deceiver mobilizes an army of liars from whose mouths emerge lies like serpents poisoning lives. There is no confidence shown by one to the other.
A lady said to her mother, "All are liars; they flatter one another with smiles. Everyone honors himself, pupils cheat in exams, traders deceive. Even at home deception occurs between the spouses. No one trusts the other, yet each one considers himself to be the only upright person." Satan’s incitements are lies! Often these lies have some half-truths since Satan makes every lie sound right. He is the deceiver and father of lies.
JOHN 8:45-47
45 But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me. 46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”
Only Jesus tells the truth and reveals the truth of God. Blessed are those who believe his words. He knows the truth of the universe but is humble and faithful in all he says.
Many do not accept the good tidings of this truth because it is Jesus who speaks it. If a political leader or religious founder were to say what Jesus said, men would believe him. But when Jesus spoke as an ordinary man, people publicly rejected him because they desire greatness and dominance rather than self-denial.
Jesus asked the Jews pointedly, "Why do you not believe? Have you found deceit in me or pride or wicked conduct? No, I always speak the truth and live it out. I am Truth incarnate, innocent, upright, with no trickery or deceit."
Finally, Jesus announced to his rebellious people, "He who is from God hears His words and recognizes His voice. Just as a child distinguishes his parent’s voice from all other voices; the mother too, when she hears her infant’s crying, runs to him. So also the called of God hear the heavenly Father’s voice, but those who cannot understand the Gospel are not from God." A man may be religious, praying and fasting, yet his father may be the devil. Our piety does not save us, but only a rebirth by Christ’s blood, so that the Spirit may come on us and abide in us. Who is your father, God or Satan? Do not be quick to answer, but compare your purposes with those of the Evil One and then with the works of Christ and then repent.
PRAYER: O heavenly Father, we thank you for teaching us the truth about our sins and your love. Forgive my lies, and free me from all hatred and pride. Snatch me from Satan’s power that I may deny myself and not remain in self-deception. Open my ears and heart to your Gospel, and make me a humble and faithful person.
QUESTION:
- What are the qualities of the devil that Jesus made clear to us?