A False Truth Can Be A Deadly Thing!

Text – Genesis 3:4-5 (Read vv. 1-5)

1. Now the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
2. The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,
3. But God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
4. “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman.
5. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

INTRODUCTION 

  There is a word in the English vocabulary called OXYMORON. An oxymoron is a figure of speech, which usually has one or two words, which seem to contradict each other. Here are just a few to examine:

1. Alone Together. 2. Bittersweet 3. Larger Half 4. Jumbo Shrimp 5. Living Dead.

Unless a person is purposely using oxymorons to demonstrate humor, conflicts, or just being sarcastic, the statement the person is making could be considered to be a “FALSE TRUTH.” (Expound). When I was a kid, I remember my Aunt saying: “THERE IS NO GREATER LIE THAN ONE MIXED WITH THE TRUTH!” (expound). I think that I agree with my Aunt. Man likes to find other ways to describe or define his wrongs and mistakes (oxymorons, my opinion, the way I see it, etc.), rather than simply call them what they are . . . Lies!

When it comes to telling lies, there is no one better at making them up, or telling them than the Devil.

 “Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.”   John 8:44

Some have called this statement that Satan made in our text for today many things: Crafty, Cunning, Deceptive, and even Misleading. We call this “A FALSE TRUTH;” It falls into that category of a lie mixed with the truth, and therefore that still makes it a lie. I know that there are some you who still feel that Satan did not “really” tell a lie. Well, let us look into this passage of scripture and see if what I’m saying has any merit. 

POINTS

• “You will not surely die.” (v. 4A) – What was Satan’s intention when he made this statement? When he used the word “surely,” it was intention to deceive. How do we know this? First, we know that there is no truth in him to begin with. Secondly, the word “surely” here meant that Eve would by no means be put to death (expound). Thirdly, this statement was “a false truth,” because this statement was. “Mixed with the truth.” 

• “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened.” (v. 5A) – Again we see the deceptiveness in Satan’s intent. Satan is making it appear that God is intentionally trying to keep Eve ignorant. (Expound).

• “and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” – Satan has planted the idea that not only is God trying to keep Eve ignorant, but God is also trying to keep her from knowing as knowledgeable as Him (expound).

CONCLUSION 

Beloved, Satan is still using this formula today that he used on Eve; he appeals to the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life of man to persuade man to do what is contrary to God’s will and God’s way for man. Like Eve, many of us have gotten, and some of us are still sidetracked, by Satan’s wiles. 

It should be clear enough for us to understand why God has no tolerance for lies or liars. He even says in Revelation 21:8:

“But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part [shall be] in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

We have been told and warned, and shown the dangers of holding a conversation with the father of lies. Satan is the very best at creating a lie to make it appear to be the thing that you really want (lust and pride), but don’t be fooled beloved, THERE IS NO TRUTH IN SATAN! Satan is well aware that there are three levels of death (Physical, Spiritual, and Eternal). 

Yes! Satan knew that Eve would not experience Physical Death is she ate from the tree that God forbade, but he also knew that she would experience Spiritual Death. He knew that her disobedience to God’s order would cause her to fall out of fellowship with God (Spiritual Death). The problem with so much of mankind today is that they are walking around “spiritually dead.” So many people are walking around out of fellowship with God. Many are being victims of “False Truths” (Expound and Conclude).