Satan’s Attack Against the Bible
2 Corinthians 2:17
May 22nd 2011 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction
A.
There are
many things that Satan hates
1.
He hates God
– that’s for sure. He hates anything that has to do with God
2.
He hates
God’s people - He hates especially the Jews
3.
He hates YOU
– you are made in the image of God
4.
As a matter
of fact, Satan hates everything – he is a hater
B.
Most of all,
Satan HATES the word of God, the Bible
1.
You wouldn’t
believe it, but he hates that book – he hates simple words on a page!
2.
He hates
every word, every line, every chapter, every page!
C.
Why?
1.
Because GOD
wrote it
2.
Because it
is true!
3.
Because it
changes lives (John 8:32)
4.
Satan is a
LIAR and the father of lies (John 8:44)
5.
Satan can’t
stand the truth, because everything he does is based upon deception (2Thes
2:8-11)
6.
And the
truth of the Bible exposes him for who he is
D.
Satan is
limited
1.
Satan cannot
destroy the word of God, so he seeks to twist it, corrupt it, pervert it,
change it, and ruin it
2.
He has been
doing that for almost 6,000 years (Gen 3:1-3), and he is not giving up!
3.
As a matter
of fact, he is stepping up his attack on the Bible more and more as we get
closer to the end
E.
If there is
one thing we need to be aware of, it is Satan’s tactics, his devices against
the Bible. I intend on exposing them!
F.
This
morning, AND tonight, I want to look at how the devil is working very hard
to change the Bible so that it become powerless, and useless in your life,
and in this world!
II.
Message
A.
God’s Promise Concerning
Scripture
1.
They Came
from HIM – Inspiration (2Tim 3:16)
a.
They are HIS
words, not man’s (John 7:32,45,46)
1)
The Bible is
such a book that man could not write if he wanted to, and would not write if
he could.
2)
Towards this
Book, he has shown the most intense hatred, revealing a determination to get
rid of such a condemnation of his own depraved condition.
3)
The hatred
towards the Word of God is because the Bible reveals man's sin, ignores his
wisdom, makes his greatest achievements to seem puny, and lays his pride in
the dust.
4)
Every engine
of destruction that human wisdom, human science, human philosophy, human
wit, human force and human brutality could bring to bear against a book has
been brought to bear against the Bible - and the Bible still stands.
b.
God
perfectly guided the 40 writers to write what He wants us to know about
Himself
c.
Proven by
1)
Prophecies
2)
History
3)
Science
2.
They Can be
Completely Trusted (Mt 24:35) – they are preserved for us in our hands this
morning
a.
What you
have in your hand IS the very words that Jesus spoke, that Moses wrote, that
Pharaoh said, that Adam did, and that what David sang! Just in English!
Thankfully!
b.
God promised
to preserve His words for every generation… if they will only want them
(Psalm 12:6,7)!
B.
The Word of God is THE
spiritual life-blood of the human race!
1.
It brings
salvation "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
by the word of God. . ." (1 Peter 1:23)
2.
It produces
faith ". . . faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"
(Romans 10:17).
3.
It produces
spiritual growth ". . .desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby:" (1 Peter 2:2)
4.
It is the
only thing that can comfort and fix the human heart!
5.
Jesus Christ
said in John 6:63, ". . .the words that I speak unto you, they are SPIRIT,
and they are LIFE."
C.
God’s Commands Concerning
Scripture
1.
Learn them -
Study them
2.
Test them,
Prove them. Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in
that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the
scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
3.
Don’t add to
or take away from them
a.
The Lord
warns against "adding and taking away" from His Word.
b.
Deuteronomy
4:2 reads: "YE SHALL NOT ADD unto the word which I command you, NEITHER
SHALL YE DIMINISH ought from it . . ."
c.
Proverbs
30::6, reads, "ADD THOU NOT unto his words . . ."
d.
And just in
case you missed it, GOD'S LAST WARNING is Revelation 22:18,19, ". . . IF ANY
MAN SHALL ADD unto these things. . . And if any man shall TAKE AWAY FROM THE
WORDS of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the
book of life. . ."
e.
And despite
these clear warnings, the new versions, take out and add text, over and
over!
4.
Don’t
criticize them – let them criticize YOU (Hebrews 4:12)
5.
Memorize
them. Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin
against thee.
6.
Trust them.
John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye
continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
7.
Use them!
Obey them (James 1:22)
8.
And yet,
almost none of these commands are being followed today!
D.
The Authority of Scripture
1.
This is
where people fall out – they don’t like authority, especially absolute
authority
2.
But,
Christians are supposed to obey the Scriptures (Acts 5:27-29). They are our
absolute authority
a.
Not princes,
or popes, or priests, or pastors
b.
We honour
and obey our parents because God tells us to
c.
We obey the
government because God tells us to
d.
We pray for
all that are in authority because the Bible commands us to
e.
A wife obeys
and respects her husband because GOD told her to
f.
A man loves
and cherishes his wife not because it is an easy thing to do, but because
the word of God told him to!
3.
Jesus
subjected His authority to the word of God (John 5:39; 12:49; 17:8)
4.
Even God the
Father subjected himself under the authority of his word (Psalm 138:2). He
made Himself DO whatever He promised! He limited Himself to the words in a
Book!
E.
The Enemies of Scripture
(2Cor 2:17)
1.
Satan’s
problem with the Bible
a.
He knows it
is the only thing that is true, and effective in protecting people from his
power and plans. He can’t mount a direct, head on attack against the Bible;
he has to just slowly, carefully, ever so slightly, just keep adjusting it
until it has no power in people’s lives
b.
So he
questions it, and questions it, and questions it
1)
Yea hath God
said?
2)
If thou be
the Son of God…?
3)
Never cares
about answers – just wants to create doubt and cause people to not want to
even TRY and see if God actually has an answer!
c.
Satan
misquotes it, and misuses it – trying to provoke Jesus to act on his own
will instead of according to God’s word
d.
And Satan
changes it – BOY does he change it
1)
Removes what
he doesn’t like. Like the miracles, and the rebukes against hypocritical
religious leaders, and emphasis on faith alone and not works!
2)
Says, “Judas
wasn’t that bad of a person – he was misunderstood”
3)
Says, “Jesus
didn’t MEAN a burning lake of fire” he meant only torments in this life!
e.
And then he
replaces it
1)
New versions
of the bible all the time
2)
Condensed
versions, gender neutral versions
3)
Paraphrases
4)
ANYTHING but
the actual words
5)
All along
the way, he substitutes TV, entertainment, emotions, hurts, arguments,
busyness, bills, depression, anger, stress, worries, in the place of the
solid rock of God’s word!
2.
Did you know
that he is not the ONLY enemy of Scripture?
a.
The world
system
1)
Men love
darkness rather than light
2)
They by
nature don’t like anyone telling on them, and exposing their sinfulness
3)
But, that is
to be expected!
b.
Backslidden
Christians
1)
They are the
strangest enemies of this Bible
2)
Disobedient
3)
Want God to
back off a bit, and not be so demanding
4)
They want a
smoother cross, an easier life, a pre-digested bible, an emphasis on
themselves instead of on the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ
5)
They want to
be entertained on Sunday, not preached to!
6)
They want
the church to be a spiritual babysitter for their children, and a place that
meets all their needs, not one that demands them to get off their butts and
get reading and obey the Bible!
7)
Oh yeah! I
have seen some serious enemies of the Bible, sitting right in church!
8)
They won’t
even TRY and learn the Bible as written – constantly buying “newer” bibles,
thinking they are better, and easier to understand!
F.
What’s the Big Deal? Some
Errors in Modern Versions
1.
If a
printer’s error snuck in, would you know it?
a.
The
'Printers Bible' 1612: In some copies, Psalm 119:161 reads, 'Printers have
persecuted me without a cause' rather than 'Princes have persecuted me...'
b.
The 'Wicked
Bible' 1631: Omits an important 'not' from Exodus 20:14, making the seventh
commandment read, 'Thou shalt commit adultery.' The printers were fined £300
and most of the copies were recalled immediately. Only 11 copies are known
to exist today.
c.
The 'Sin On
Bible' 1716: John 8:11 reads, 'Go and sin on more' rather than 'Go and sin
no more.'
d.
The 'Fools
Bible' 1763: Psalm 14:1 reads, 'the fool hath said in his heart there is a
God,' rather than '...there is no God.' The printers were fined £3,000 and
all copies ordered destroyed.
2.
Why don’t
“Christians” know perversions when they read them?
a.
It’s because
they are too busy watching all the TV
b.
It’s because
they are bored with books that have no pictures!
3.
Are the new
versions different? Most people believe the different versions are basically
the same. They believe the newer versions are just "harmless" updating of
words and made easier to understand.
4.
NOTHING
COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!
5.
It is HARD
to get saved (Mark 10:24; Matthew 7:14)
|
|
AV
(King James Bible) |
New
International |
The
Message |
|
|
Mk 10:24 |
…how
hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the |
…how hard it is to enter
the |
"You can't imagine how
difficult to get into God's kingdom" |
…how difficult a thing it
is to enter into the |
6.
Repentance
is not necessary to get saved (Matthew 9:13)
|
|
AV
(King James Bible) |
New
International |
The
Message |
|
|
Mt 9:13 |
for I am not come to call
the righteous, but sinners to
repentance. |
For I have not come to
call the righteous, but sinners. |
Go figure out what this
Scripture means: 'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite
outsiders, not coddle insiders." |
For I came to call, not
righteous people, but sinners. |
7.
The reason
for Jesus coming is missing (Matthew 18:11)
|
|
AV
(King James Bible) |
New
International |
The
Message |
|
|
Mt 18:11 |
For
the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. |
OMITTED |
OMITTED |
OMITTED |
8.
Joseph was
Jesus’ “father”? (Luke 2:33)
|
|
AV
(King James Bible) |
New
International |
The
Message |
|
|
Lk 2:33 |
And
Joseph and his mother… |
The child’s father and
mother… |
Jesus’ father and mother
were speechless with surprise at these words. |
Its father and mother… |
9.
Jesus needs
OUR help doing the work of saving souls (John 9:4)
|
|
AV
(King James Bible) |
New
International |
The
Message |
|
|
Jn 9:4 |
I must
work the works of him that sent me. |
We must do the work of
him who sent me. |
We need to be
energetically at work for the One who sent me here. |
We must work the works of
him that sent me. |
10.
You don’t
have to believe on Jesus before baptism (Acts 8:37)
|
|
AV
(King James Bible) |
New
International |
The
Message |
|
|
Ac 8:37 |
If
thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered
and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. |
OMITTED |
OMITTED |
OMITTED |
11.
Salvation is
a process, (a journey), and not immediate (1Cor 1:18)
|
|
AV
(King James Bible) |
New
International |
The
Message |
|
|
1Cor 1:18 |
For
the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but
unto us which are saved it is the power of God. |
For the message of the
cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are
being saved it is the power of God. |
The Message that points
to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent
on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes
perfect sense. |
For the speech about the
torture stake is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us
who are being saved it is God’s power |
12.
Satan knows
that as he keeps changing the Bible, people will become more and more
confused, and read less and less of it, and will rely less and less on God’s
promises, and end up ruined – just like himself!
III.
Conclusion
A.
God gave us His words, and has
promised to preserve them, and offers them at
great expense and personal sacrifice to billions of people all over the
world
B.
Everything is dependant upon
the very words of God
1.
Our nation’s
future. Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the
nations that forget God.
2.
Our homes
and families!
3.
Especially,
our souls. James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to
save your souls.
a.
How can
someone know God without the Bible?
b.
How can
someone hear what HE said without his own words?
c.
Oh that
people knew just what the devil has done in lying to them about how they do
NOT need this Book!
C.
Satan HATES the word of God,
the Bible
1.
Satan cannot
destroy the word of God, so he seeks to twist it, corrupt it, pervert it,
change it, and ruin it
2.
But that is
not the worst of it!
D.
Christians help ruin Scripture
when they…
1.
Won’t live
it – the world desperately needs to see the Bible lived in front of them
before they will read it – they need to see if it actually works!
2.
Won’t obey
it – make it of none effect like the Pharisees did
3.
When they
pick and choose what they will obey
4.
When they
actually go against it
a.
It says to
do one thing, and we go our own way!
1)
Won’t shut
their mouths talking bad about someone who has hurt them
2)
Won’t pray
for them and love them and bless them
3)
Won’t humble
themselves
4)
Won’t
forgive people, even though some of the strongest language in the Bible is
against those who WON’T forgive – not against those who hurt people!
5)
Won’t open
their mouth and tell someone about the wrath to come, and the only way of
salvation being in JESUS!
b.
We easily
ruin the Scriptures all by ourselves – make it of none effect!
5.
When they
make up their own rules and way of living (Mark 7:7-13)
E.
What you need to do now…
1.
Get you a
King James Bible
2.
Get rid of
your “newer” perversions
3.
Get that
Book into your life
a.
It will
convict you first, and make you very uncomfortable
b.
About hell,
and sin, and the lies you have been following
c.
And then it
will tell you of the love of God in sending His only begotten Son to take
your place on the cross
d.
And it will
offer you a way of escape, through repenting of your sins, and believing
just in Jesus Christ to save you!
4.
Read it and
teach it to your children
5.
Discover
just how better off, and blessed and happy and stable you will be!