INTRO: Four of weeks ago, I started a series, "Traps of Satan, Are They Effective Today?." I dealt with the money trap Satan uses to snare people and prevent them from serving God. I also dealt with another trap he uses, Sexual or Sensual Traps. Then I looked at the Trap of Time he uses upon us. Last week I looked at how Satan plays with and beats us down through a great range of our emotions.
Today I want to look at how he uses religion to his advantage.
Religion sounds good, but Satan has used and still uses it to his advantage.
Religion is one of the most volatile subjects you can deal with today.
Before I start, I want to again read 1 Peter 5:8-10 and remind
you about Satan.
1 Pet. 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions
are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Also from the book of James…
James 1: 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth
not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To
visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world.
Just a glance at Paul when he was but religious from Galatians 1:6-14
Gal. 1: 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called
you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would
pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other
gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for
if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached
of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by
the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion,
how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine
own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
Series: Traps of Satan, Are They Effective Today?
Part 5-Does Satan Use Religion To Rule or Ruin
Your Life?
What does it do for us?
Pure religion deals with...
How does Satan use religion against us?
A. To focus our energies away from Christ
B. To soothe our conscious
C. To produce self-righteousness
We find the attitude…
D. To substitute religion for salvation
Finally, I want you to understand…
Satan's Ultimate Goal:
Ask yourself these questions…
Am I just religious or do I know Christ? Yes/No
Will my religion lead to "heaven" or destruction? Yes/No
Am I using church for self-righteousness? Yes/No
Am I replacing Christ with rituals? Yes/No
Is church attendance more important than Christ? Yes/No
Is Satan using religion to trap me? Yes/No
Gary Marcum - East 38th Street Free Will Baptist Church - 082000am