Satan, the Subtle Salesman

BLJ: The other day, I attended a funeral in a baptist church. It was huge! I remarked that it looked like a castle! I was explaining to someone that baptist have the best theology for church growth. Consider this: come make a decision for Christ (this means say a 30 second prayer), get baptized, and now you are assured of your salvation forever. You can't lose it! What a deal! Invest 30 seconds and enjoy a guarantee of heaven! No wonder the church was huge. Consider our holiness message in comparison:
1. Repent and make restitution for your sins.
2. Live the Christian life.
3. Surrender all and die to self to become entirely sanctified.
4. Continue what you started or you will lose it.

Is there any wonder that there is never a parking problem at authentic, old fashioned holiness churches? 

Today's passage deals with Satan who is always trying to get you to take the easy way, the broad way, the way paved with comfort and is aligned with the world. He tried this on Jesus and he will try it on you, and that is a guarantee.


SATAN, THE SUBTLE SALESMAN

Satan tried to sell Christ the idea that He need not go through the ignominy of the crucifixion to accomplish His mission in the world. Satan pointed to what he called an easier way!

He always does that! Simply bow to him and take it by faith! It would appear by Satan's deceitful purpose, to be as simple as that (Matt. 4:1-11). Had Christ fallen for the temptation of Satan, He would have shut the door on the last person in the world ever being salvaged from the wreckage of a fallen race, for there would have been no atonement for sin. (Does it not follow that any individual who tries to escape the crucifixion of self is falling to the same temptation that Satan presented to Christ?) How can we be identified with Christ when He was willing to be crucified for us, if we are not willing to be crucified with Him? Paul believed we would have to be "...planted together in the likeness of his death" if we should entertain any hope of our resurrection (Rom. 6:5).

One can die out to carnality once and for all and have the hateful thing eradicated, but he will still have his humanity to contend with as long as he is in the world. For that reason there will be crises which will necessitate a deeper dying to humanity and a more heroic faith. Deeper dying and stronger faith will be needed as one encounters new light, new ventures, new crises and new battles in life. There always will be new things that come up, for one to die out to, and to believe for. One's dying will have to dig to new depths and his faith ascend to new heights as the more severe tests and greater storms come on. It is easy to understand why St. Paul had to die daily. G. D. Watson, in his book PURE GOLD, takes this position.