Satan, a good counterfit, and a lier that decieves by looking like the good guy.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Satan was still here on Earth as the god of this world
(2 Corinthians 4:4).
He is also the “prince of the power of the air” today (Ephesians 2:2), holding sway over the whole of mankind.
“As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,
If ye continue in my word [His message], then are ye my disciples indeed .…
- the rest of instructions where in parables or blinded from seeing on purpose,
no crowd was ever not told in a parables.
even the crowd witness, on His death, God forsaken , but it was His Fathers will,
and why we are even here. he could make a rock worship him
ut ye seek to kill me, because my word [His gospel message] hath no place in you. …
But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God .…
[F]or I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. …
And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. … And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?”
But Satan connived to set up a powerful Gentile religious leader with a counterfeit religion—the ancient Babylonian mystery religion. He hatched a counterfeit “gospel.” He even appropriated the name of Christ, calling that religion “Christianity.”
In Samaria, north of Jerusalem, lived a Gentile people whom the Jews of Christ’s day spurned,
calling them “dogs.”
They had been moved there from areas of the Babylonian Empire about 700 b.c.
by various kings, including Shalmaneser of Assyria (2 Kings 17:18, 21-24, etc.). T
hey had brought with them into the land of Samaria their own Babylonian mystery religion.
In the eighth chapter of Acts you’ll read of their religious leader in the time of Christ, Simon Magus the Sorcerer.
The True and the False Church
In the book of Revelation are pictured two churches, each of which go under the name of Christ. One, pictured in the 12th chapter, portrays the true Church of God, small in number, reduced through persecution and martyrdom, but obedient to God’s law, and hated by Satan. The other, in the 17th chapter, called “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth” (verse 5). In other words, the Babylonian mystery religion steeped in “iniquity”—abolishing God’s law.
During the time of Paul’s ministry, these same Simon Magus ministers were troubling the Corinthians. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ [the true Church, in the resurrection, is to be married to Christ, spiritually].
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he [a minister of Simon Magus] that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit [of rebellion and disobedience], which ye have not received, or another gospel …” (2 Corinthians 11:2-4).
But notice, they were proclaiming another Jesus—as well as another gospel—and they followed another spirit—of rebellion and not obedience. That deception has continued through the centuries and is the state today. They took the name of Christ. They called their Babylonian religion “Christianity.” But they not only presented a counterfeit gospel but a counterfeit spirit of self-centeredness and a counterfeit Jesus, completely different to the Jesus of the Bible.
Of these false ministers, Paul wrote further to the Corinthians: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness …” (verses 13-15).
Peter wrote of these deceivers: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies .… And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you …” (2 Peter 2:1-3).
John wrote of these same perverters of the true gospel, denying obedience to the way of God. “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4). “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us
Jude warned us that we should “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men,
turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness [license to disobey] .… Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh,
despise dominion [government], and speak evil of dignities. … Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain,
and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Almighty God has decreed that “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
in all the world for a witness unto all nations …” (verse 14)
His kingdom to come, he gave to be his Sons together, with His will be done finally like Heaven is now.
