Thursday Column: Captain’s Blog
Carl Pollard
Genesis 3 records for us the fall of man. This account reveals to us the methods Satan uses to tempt us, and the choice that changed the course of the world. We can learn a lot about the devil in his first interaction with God’s creation.
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.””
We don’t know how long Adam and Eve were in the garden. There is no timeframe between chapter 2 and 3.
It could’ve been a month, a year, a century that has gone by. Whatever the time frame, Satan comes to Eve and places doubt in her mind. This is quite possibly the worst lie ever told. “Did God really say…?” While Satan doesn’t physically appear and speak to us today, he still uses this same tactic. He has destroyed many churches’ worship to God. “Did God really ask for music with no instruments?” “Did God really say for the women to be silent?” By casting doubt Satan has corrupted the worship and faith of millions.
After he casts doubt, he then blatantly contradicts God, “you will not surely die.” And once again he continues to blatantly contradict God’s word today. The message Satan tells the world is completely different from what God has given to us. Satan contradicts the Father. Rather than “love you neighbour as yourself” he says “love yourself above your neighbour.” Rather than “serve God and keep his commandments, he says “serve yourself and listen to no one.” Satan contradicted God in the past and continues to do so today.
After he casts doubt and blatantly contradicts God, he then offers power, “you shall be like God.” Obviously in their close relationship with God, they understood who created the world. The created wanted to be like the creator, but the devil offered a lie. Satan only has one thing to offer– sin. He oftentimes portrays this lifestyle of sin as a lie.
He offers happiness and joy, but at the end of the day all he has to offer is sin and regret.
Eve was tempted by Satan, and he used the same methods then as he does now. Eve experienced:
- The lust of the flesh (she wanted to eat of the fruit)
- The lust of the eyes (literally says “it was a delight to the eyes,” v.6)
- Pride of life (she wanted to become wise and have power)
The devil always knows what to say in order to get us to stumble. We must be vigilant and ready to refuse the tempter when he appears.
The Preacher Pollard Blog 
Message to Carl.
Ray Wallace here (friend of your Dad from Denver – I was a part time teacher at Bear Valley and preach for 29 years at a congregation in Denver.
Your article here is excellent. I preach a similar sermon and also include King David in that context: Lust the flesh – (physical lust) Lust of the eyes – (seeing Bathsheba on the roof bathing) Boastful pride of life – (when she became pregnant, his pride lead him to murder rather than repentance “I’ll take care of it myself, without God.”
Same for the booze problem in Prov. 23:30-36, wine looks good wine goes down smoothly when the guy wakes up with a hangover, he seeks to fix it himself – seek another drink.
Same also for Samson and others.
Great article!!! Tell your dad I miss him!
-Ray Wallace (Now in the VERY small town of 1600, Bayfield, Colorado.)
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