“For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14).
No one would ever fall for satan’s lies if he were to show up and declare, “Follow me. And I will completely destroy your life and the lives of everyone you love.”
So, instead, satan shows up as an angel of light. Think about this description. Angel of light – angel, light – those are good things!
That’s right. satan shows up with a lie. satan shows up pretending to be an angel of light. He never asks us to become his servants. He disguises submission to him under the guise of self-awareness, self-actualization, freedom. The serpent never once said to Eve, “I want to be your master. Submit to me.” The shift the serpent desired was to move one’s commitment away from God to commitment to self.
The temptation is never choosing God or choosing evil. The devil never couches it that way. Instead, the devil wants God’s children to choose their own self-awareness and reality over God so that, in the end, what rules and reigns is what I want and what I think.
And, when we do that, the devil’s got you.
You Christian – you always prioritize God’s rule, God’s reigns, God’s truth above all else.
Praxis: Faith in Action 