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What Must I Do To Be Saved?

  

FROM: 2/23/03 Radio Program

Question:

Can Satan make you believe you have been saved when you haven't?

Answer:

Satan cannot "make" you do anything. While he uses enticements or temptations to lead you away from God, he cannot "make" someone do anything. Hence, Satan cannot "make" people believe something to be true if it is false; but he can entice and deceive so as to lead people into believing a falsehood. Yet, the decision to believe/disbelieve or to obey/disobey is ultimately one's own.

The case of Eve being deceived is a prime example of this. She knew what God had said concerning eating of the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:2-3). But, Satan lied to her, and convinced her that God was trying to keep something wonderful from her (v. 4-5). Yet, all along, it was her (and later Adam's, v. 6) personal decision to eat of the fruit she was told not to eat by God that resulted in sin. Satan did not "make" her eat, he did not stuff the fruit into her mouth, but he led her to believe something was true, when it in fact was not true, through his "subtlety" (II Corinthians 11:3).

Man ultimately makes the decision as to whether or not he will obey God (James 1:14-15). Since this is true, each one will stand before God to give account of the things he/she has done in this life whether good or bad (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; II Corinthians 5:10; etc.).

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