Distortion of Truth

Genesis 3

The school had received “credible” testimony that an impending danger was coming to their campus. This was not a high school or college or even a middle school but an elementary school. The principal gathered his other administrators to determine how to prepare for this impending danger and stop it from happening. What was the danger? They received a letter from concerned parents that the drug market was beginning to target young children with blue star acid. The ploy was that they were using stickers with Disney characters familiar to young children. They were supposedly lacing the stickers with the acid so that when the sticker was placed on the skin the drug would seep into the individual’s system. The threat was taken seriously and stopped. Or was it? After some research one individual found this to not be a real threat. But the story and threat continues. In fact when we lived in Wake Forest I remember coming across a letter very similar to the one mentioned in this story. The researcher took the letter and began researching stories of this nature in the state of New York. In the state of New York drug enforcement agencies did a statewide survey of all of its drug enforcement units and found that this story was not true. They said that the results found that this threat of drug laced stickers was virtually nonexistent. Why all of the fuss then? Because it is a story that provokes our indignation that someone would threaten young children and deceive them in such a manner. That is the only reason why this distortion of truth exists today. This is a distortion. During the 60s and 70s this was a threat not to children but the stickers were often used without the Disney characters but with blue stars.

In Genesis 3 we see that all sin is or begins with a distortion of truth.

First we see a distortion of God’s Word. In verse 1 the serpent asks, “Has God said that you shall not eat from any tree of the garden?” God did not say they could not eat from any tree of the garden but he did say which tree they may not eat from. The serpent was twisting the truth in order to cause doubt concerning God’s actual words. God said do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Now Eve begins to get the answer correct in verse 3 until in her response she adds that they were not allowed to touch it. Did God ever say you cannot touch it? They were allowed to touch the tree, because the Bible does not tell us otherwise. The problem here is that the Word of God is being changed. His Word is being misquoted. It is important to our spiritual health as individuals and the church that we never change His Word. It is important that we seek to follow as His Word proscribes and denies. The Bible tells us to value life and not take it. The Bible tells us to love our neighbors and not to hate them. The Bible tells us to pray to God and not to worry. The Bible tells us to seek first God’s kingdom and not to worry about our needs. Sin enters our lives when we allow the Word of God to be taken and twisted to our needs and whims.

In New Brunswick one summer they experienced a normal high tide that drove in red jellyfish onto the beach. When the tide receded the beach was full of red jellyfish. There were so many of them that you had to watch where you walked or you might end up stepping on them. They simply followed the current and now they lay there dying if the tide does not come in soon and pull them back out to sea.

Many churches and believers have become like those jellyfish. They have followed the fads and currents of the time and have given up on the gospel. They have removed the gospel and allowed other ministries, programs or other people’s teachings to take prominence within the church. Acts 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Then compare that with Matthew 28:19-20 we are to be the witnesses of God with the gospel to the ends of the earth. If we distort and twit the Word of God then we send people to their destruction. If as a believer we live according to a distorted view of God’s Word then we live in destruction to ourselves.

Second we see a distortion of God’s Intended Order. When we look at life, we often wonder what am I here for? Why do I exist? We see our world, and we see the Bible but how do I live in this world which is contrary to God’s desires? Our world is full of people who enjoy certain pleasures in order to be fulfilled. They take their drugs and allow that to give them fulfillment. Others watch TV. Others get on TV to be fulfilled. Some play sports and use steroids in order to get ahead faster. What on earth is going on? Through time God’s order has been distorted. We see in verse 4 that the serpent begins to distort in the mind of Eve God’s intended order. He is also undermining God’s authority by telling Eve that she can be like God. When we desire to be like God apart from displaying his characteristics of righteousness and holiness or be God then we are living contrary to God’s order. We were never intended to be on the same level as God or be like God in his authority in this world. We are not here to be controllers of our world and lives, but we are here to live in submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the complete and total authority of God Himself.

"The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Therefore, men revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?" - Job 37:23-24
George Muller was a man who trusted the Lord. He was born in 1805 and he is remembered as both an English evangelist and philanthropist. A man of faith and prayer, he established orphanages in Bristol and founded the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad.
He was once asked the secret of his service. It was widely known that God had continually met the needs of the orphanage without his making them known. He estimated that Christ answered 50,000 of his prayers. How did he exist like this?
Muller replied: "There was a day when I died, utterly died." As he spoke, he bent lower and lower until he almost touched the floor, displaying his submission before God. "I died to George Muller, his opinions, his preferences, tastes, and will," he explained. "I died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends. And since then, I have studied only to show myself approved unto God."
Do you revere the Lord? Today in prayer, ask the Lord to take all of you and to use you for His glory.

What do you live for? What is the point and determination of your life? If you are seeking to live apart from God then you are living contrary to God’s order. If you are seeking to live apart from the directions of God’s Word then we are living contrary to God’s intended order. If we as a church are seeking to grow and be fulfilled apart from God’s commands for His church then we are seeking to be the church apart from God’s intended order.

Third we see a distortion of God’s Blessings. In verse 6, we are told that Eve saw that “the tree was desirable to make one wise.” In chapter two we are told that the tree was pleasing to the eye. God’s creation was intended to be pleasing to the eye. It was intended that we see and acknowledge the beauty of that creation of God. But the creation of God was not intended for us to see that it would make us wise. It was not intended to advance beyond the intended position God placed us in. Eve saw that she would be wise like God. Eve saw that this would place her in the same position as God and this was the problem. God desires that we enjoy the blessings that he has given. We should enjoy the blessings of marriage within the order that God has given us. We should enjoy the blessings and benefits of food, but within the order that God has given us. We should enjoy the blessings and benefits of rest that God has given us, but within the order that God has given us.

The blessings of salvation are righteousness and holiness, the removal of guilt, but if we were to pile guilt upon others then we are misusing and distorting the blessings of God. If we are to correctly use the blessings that God has given to us we are to share that freedom and blessing with others by leading them to salvation in order to experience it. If we are to falsely use the blessings of God of salvation then we would be binding them in guilt and false laws of salvation. May we be a blessing to others.

As we consider the loss of the purity of God’s creation and the distortion of God’s Word.

· Repentance- May we repent of the sin in our own lives. Without repentance and seeking to be removed and cleansed from sin we continue to distort the truth of God’s Word. We continue to distort the fact of our need for salvation and that God is righteous and holy.

· Forgiveness- May we seek the forgiveness of others. Until we seek the forgiveness of those that we mistreated we are living outside of the order of God which is to live at peace with all people. We are to love our neighbors as our selves.

· Be a Blessing to Others- May we seek to be a blessing to others in order to lead them to an experience and knowledge of the grace of God.