Last week we talked about deception, about how Eve’s deception may be similar to the deception of some Christians who have same sex attractions. How Satan twisted God’s Word then and now. I promised we’d talk about Adam this week, how and why he was deceived. Why he ate of the fruit.

Could it be that Adam loved the beautiful creature God had given him so much that he didn’t want to refuse the fruit she offered him or do anything to “cause trouble in paradise?” Could it be this is why he too chose to eat the fruit, opening the door to the worst trouble that could be imagined and bringing an end to paradise as he knew it? Could it be that he wanted to please Eve more than he wanted to please God? I’ve heard it said if we love anything or anyone more than the truth, we will be deceived.

This is similar to how I believe the Adam syndrome might work today in relation to Christians being deceived about homosexuality. Someone tells their Christian family/friends that they’re gay. Gradually, one by one other members of their family/friends begin to embrace the new philosophies about homosexuality. This might happen because: 1) elderly parents are financially dependent on the person who is in the same sex relationship; 2) the family/friends are afraid of losing relationship with that person and they can’t bear the thought of a rift in the family; 3) someone whom they trust or who has more education than they, has embraced the new philosophy; or they themselves have a high level of compassion and they can’t bear to have their friend/family member or even homosexuals in general feel rejected. In any case, they too choose to believe a lie.

Some time ago I learned that the wife of a well-known Christian speaker believed in gay marriage. Later, I wasn’t surprised to hear that the speaker himself had changed his views on homosexuality. I also read an article a few years ago about the wife of the singer I mentioned last week. She said she knew if she held to the older views of homosexuality─that it’s wrong and offensive to God, she would lose her (now ex-) husband as a friend. Since then I’ve read that she is an advocate for Soulforce, a pro-gay group that fights for gay rights. Perhaps one of the ways we open ourselves to deception is by making idols out of those we love, those we think we can’t live without.

Could it be that when we want to please others more than we want to please God, we become willing to trade the truth of God for a lie? Romans 1:25-27 says:

They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator Himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.

I believe our greatest protection against deception is loving Jesus more than anything or anyone else and loving His Word, being alert for any attempts of the enemy to twist it’s meaning. When Satan came to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus answered him using God’s Word, “It is written…” In his third temptation, Satan tried to turn the tables on Jesus by using Scripture to entice Him to sin, but Jesus spotted his wrong use of Scripture and corrected him with one last, “It is written…” Will we let the Holy Spirit help us do the same or will II Thessalonians 2:11-12 become true of us?

They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Father, Enable us to Love you with all of our hearts, souls, strength, and minds (Luke 10:27), and to Buy the truth and sell it not… (Proverbs 23:23). Help us remember that Your Word is Truth (John 17:17) so that it will be a lamp to our feet and a light for our path (Psalm 119:105). Amen.