THE SUBTLENESS OF DECEPTION IN ORGANIZED RELIGIONS We start with (Gen. 3:1) and discover the word subtle was first used to describe something against God. The deceiver was more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field. Now this verse tells us that the deceiver could outwit any of God’s creation of the field. It DOES NOT tell us that the deceiver was smarter than mankind. I want to show to you what the Holy Spirit is revealing in Gen., about the deception that caused mankind to fall and to this day is holding mankind captive. Looking at the first book of the Bible (1Gen:26) We discover God is creating mankind in His image and likeness. God deliberately called everything created to witness that He was creating mankind in His image and giving mankind the earth to rule. Mankind received the dominion over everything that moved upon the earth. Notice God did not share mankind’s dominion with angels or other creations. The Bible clearly states, God gave mankind ONLY dominion of the earth. Why? Because God wanted mankind to be replicas of Him on earth, and only those given dominion from God can rule. I hope you are beginning to see why mankind’s dominion was the most valuable commodity on earth: The heir of mankind’s dominion ruled the earth, remember this. I repeat this point because it is important that believers began to understand that everything was created for God’s glory. Anything on earth that is not giving glory to God, is deception. To shed more light on deception let me show you how deception was subtle enough to come to Eve. Why? Because Adam received the divine guidelines meaning deception had no chance of a direct approach. Deception went to the point of lest resistance. Again this is why the deceiver is named the most subtle beast of the field. The deceiver was waiting for the right time and the right way to get Adam’s dominion. Looking in (Gen. 2:23-25) we see Adam pronouncing Eve as bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. He said a man should leave his mother and father and hold onto his wife. Adam meant that no matter what, a man should not leave his wife; unaware Adam set himself up for deception. The deceiver knew he could get Adam’s dominion if he went through Eve. Chapter 2 Gen. ends with Adam and Eve being of the same bone and flesh, and clinging to each other. All the deceiver has to do is deceive Eve. The deception to be like God overrules the truth of being created in God’s likeness. Eve deceived into thinking she was offering something pleasant to her husband, went gleefully to Adam to show him that it was all right to take of the forbidden fruit. Now when Adam received the fruit from his wife, he never thought to question what type of fruit it was. Adam trusted Eve so much that he never considered Eve bringing something bad to him. That is why the scriptures say Adam replied to God, when asked what he had done. "It was the woman You gave that gave me fruit, and I ate." Now these verses are not talking about a physical tree or apples. A tree symbolizes a complete plan, apple symbolizes one of the components that makeup that plan. God told Adam he was created complete, and didn’t need another plan, and anything outside the plan He gave him would cause him to lose God's plan. Chapter 3:1 begin with the deceiver questioning Eve about God’s Holy commands. Why? Because the deceiver knew Eve didn’t know right from wrong and she had not heard God give Adam the guideline to stay in the image he was created in. With tricks of deception and fast talk Eve engages in a conversation that can only lead to destruction. Had Eve been aware of deception she would never have kept talking, but that is why deception is subtle and deadly. Deception seems as if it is the real thing, first, but slowly it began to look for a way of deceiving. In Gen. 3: 1-3 Eve asked innocently, gets deeper into conversation with the deceiver, until Eve begins to question God guidelines. Gen. 3:4-5 shows us how the deceiver tricked Eve into believing him. Gen. 6 tells us that when the woman was convinced the deceiver was offering something better than God she took it. When nothing happened to Eve, she joyfully gave deception to Adam, unaware of what she was offering. Adam would have never willfully broken God’s commands. And to leave you with food for though about Adam and Eve, remember God went looking for His mankind after he fell. God would not allow His image to stay behind a bush. If God went to get Adam and Eve from behind the bush, will God not bring every mankind from behind the bush of shame and sin? Yes, God has already delivered us from sin and death through His Grace. Mankind had many prophets to deliver him into the light of God’s love, but the message of love and complete trust upon God is still a mystery to most people. We are quickly led astray by prophet-sounding men who are greedy for material gain. These so-called men of God are deceiving the people into believing mankind is still under the curse of Adam. Now what could be more subtle than to think God would allow His mankind to be born in sin because of one man? And to give this utterly ridiculous document a foundation so-called preacher/teachers/pastors/ministers are misquoting (Rom.5:12). The scriptures are telling us that sin entered the world by one man and that because of sin death was spread to all mankind. This scripture doesn’t want to be misunderstood as saying; every man was born in sin. Reading farther we see that Rom. 5:15 tells us that God’s gift of love is not to be compared to the fall of mankind. Why? Because the scripture wants us to see how much God’s love was profusely poured out, and delivered by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to tell us that God has forgiven us. Why are we continually making sacrifices and paying dues? Why are we still trying to live good enough to be saved? And lastly why do we need a man to intercede to God for us? All the above questions are answered the same, man is still deceived. Mankind taught he is born in sin is sadly mistaken. Mankind taught he is born in the image of God is a dominator. Deception tells mankind he is born in sin, and mankind pays to be set free from sin through organized religious. If mankind knew he was created in the image of God, and not in the image of Adam, mankind could rule the earth, the way God always intended for him to do. How many people do you know that know THEY ARE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD? Right! The reason people do not know they are in God’s image is, they are following deception, and deception always looks and tastes good. Most organized religious members have limited knowledge about the word of God that is why they are led astray. They use a King James Version to confuse themselves more, and they only talk about the Bible in Bible study. They build large flashy buildings and fill them with mankind’s idea of whom and what God is. Sadly enough most people go to their grave not knowing they were free from sin, after paying their tithes weekly. Believers are the only ones that can hear the truth of God Word. Please let me explain that it is not God that keeps us from hearing, but our self centered minds. God wishes every human to hear His voice; not the voice of another man, for the word of God was given to all men. But all men will not hear God’s voice, and God will not force them to hear Him. Hearing God’s voice is a matter of choice. If you pray all your life for God to forgive you, this means you never knew God was a forgiving God. Once a person knows he is in the image of God, and in that image he is forgiven he spends his time giving thanks to God for the forgiveness he has received from the beginning of creation. If you are unaware that the last above sentence is true, you are living under deception. Remember deception can only stop those who are ignorant to God’s plan. Had Eve also heard God’s plan not to get involved in another plan, life would be free from pain and destruction, good and evil; Eve’s lack of knowledge opened a way for mankind to move out of God’s perfect plan and into mankind’s scheme. Again, I say it is up to each person, and those who are truly seeking to know truth will not be led astray by the doctrine of man. We are individually responsible for our choices, therefore, if a man is deceived it is because he chooses to be deceived.