And what is The Great Deception? It is that Man in inherently good.

Revelation (NIV) 3:17-22: “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Note: All scriptures are taken from NIV unless otherwise stated.

There were two people, Adam and Eve, who were inherently good until…they fell. Genesis 3. It didn’t take long (one generation, in fact) to see the evil fruit of their rebellion. Can you say, “Cain?” Genesis 4. Genesis 5 says that Adam…”had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.”

In Genesis 6:1-8, we see that wickedness continued to increase to the point that “the Lord regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and His heart was deeply troubled”…”but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Hebrews 11:7.

The following scriptures continue to show the ever increasing wickedness of Man. PLEASE READ THEM. If we pick and choose what we will read from His Book (Bible), we will never know and/or understand God; and we will never be able to stand and remain standing in Him as this world becomes darker. To know about God without knowing Him is to build your house on sand. To know God (Have a relationship with Him) is to build your house on the rock (Jesus). Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:46-49. Now for the following scriptures: Romans 1:18-2:16; 3:10-20.

SO WHAT HOPE DO WE HAVE? The only hope we need, JESUS: Romans 3:21-31; 5:12-21; 7:14-25; Hebrews 4:14-16; Revelations 5.

Are you beginning to see clearly now that God, who gave us free will, knew before the beginning of creation that it was not a matter of if we would fall, but when we would fall (For he wanted us to love Him freely and not out of compulsion, knowing we could make the wrong choice)? Do you also see that before creation that He had a plan to save us from our Sin; and Jesus and Holy Spirit was in agreement (in Oneness) with Him. (There are many sins, but they are all secondary to Sin, and that Sin is turning away from God (rebellion), and yet as we were told last Sunday in church, God went ahead with Creation anyway: John 1:1-5; Genesis 1; John 17:5,24; Colossians 1:15-23; 1 Peter 1:13-25; Revelation 13:8,9; 22:12-17.

Romans 5:1-11

We do not understand this kind of Love or the depth of it, but we should be grateful. God is worthy of our Praise. He is worthy of our Worship and Adoration. Personally, I don’t know if eternity is long enough time to Praise and Worship Him as He deserves.