The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-12-02

" the DOCK OF Jop
is>essee = 1.-.-z-- - so clearly shows.
1t is not my purpose, however, IN TINS
sermon to discuss the personality OF
Satan, but to speak of the object OF
his deepest hatred, whether we tilinK
of him as a person or merely rs an
influence. 1t is the Bible more than
anything else on the earth which is the
object of Satan's most intense hatred.
First, because in the Bible alone
there is the full revelation VI God. III
Satan can discredit the Book he can
do away with our knowledge of the
true God.
Outside Of the Bible there are three
particular spheres wherein man has
constantly sought to know God. These
three spheres are nature, science ana
philosophy. Concerning nature II Is
true as we read in Rom. 20, THE
invisible things of Him from the crea-
ton of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that
are made; even his eternal power ana
Godhead." But Gods nature, which
is love, and His character, which Is
gracious, is not to be found in ma
ture. Indeed the very opposite is
found there. When we come TO exam
inc nature, instead of being drawn to
its God, we are rather repealed by
what we find in the way OF cruelty.
Think Of the birds Of the air feeding
upon other living creatures; the
of tha toll
another; and even man, the browning
work of nature, must admit as being
true the accusation of the poet, MANS
inhumanity to man makes countless
thousands mourn"
Again, there are some who turn TO
science for their understanding Of the
true God because Of the orderliness
and exactitude found by various scien-
tific Investigations. They feel they
come to know God without coming TO
the Book. The difficulty is that In
sciences there is continual change.
What is true today may tomorrow be
found erroneous. The result is neces-
sarily a changing God, and the heart
Of man cries out for God who is
the same yesterday, today and for
ever; one who through all the chang
ing vicissitudes OF human life, will be
found Interchangeable always showing
forth unquenchable love and infinite
wisdom. The textbooks of science
are continually changing, constantly
being revised as research makes
change necessary because Of new dis
coveries. But the Bible, like its Au-
thor, remains unchanged through all
the ages.
Again philosophy claims to find sat
isfactory God for Its devotees, but the
best philosophy can do for us is to
present IAN unknown God" and we
are forced to become like the reason
ers in Athens long ago and, after do
ing all we know, erect an altar TO "the
unknown God" But the unknown
God Of philosophy is the One who has
been pleased to reveal Himself upon
the pages of the Bible.
1t has therefore been the continuous
purpose and constant effort of Satan
TO deny or distort the Word of God
becatise he is aware that i'm no other
place can full knowledge of the true
God be found. He began this effort
away back In the Garden of Eden
where he first uttered through the
mouth of the serpent his age-old ques-
ton, "Yea, hath God saidY' (Gen. 3:11.
He would have man doubt the fact of
having revelation from God doubt
as to whether God had spoken at all,
whether man had indeed and In truth
n word directly from God. Satan has
never ceased to ask this same ques-,
tion, and the writings of destructive
critics who question the fact Of q df
rect revelation from God, are as much
inspired of him as the serpent WIS
when first this question was used f{r
the purpose of stealing away MANS
knowledge of God.
without the Bible we soon come to
the place Of those of whom II is writ
ten In Judges 81 :25 EVERY man did
that which was right in his own eyes"
This is lawlessness or anarchy; which
Is another word for Satan's rule. The
growth of lawlessness today Is pro-
portionate TO the measure in which the
people turn from the Bible as the true
standard of conduct; where the Bible
is held in reverence there we find up.
right and law-abiding citizens. Satan
hates the latter condition and there
fore directs his assaults upon that
which produces 1.-THE Bible. To pro
duce good citizens of this world and
blessed inhabitants of the next, tn,
Bible is TO be read. studied ane
obeyed. in spite of all the raging OF
our adversary, the devil, whom we art
to resist steadfastly In the faith