Satan is the god of this world. He calls the shots. Satan has two primary goals. First, he wants to convince man there is no God and, failing that, to lead man off on a wild goose chase following after false gods or no god at all. We have to say Satan has done a relatively good job on his first goal. Look at all the false religions that have flourished in the world and whose followers are headed to eternal damnation and they don’t even know it. Only the followers of Christianity, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, will see eternal life in heaven. Fact is fact. I don’t see any way to sugar-coat it. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and all the followers of other cult religions are headed for the pit. Even the followers of Judaism who don’t repent are headed to perdition. The vast majority of people on earth are headed to hell.
Second, Satan wants to convince man there is no hell. I’d have to say Satan has done an even better job convincing people hell doesn’t exist than he has convincing them there is no God. This is evidenced by the fact that even many believing Christians don’t even believe in the existence of a physical hell where the souls of unbelievers are tormented by fire forever. Hell doesn’t seem possible to some Christians because of their view of God as a kind and benevolent grandfather figure who only hands out good things. Kind of like Santa Claus, where if you’re naughty you just won’t get any presents. Harsher treatment is not a consideration. Let me be clear about this. Hell is a real physical place where the souls of unbelievers go immediately after they die. Satan has used the following three methods to pull the wool over the eyes of man:
1. Rationalism – In our modern, humanist world if you can’t see something or prove it scientifically it doesn’t exist. If you can’t see God, or any physical proof of God, then God doesn’t exist. If there is no God then there is no hell either. Our education system has pushed the theory of evolution down out throats until most people now believe the lie. God calls unbelievers fools and so they are.
2. Ridicule – Satan loves to push unbelievers to ridicule Christians and mock their faith. The lost and the weak-minded are easy prey for Satan and they will be pushed to do this. We know it’s coming. We shouldn’t get angry or upset. Instead, we should feel sorry for them and have compassion for them because they don’t know any better. They don’t know the truth of God. Jesus said we’d face ridicule in this world as believers because he did. Jesus said to rejoice when this happens to us and respond with kindness and gentleness. Ridicule doesn’t work if it has no effect on the intended victim. When those who ridicule you don’t evoke an angry response from you but instead receive kindness they usually don’t persist with it very long.
3. Religion – If Satan can’t convince someone God doesn’t exist he then twists our faith around by insisting a God of love surely wouldn’t send anyone to hell (if hell exists). Liberals believe this. Humanists believe this. Even a lot of Christian faithful believe this and many church pastors have adopted this view as well. Christians who hold this view are going against the clear teachings of the Bible. They are either denying the possibility there is a hell because it’s too horrifying for them to contemplate or they simply haven’t read their Bible. For whatever reason, they’re blinded to the truth.
Psalm 14:1 & Psalm 53:1 – The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.
Proverbs 12:15 – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds council is wise.