The Strand Study Bible

GENESIS GENESIS 3:15a The fierce enmity of Satan against the SEED of the woman (promised MESSIAH ) is one of the great themes of the Bible. Roy E. Anania in Defending The Virgin Birth notes: Satan’s wish has always been to abort God’s divine redemption plan from its very conception. 10 NOTE – Ever since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden and the promise of salvation via the Gospel of CHRIST there have been two kinds of people upon earth (saved and unsaved), and thus two distinct opposing worldviews: * Christian ( the woman – God’s kids via faith in Mary’s SEED ; Christian view - Jn 1:12) * Non-Christian ( THEE – Satan’s kids; non-Christian view - Jn 8:44, Mt 13:36-38 & 23:15, Acts 13:10, Eph 2:2-3 and I Jn 3:8-12) Starting with Satan’s attempt to try and keep the promised MESSIAH from entering the world (Mt 2:13), to trying to keep the promised MESSIAH from getting to the cross in order to save the world (Mt 27), Satan has been “goal oriented” since the fall of man. His goal has been threefold: 1. To pervert the simplicity of the Gospel of CHRIST , making it confusing to the world (Gen 4:1-3 and II Cor 11:1-3) Without a doubt Adam and Eve reiterated to their firstborn son (Cain) the story of their fall and how the Serpent promised them that they would “ become as gods ” should they decide to challenge the Word of God. Sadly, the apple never falls far from the tree as Cain decided to challenge God’s Word as well by offering to God the fruit of the ground (the work of his hands) instead of an innocent lamb (the work of Christ on the cross – Gen 4:4). Thus began the non-Christian view of coming to God through “works” instead of grace. The following list makes up the non-Christian view and worldview, which perverts the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ, by emphasizing salvation via “works” instead of “grace,” or by eliminating God all together: Mythology (c. 4000 BC - Gen 3:5 ) - Men “ working ” to become gods Polytheism (c. 4000 BC - Gen 3:5 ) - Men “ worshipping ” many gods (Psa 86:8 and II Chro 2:5) Judaism (c. 1400 BC - based on the laws of Moses - Deut 34:6 -12) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation Hinduism (c. 1000 BC - many gods) - Men “ working ” to reincarnate themselves (karma) ( Religious Note after I Ki 6:38) Atheism (c. 600 BC - Thales of Miletus) - Men “ working ” to eliminate the notion of God Evolution (c. 550 BC - Anaximander of Miletus) - Men “ reasoning ” why there is no God Buddhism (c. 500 BC) - Men “ working ” to reincarnate themselves (nirvana) ( Religious Note after Dan 4:33) Taoism (c. 500 BC) - Men “ working ” to better themselves in this life Confucianism (c. 497 BC) - Men “ working ” to better themselves in this life Humanism (c. 400 BC - Socrates) - Men “ wanting ” to become gods (Dewey - 1934 AD) ( Judg 21:25 ) Gnosticism (c. AD 50) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation ( Colo 2:16 ) The Talmud (c. AD 70) - Men “ working ” to remove the Messiah from the Torah Catholicism (c. AD 300) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation Islam (c. AD 622 - Mohammed) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation ( Gen 16:10 ) Anglicans (c. AD 1500’s - Church of England & Episcopalian) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation Unitarians (c. AD 1600’s) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation Masonry (c. AD 1700’s) Men “ working ” to better mankind ( Num 9:3 ) Mormonism (c. AD 1830 - Joseph Smith) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation ( Psa 82:6 ) The Apostolic Church (AD 1832 - John Bate Cardale) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation ( Jn 4:24b ) The Disciples of Christ (AD 1830’s - Barton W. Stone) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation ( Eph 5:19 ) Socialism (AD 1848 - Karl Marx in Europe) - Men “ working ” to make government a god ( Jn 4:24b ) Seventh Day Adventist (AD 1863 - Ellen White) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation( Gen 2:2 and Jn 4:24b ) NewThought (Phineas Parkhurst Quimby - AD 1866 in America) ( Jn 4:24b ) New Age (AD 1875) - Men “ working ” to become gods ( Mythology - Gen 3:5 ) ( Jn 4:24b ) Christian Science (Mary Baker Eddy - AD 1879 in America) - Men “ working ” to better themselves ( Jn 4:24b ) Jehovah’s Witnesses (c. AD 1884 - C. T. Russell) - Men “ working ” to earn a place in the Millennium ( Psa 37:9 ) Unity School of Christianity (Charles and Myrtle Fillmore - AD 1891 in America) ( Jn 4:24b ) Church of Christ (AD 1906 in America) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation ( Jn 4:24b and Eph 5:19 ) United Church of Religious Science (Ernest S. Holmes - AD 1927 in America) ( Jn 4:24b ) United Pentecostal (AD 1940’s in America) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation ( Jn 4:24b and Eph 5:19 ) House of Yahweh (Yisrayl Hawkins - AD 1980 in America) - Men “ working ” to earn salvation ( Jn 4:24b ) The non-Christian worldview is any view that perverts the simplicity of the Gospel, making salvation confusing (Gal 1:6-10). On the other hand, God made certain that the Messianic Christian view continued throughout history. Note the following three Messianic movements that believe in “ grace ” alone as a means to salvation: * Pre-Jewish Messianic movement (c. 4000 - 1487 BC) (Gen, Job and Exo 1-13): The promise of grace via the Gospel of Christ given to Adam (Gen 3:15 - c. 4000 BC) (Titus 1:2 and I Pet 1:10b ) The promise of grace via the Gospel of Christ given to Abel (Gen 4:4 - c. 3900 BC) (Lk 11:49-51) The promise of grace via the Gospel of Christ preached by Enoch (Gen 5:21-24 - c. 3200 BC) (Jude 14) The promise of grace via the Gospel of Christ preached by Noah (Gen 6:8 - c. 2400 BC) (I Pet 3:18-20 and II Pet 2:5) The promise of grace via the Gospel of Christ given to Abraham (Gen 12:3 - c. 1925 BC) (Gal 3:6-8) The promise of grace via the Gospel of Christ given to Moses (Exo 12 - c. 1487 BC) (Heb 11:24-26) * Jewish Messianic movement (1487 BC - AD 33) (Exo 14 through the Gospels): The promise of grace via the Gospel of Christ given to Moses (Exo 14 - c. 1487 BC) (Heb 4:1-2) The promise of grace via the Gospel of Christ preached by Samuel (I Sam 2:35 - c. 1150 BC) (Acts 3:24) 63