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sociology and criminology failed
to discover the root causes of
criminal behavior a nd the
nature
of human nature?
Because they have rejected the
Source that reveals it! They a re
not recognizing or dealing with
the important causes of sin and of
the criminal impulse.
First, however, you need to
understand the vital difference
between sin and crime.
Sin, according to your Bible, is
the breaking or transgression of
God's Law (1 J ohn 3:4).
C rime is the violation of man–
devised laws, which may or may
not include tha t which God calls
sin.
The Origin of Sin and Rebellion
Sin and criminal alt itudes and
behavior bave not always existed.
There was a definite beginning of
law-breaking. How many today
believe the scripture, "He who
commits sin is of the devil" (1
John 3:8)?
The Bible reveals tbe origina–
tor of the first "get-ricb-quick"
scheme.
It
was a great spirit
being, an archangel, whose Latín
name,
Lucifer,
means
Light–
bringer.
He wanted top power
a nd riches, the fast way-by tak–
ing it from someone else.
Lucifer was pul over the earth
to administer the Government of
God. His rebellion against God,
his Creator, is revealed in lsaiah
14:12- 14 a nd Ezekiel 28:12-19.
Lucifer chose the way of com–
petition, the way of conquest. He
wasn' t satisfied with rulership
over the earth. H e saw the whole
universe, the unlimited opportu–
nities for power, honor and glory.
He coveted that for himself.
Lucifer, bis name now changed
to Satan, mea ning
Adversary,
ascended to God's throne over the
universe. He planned to kick God
off His throne. " 1will make myself
like the Most High," he said
(Isaiah 14:14, Revised Standard
Yersion). He would decide for
himselfwhat was good and evil.
Satan believed getting for bim–
self first was of paramount im–
portance for self-fu lfillment and
greatness. He believed bis "get"
ways could produce results quick-
28
er, faster and on a grander
scale-for himself. He rejected
God 's way to honor, glory and
riches by patiently a nd humbly
working, serving, helping a nd lov–
ing others.
He becamean aggressor. He was
the first to believe in the survival of
tbe fittest. He was the first godfath–
er of an organized criminal syndi–
cate. Satan was a ble duríng his rule
on earth to draw away one third of
God's angels with him in bis rebel–
lion (see Revelation 12:4). He d id it
tbrough the subtle defaming of
God's character, purposes and
laws.
But Satan's sinning and per–
ver ted attitudes clouded bis mind.
It
caused him to misunderstand
and miscalculate tbe awesome
power of God. He was instantly
cast down to earth. " [ beheld
Satan as lightning fall from heav–
en," said J esus ( Luke 10: 18) .
Jesus said Satan was a mur–
derer from the beginning of his
rebellion- a nd the father of lies
(John 8:44). He is the fatber of
decei t , líes, trickery, false accusa–
t ion, bate, rebellion, lust.
How many today know an
invisible fallen spirit being, sup–
ported by a host of fallen angels,
is broadcasting these wrong alti–
tudes throughout tbe world to the
minds of unsuspecting bumanity?
A humanity that, in many in–
stances, does not believe a devil
exists--or that they have made a
god out of him!
How many realize humans in
varying degrees have absorbed
Satan's altitudes into their
minds? Sorne individuals and cul–
tures absorb more than others.
There are reasons why!
Scripture reveals Satan has
deceived and influenced the
whole world
witb his corrupt atti–
tudes. Read it for yourself in
Revelation 12:9. Yet, many today
deny the exis tence of tbe very
source of evil that has worked to
sway their minds into wrong
ways of reasoning and feeling .
Satan Broad casts Hls Altitudes
Notice wbat the Bible says about
Satan's deception in Ephesians
2:2, RSV. Writing to converted
Ephesian Christians, the apostle
Paul mentions how they were
once spiri tually dead because of
the sins " in which you once
wa lked ."
Why? Because tbey had been
"followi ng the cou rse of th is
world, following tñe prince of the
power
of the ai r, the spiri t that is
now a t work in the sons of d isobe–
dience."
Grasp tha t! Satan can broad–
cast his evi l nature a nd atti tudes
through the ai r and unsuspecting
human minds can pick it up,
nourish it and develop it as part
of human nature.
" Among these [chi ldren of dis–
obedience] we a ll once lived in
the passions of our flesh , foll ow–
ing tbe desires of body and mind,
and so were by nature cbildren of
wratb, like the rest of mankind,"
continues verse 3.
But what are the passions of
the flesh that come from yielding
or following Satan's ways? The
Bible clearly tells us.
"Now the works of the flesh
are manifes t , which are these;
Adultery, forn ication, unclean–
ness [physical a nd moral], lasciv–
iousness, idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred , variance, emu lations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
e nvyings murders [hatred is the
spirit of murder- 1 Jobn 3: 15],
drunkenness, revelings and sucb
like" (Gala tians 5:19-21).
The Crimi na l Spectrum
Notice the sinfu i altitudes and acts
just described. They are common to
crimina ls a nd noncrimina ls a like.
"All bave sinned," says scripture
(Romans 3:23).
But there are differences in tbe
way individua ls on the sinning or
criminal spectrum are thinking.
There are d ifferences in degrees
of such sins in a person's life.
At one end of tbe spectrum is
the person, who, though sinning
or rebelling against the perfect
laws of God, ra rely or only occa–
sionally violates the laws of his
society or culture. At the other
end of the spectrum is the hard–
core, professiona l or career crimi–
nal (he may be violence prone or
operate solely by bis wits). This
person's wakefullife and thinking
revolves around contemplating or
The PLAIN TRUTH