NOTE: I originally published this post back in 2022. But we have just begun reading John Bunyan’s Holy War in the Sunday morning class and we came across this same quote. It is incredibly important in opening our eyes to how evil takes advantage of our naivete, so here it is once more:
The following is taken from John Bunyan’s book “Holy War” in which Satan (Diabolus) and his fellow demons are plotting revenge against Shaddai (the Lord) for casting them out of His presence when their evil conspiracy was discovered. Bunyan here very accurately describes how Satan operates. He is the father of lies, and as I hope you are realizing in more and more clarity, lies and deception are the tools of his servants:
Therefore let us assault them in all pretended fairness, covering of our intentions with all manner of lies, flatteries, delusive words; feigning of things that never will be, and promising of that to them that they shall never find.
This is the way to win Mansoul, and to make them, of themselves, to open their gates to us; yea, and to desire us too, to come in to them. And the reason why I think that this project will do is, because the people of Mansoul now are every one simple and innocent; all honest and true; nor do they as yet know what it is to be assaulted with fraud, guile, and hypocrisy. They are strangers to lying and dissembling lips; wherefore we cannot, if thus we be disguised, by them at all be discerned; our lies shall go for true sayings, and our dissimulations for upright dealings. What we promise them, they will in that believe us, especially if in all our lies and feigned words we pretend great love to them, and that our design is only their advantage and honour.
Bunyan, Bunyan. The Works of John Bunyan, complete, including 58 books (Kindle Locations 90352-90360). B&R Samizdat Express. Kindle Edition.
And there you go. Remain naive about evil and it will sucker punch you.
Susan
Some years back I was able to spot an evil attempting to invade our church. I can’t tell you how I knew, just that my antenna was on alert. A couple had joined our church but just sat quietly for almost a year, not giving any indication of any intentions whether good or evil. Still, the thought occurred to me “I wonder what they want.” That was such an odd thought, but it just came to me and I didn’t know why. Well, after about a year this couple, mostly the husband, got quite involved in church business and in short order became our Treasurer. He did things that initially might have seemed needed and welcome, but they were done in a manner that crossed boundaries. He did serve well as a treasurer, but aside from that he was slowly working to undermine this church’s ministry altogether! He wanted the pastor gone! He spoke to several people at different times sowing seeds of doubt against the pastor. Thankfully the deacons were not swayed, nor was the accounting staff (2 others and myself) and he did not succeed in his mission. However, it was frightening to see how some of the people were leaning toward believing his covert assassination attempt. In fact it was so well done that it even had me questioning some things he “brought forth.” It wasn’t until his character was truly revealed some time after he left the church that I realized… yes, in deed, God had given me the wisdom to spot evil among us.