- God just wants you to be happy.
- You only live once.
- You need to live your truth.
- Your feelings are reality.
Sound familiar? That’s four of the eight statements that sound true enough but are actually lies that author Jared C. Wilson lays out in his latest book, The Gospel According to Satan: Eight Lies about God that Sound Like the Truth. The gospel-saturated author of many books explains the intent of each lie and how they undermine God’s will in our lives.
Kudos on the cover design that pushes me to turn the book on its face whenever I have it out. You could call that a drawback, but wouldn’t this be a great book to leave on top of the Gideon Bible in hotel room drawers?
Some of the points touched in the book:
- Does God just want you to be happy or is your unhappiness a symptom of misplaced priorities or even a difficult calling? Could your happiness be the main thing drawing you away from him?
- What do you justify with #YOLO? Is it godly living or self-indulgence?
- What you call your truth may be relative, but the truth is not. Unfashionable? Sometimes. Reliable? Definitely.
- Your feelings may not mean what you think they mean. They need biblical interpretation
Jared writes with light-hearted quips from our culture, quotes from contemporary and classic authors, and vulnerable illustrations from his own life.
When I’m not priding myself on being more whatever than others, I hate myself for not being whatever enough. The weird thing about humility is that the more you think about it, the more it goes away. That’s me.
The other lies he tackles:
- Your life is what you make it.
- You need to let go and let God.
- The Cross is not about wrath.
- God helps those who help themselves.
I found his exploration of problems with the cliché “let go and let God” eye-opening, and the next chapter on substitutionary atonement should be understood by everyone. Heartily recommended.