No one who understands the reality of spiritual darkness and spiritual light would ever choose the darkness, because no soul created for eternity with God in heaven, as were all human beings (II Peter 3:9), would ever, in its place, choose hell. Since the only way satan can harm God in any way is to harm His beloved children, he wages a war of deceit. He does not appear to us as "ugly," because it is against human nature to choose ugliness, but presents himself as beautiful, seductive and enticing. "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (II Cor. 11:14-15). Satan is the "god of this age," the "prince of this world," as Jesus called him, and he comes cloaked in a form of beauty, fun, power, and success--but it is just a masquerade.
"The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not covet,' and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time [the present evil age--Gal. 1:4]. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber [unaware of what is going on around you; unable to separate dreams from reality], because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light [This is a great phrase I have previously missed somehow!] Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and don't think how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature" (Romans 13:9-14).
We are warned many times to steer clear of the "darkness":
3:19 And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved.
3:21 But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God.
6:14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?
6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?
6:16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
6:17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you,
6:18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
1:5 And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1:7 but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Satan attempts to draw us in by the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life" (I John 2:16). What worked for him in the garden--"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food [lust of the flesh] and pleasing to the eye [lust of the eye], and also desirable for gaining wisdom [pride of life], she took some and ate it" (Gen. 3:6)--did not work for him in the wilderness of temptation--
4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered.
4:3 And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.
4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
4:5 Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple,
4:6 and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone.
4:7 Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.
4:8 Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
4:9 and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
4:11 Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Jesus brings light to dispel the darkness and to reveal the sneaky plan of the enemy who masquerades as something he is not. "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His Being, sustaining all things by His powerful word" (Heb. 1:3a). " The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (IICor. 4:4-6).
"Shine on, Light of the World, teaching men to find their way." Amen
4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God.
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