Another manifestation of the devil’s activity is false religion. This is Satan’s masterpiece and perhaps his greatest means of influence. It is also his most deadly weapon because it is aimed directly at men’s souls. The ultimate goal of the devil is to keep a human soul from the salvation that is available in Christ, and he will do anything in his power—even to the point of encouraging religious devotion—to obtain the desired results.
The apostle Paul said, “For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). He has kept multitudes of people blinded to the truth through false religious systems. As Paul also said:
If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 2 Corinthians 4:3–4
Satanic Counterfeits
In reality, the so-called great religions of the world are nothing less than satanic counterfeits intended to destroy men’s souls eternally. I know that might sound extreme to some, but if you take the Bible seriously, that is the only conclusion that can be drawn. Some insist that all religions essentially teach the same thing and all are equally valid. Yet, a simple comparison between Hinduism and Christianity, for example, shows the fallacy of this position.
Hinduism teaches that there are millions of gods, and Christianity insists that there is only one God. A comparison of Buddhism and Christianity shows the same thing. Buddhism does not involve belief in God at all; it is inherently atheistic. Islam denies the core Christian belief that Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son. The pseudo-Christian cults like the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses would also be examples of satanic counterfeits.
The Devil in Church
But the devil’s activity is not limited only to these other religions. We also see it in the church. Many in the mainline Protestant denominations have actually left the faith. They no longer believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh or that He was born of a virgin. They no longer believe that He died an atoning death on the Cross or that He literally rose bodily from the dead. They don’t believe that the Bible is the Word of God. One wonders why they call themselves “Christian.” They reject outright most of what the Bible teaches.