In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. In the last few weeks we’ve been considering the consequences of our sin. In previous weeks we saw that when we sin, we lose communion with God and God is displeased with us, curses us and gets angry. This week I want to show you that when we sin we make ourselves a slave to Satan.

Satan is not a popular subject. Most people would rather believe he does not exist. And if they do believe he exists, they would like to think that they have very little of a relationship with him. The sad truth is that Satan does exist. He is mentioned all through the Bible: from the very beginning with Adam and Eve, to his time spent tempting Jesus, to his final destruction foretold in Revelation. The even sadder truth is that we are all connected to Satan. The whole human race is guilty of Satanic worship. Yes, only a small minority of the human race explicitly embrace worship of Satan through the occult and call themselves Satan worshippers. But the rest of the human race doesn’t get off that easy. Every time we sin, we choose not to worship God and be a part of his kingdom with him as the ruler of our life. Instead we choose to worship Satan and be a part of the kingdom of darkness with Satan as our ruler. And once we switch allegiance just once, we become a slave to him.

Jesus speaks plainly of this reality when he says to the Jews: ‘You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). Jesus is not speaking to explicit Satanic worshippers, but to people who lived what many would deem as ‘good’ lives.

So how do you get out of slavery to Satan. Paul says it is by repentance. He instructs a pastor with these words: ‘And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will’ (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Have you repented of your sin so Satan is no longer your master?

Joel Radford