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The Myth of Independence<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Lewis Gregory<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Satan deceived Adam and Eve into trying to become someone they already were, and get something they already had. This is the great deception<\/em>!<\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Adam and Eve had yet to discover who they really were<\/em>. They were not cognizant of the fact that the life they enjoyed was a life derived from God Himself. They were who they were and had what they had because of their relationship to their heavenly Father. Likewise, you and I are products of God\u2019s Divine grace\u2014His unmerited goodness. All your possessions and achievements are simply evidence of God\u2019s goodness toward you\u2026<\/p>\n Adam and Eve were created as dependent beings. Yet, they denied their own createdness when they obeyed Satan and, thus, forfeited their dominion over the earth. Satan usurped Adam and Eve\u2019s authority, which they lost by default. As a result of their choice, he became the \u201cgod of this world\u201d (2 Corinthians 4:4), and sadly, the new lord and master over all mankind.<\/p>\n The choice Adam and Eve made did not result in independence as the deceiver had implied. When they chose to obey Satan and eat the forbidden fruit, they put themselves under bondage to a wicked taskmaster\u2026<\/p>\n Because of the Fall, Adam and Eve failed to realize their full potential as the dwelling place of God. They sinned and fell short of the glory of God. Based on Romans 3:23, every person since then has also fallen short of God\u2019s glory. This means that none of us is humanly <\/em>capable of achieving God\u2019s glorious purpose for our lives. We have all missed the mark!<\/p>\n Until we make a life-changing choice to become a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, each one of us is under the dominion of Satan.<\/p>\n Satan tempted Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit, but just exactly how did he do this? With a lie! He contradicted what God had said. He made them think they could become their own god, totally apart from God\u2026 Thus began the myth of independence<\/em>.<\/p>\n Since that time, men and women have mistakenly thought they were independent beings. This misconception is due to the fact that the \u201cgod of this world\u201d has blinded us all to the truth. \u201cThe god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not\u201d (2 Corinthians 4:4). Satan is constantly working to keep us blinded to the truth. And, just what is the truth? The truth is that we are all dependent beings<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n