As my Torah series wraps up, I still want to share the amazing treasures of God’s Word with you all. Just because I don’t believe in the Devil anymore doesn’t mean we cannot still fellowship and learn together. At least that’s what I think. You are the one that can either tune in or tune out. With that said, it is unfortunate that I didn’t get to share the final two episodes on the ‘serpent’ verses before my exit, but since then we’ve covered all the ‘devil’ verses in episodes 7-10 which I never got a chance to share. You guys are really missing out because even if you want to keep your devil and apply him to some of these verses, the fact remains…..they ALL apply to us. If you can’t see that, then you are missing the point. I’m just trying like ‘hell’ to show you the spiritual lessons here that go beyond genetics and Joos and Devils.

I have this episode on the Origin of Evil airing this weekend 6/22 on all my platforms and it covers the Scriptural origin of evil. The HEART. If I’m wrong, please contact me and show me how (ageoflaodicea@gmail.com  OR thinkoutsidethebeast@yahoo.com)

YOUTUBE channel   https://www.youtube.com/@brotherhebert2025

From my study: Before we begin examining all the verses with ‘Satan’ (episodes 12-22), we need to expand on the origin of evil. The heart.

In Scripture, the terms “heart” and “mind” are often used interchangeably to describe the inner person — the seat of thought, will, emotion, and spiritual orientation. In Hebrew, the word for “heart” (lev or levav) was not limited to feelings or emotions as in modern usage, but referred to the center of a person’s entire inner life — including thinking, reasoning, moral decision-making, and desire. In fact, where we might expect the word “mind,” Hebrew texts often use “heart.” For example, Proverbs 23:7 says, “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he,” showing that in biblical thought, reasoning and belief happen in the heart. In the New Testament, written in Greek, two primary words are used: kardia (heart) and {nooce} nous (mind). While there is some distinction — with nous leaning toward rational thought — the overlap remains strong, and both are used to describe the inner life where beliefs, intentions, and choices originate. Jesus Himself demonstrates this in Matthew 22:37, where He quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 but adds “mind” alongside “heart” and “soul,” highlighting their unity. The King James Version occasionally uses “mind” where the Hebrew says “heart” (and vice versa) to reflect the functional meaning rather than the literal word. Ultimately, in biblical theology, the heart and the mind are not separate faculties but deeply intertwined aspects of the same inner being. The heart is where we think, choose, desire, and worship — and it is also where sin begins or faith is formed. Whether Scripture says “heart” or “mind,” it is speaking to the core of who we are, and it is there that transformation, rebellion, or repentance begins.

The human heart is presented throughout Scripture as the center of moral and spiritual activity, and also the origin of sin and rebellion. In Acts 8:21, Peter rebukes Simon, saying, “your heart is not right before God,” showing that even outward interest in spiritual things is meaningless if the inward disposition is corrupted. A hardened heart is dangerous because it resists conviction and often lacks awareness of its own condition. This hardness can lead to being trapped in what Scripture calls “the gall of bitterness” and “the bond of iniquity” (Acts 8:23), indicating that sin is not merely behavioral but deeply rooted in the heart’s posture towards God.

Scripture consistently teaches that when the heart is corrupted, all systems fail—whether personal, governmental, or religious. Proverbs 4:23 commands believers to “guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” This highlights the heart as the source of all choices and directions in life. In 1Kings 8:38, during Israel’s national crisis, each person was told to recognize “the plague of his own heart” and seek restoration. This verse reveals that personal sin and spiritual affliction are both identified as heart issues.

The heart is also the main battlefield of spiritual warfare. 2Corinthians 10:4–5 describes our weapons as “not carnal, but mighty in God,” for the purpose of “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,” and “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Since thoughts and intentions flow from the heart (Hebrews 4:12), the true strongholds are within, and the war is won or lost by the softness or hardness of the heart.

The corrupted heart is also self-centered and blind. Jesus described those who judge others harshly while failing to see their own sin as having a “beam in their own eye” (Matthew 7:3–5), a blindness tied to pride and self-righteousness. A hardened heart often feels little or nothing — unable to weep over the cross or respond to the Spirit — a condition warned against in Hebrews 3:12–13, where believers are told to “encourage one another daily, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

Moreover, Scripture connects spiritual heart disease to double-mindedness — an unstable, fractured mind. James 1:8 warns that “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,” and this instability flows from a divided heart. King Saul is an example of someone who, once refusing to truly repent, spiraled into irrationality, paranoia, and disobedience. His story exemplifies how prideful self-deception can lead to spiritual insanity when the heart is unwilling to yield to correction.

The only solution to this spiritual plague is circumcision of the heart, a theme found in Colossians 2:11–13. There, the believer is said to undergo a “circumcision made without hands” — the cutting away of the sinful nature through union with Jesus Christ. This internal transformation is made possible by the cross, where Jesus experienced spiritual and physical agony, even a ruptured heart (John 19:34), so that hardened hearts might be made new. This internal cleansing restores sensitivity, faith, and power. Without a renewed heart, even righteous actions become powerless.

Ultimately, the trajectory of a life, home, church, or nation is not decided by external factors, but by the condition of the heart. If the heart is right, everything else can be made right. If the heart remains hardened, every effort will fail. As Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Yet God, who searches the heart (Jeremiah 17:10), offers a new one through repentance, faith, and spiritual renewal. True transformation, lasting revival, and overcoming victory all begin — and end — in the heart.

Eve’s decision to disobey God in the Garden of Eden was not merely an external act of rebellion but the result of an internal heart shift. Her sin began before her hand touched the fruit; it began when her heart entertained distrust, desire, and pride. Genesis 3:6 reveals a progression of motives: she saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh), pleasing to the eyes (lust of the eyes), and desirable to make one wise (pride of life). These reflect the very categories of temptation described in 1John 2:16, emphasizing that the fall into sin was not a momentary lapse in judgment but a deep inward departure from trust in God. Eve’s heart began to question God’s character, believe the serpent’s lie, and desire independence, wisdom, and self-exaltation — all of which flow from the deceitfulness of the heart. This aligns with Jeremiah 17:9, which declares, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Her outward act was simply the visible fruit of a heart already led astray. As James 1:14–15 explains, desire gives birth to sin, and sin, when full-grown, brings forth death. In Eve’s case, her failure to guard her heart — as Proverbs 4:23 instructs — led to the spiritual death of humanity. The Garden account is thus one of the clearest biblical examples of sin originating in the heart, showing that rebellion is not born in the hands, but in the hidden desires, thoughts, and affections of the inner person. The ‘serpent’ in Genesis is symbolic of the carnal mind and reasoning.

This ‘DEVIL’, “The great Satan, or Adversary, then, which every man has to fear and which is ever inclining him to a course opposed to wisdom and Godliness, is the tendency of the mere animal instincts to act on their own account. This tendency is the spirit or the inclination of the flesh, which must be vigilantly-repressed for a man to keep out of the way of evil. The truth alone, which is the utterance and power of the Spirit, will enable him to do this. If he surrenders to the flesh he walks in the way of death. (Romans 8:13: ‘if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.) The object of the Gospel being sent to the ‘Lost’ Israelites by Paul was to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God. Ignorance or darkness is the great power of the adversary lurking within us, for where a man is ignorant of God’s will, the flesh has a controlling power with him. The Israelite Nations are alienated from God in Ephesians 4:18 through the ignorance that is in them. Enlightenment through the hearing of the Word creates a new man within whom, in process of time, kills the old man which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lust, or, at least, keeps him under (subjection) lest the new man become a castaway.

Rethinking the Devil

  • The Bible does not support the notion of a singular, omnipresent, or omnipotent devil orchestrating all evil. Instead:
    • The devil (diabolos) often refers to human behavior, such as false accusations or opposition.
    • Satan (sawtawn) means “adversary” and is applied to various figures, including men, angels, and even God in specific contexts. Satan refers more to a role as an adversary.
    • The apocalyptic imagery in Revelation (e.g., the dragon, serpent, and beast) symbolizes earthly powers and opposition to God’s kingdom rather than a literal supernatural being.

By understanding these biblical distinctions, we gain clarity on the true nature of evil and opposition as described in scripture, moving beyond traditional interpretations that may not align with the text.

The Sin Nature: Dominance and Deliverance

The central theme of this section revolves around the sin nature—the inherent tendency of humans toward sin—and how it is addressed through Jesus Christ. Paul’s writings, particularly in Romans 6, are pivotal in understanding the nature of sin, its reign over humanity, and the deliverance offered through Jesus Christ.

Sin as a Ruler

Romans 6:1-6 introduces sin as a ruling power. Paul personifies sin to emphasize its dominance over the unredeemed:

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” (Romans 6:12)

  1. Sin as a Master
    • Sin is described as a ruler, dominating those who yield to it.
    • Paul contrasts the “old man” (the sinful nature) with the “new life” in Christ, which breaks sin’s hold.
  2. Baptism as a Transition
    • Baptism in the Word symbolizes the believer’s death to sin and resurrection to new life in Jesus Christ:

      “We are buried with him by baptism into death… that we should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)

    • This act signifies the believer’s liberation from the reign of sin.

Personification of Sin

Paul personifies sin as a master to whom people are enslaved:

“To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.” (Romans 6:16)

  1. Sin and Death
    • Sin leads to death, as highlighted in Romans 6:23:

      “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

  2. Freedom Through Christ
    • Believers, through Christ, are no longer under the dominion of sin:

      “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” (Romans 6:18) Sin wasn’t ‘done away with’, but with Jesus we can rule over it.

The “Devil” and the Sin Nature

The Scriptures themselves debunks the concept of a supernatural devil as the source of evil, instead attributing sin to the inherent desires of human nature.

  1. Sin and the Devil
    • Sin is often equated with the devil in Paul’s writings. For instance:

      “He [Jesus] also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2:14)

    • The “devil” here represents sin, which brings death. It’s our own wrong choices that puts us in this position.
  2. “Prince of This World”
    • In John 12:31, Jesus declares:

      “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”

    • The “prince of this world” refers to sin and death, which ruled over us until Jesus Christ’s sacrifice.

Temptation and the Flesh

    • James and Jeremiah highlight human nature, not a supernatural being, as the root cause of sin.

James 1:14-15 explains the process of temptation:

“Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

  1. Lust as the Root
    • Temptation arises from within—the desires and lusts of the flesh.
    • Sin is not an external force imposed by a supernatural devil but an internal struggle inherent in our own human nature.
  2. Victory Over Sin
    • Jesus Christ’s life and sacrifice demonstrate how to overcome temptation:

      “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

    • Resistance to the lusts of the flesh equates to resisting sin.

Man’s Accountability

Throughout scripture, individuals are held accountable for their actions, without blame being shifted to an external devil.

Accountability

    • Hebrews 8:7-8: The fault with the Old Covenant was not due to a devil but Israel’s disobedience.

David’s Confession

    • David, in Psalm 51, acknowledges his sin without blaming an external force:

      “Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight.” (Psalm 51:4)

The Thief on the Cross’ Confession

      • The thief, in Luke 23, did not blame the devil, but blamed himself for his own unjust deeds.

God’s Sovereignty

    • The belief in a supernatural devil undermines God’s sovereignty. By recognizing that sin originates within humanity, believers affirm:

      “There is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” (Romans 13:1)

Conclusion: A Call to Self-Reflection

  1. Understanding the Real Adversary
    • The greatest adversary is within: the human propensity to sin. Overcoming this “devil” requires divine help through the Word and Spirit of God.
  2. Israel’s Unique Relationship with God
    • As God’s covenant people, we Israelites are called to worship the true God of Abraham, rejecting the superstitions and idols of other nations.
  3. Victory Through Jesus
    • Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection empower believers to subdue the sin nature and live in obedience to God:

      “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

This is a Call to Action

A call for repentance and active resistance against adversaries of Christian values:

  • Believers must reject fear-based doctrines and instead rely on God’s truth and power.
  • The “man-child” (Christian nations) is destined to overcome adversarial powers through divine guidance and adherence to Biblical principles.
  • True enemies are flesh-and-blood entities working against God’s kingdom, not an ethereal Satan.

We have empowerment through faith and knowledge. Christians should engage in societal reform and spiritual warfare grounded in truth rather than superstition.

Christian Identity and Role

  • The adversaries of Christendom are not spiritual creatures but flesh-and-blood people opposing God’s plan, as reflected in Romans 1 and 2Thessalonians 2:10-11. God allows delusion as judgment for rejecting truth. This is why the denominational churches are apostate and in opposition to God and Kingdom. These people sitting in their own pew who believe they are ‘saved’ by their own declaration are drowning in falsehoods and fables. From being antinomians, to identifying as transGentiles, and Happy Meal sermons of love and the Rapture, these people tolerate evil because they don’t want to offend the sinner, and they help the ungodly who hate our Saviour. They have been given over to their delusions because they would rather believe traditions of men rather than the Word of God.

The Biblical Roots of Evil

The Bible first introduces evil in Genesis 3, where a serpent deceives Eve into disobeying God. This being, later identified as Satan, is portrayed as a deceiver influencing human behavior throughout history. However, the full answer to evil’s origin requires careful study of various biblical passages.

In Genesis 2:9, 16–17, God placed two significant trees in the Garden of Eden:

  1. The Tree of Life – Representing God’s way of righteousness, eternal life, and obedience to divine wisdom. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
  2. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil – Symbolizing human self-determination, where individuals decide for themselves what is right and wrong, ultimately leading to death.

Adam and Eve’s decision to eat from the forbidden tree represents the first rejection of God’s authority, choosing instead to rely on their own judgment. This act set humanity on a path of moral relativism—where people determine good and evil for themselves—rather than submitting to divine guidance.

God granted humans free will, allowing them to choose between good and evil. However, He warned of the consequences of choosing the wrong path. The Bible repeatedly portrays poor choices leading to suffering, as seen when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, severing their access to the Tree of Life.

Free Will and the Spread of Evil

Evil is a consequence of human choices, motivated by self-interest and disobedience. Eve’s rationale for eating the fruit—seeing that it was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and desirable for wisdom (Genesis 3:6)—illustrates how sin originates from human desires.

The pattern of making wrong choices continued throughout biblical history:

  • The Great Flood (Genesis 6:5–6) – The sons of Seth and Cain had become so corrupted that God regretted creating mankind. He sent the Flood to cleanse the land of the evil.
  • Israel’s Choices (Deuteronomy 30:15, 19) – God set before Israel the choice between life and good or death and evil, urging them to choose life. However, they repeatedly chose rebellion, leading to suffering.

These examples reinforce that evil stems from humanity’s preference for self-rule over divine instruction.

God as the Ultimate Standard of Good and Evil

Morality is not subjective but originates from God Himself. Evil exists because God defined what is good, and anything opposing His nature is inherently evil. The moral laws embedded in creation existed before humanity and apply universally.

A controversial but crucial passage is Isaiah 45:7:
“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.”
This verse does not mean God is the author of wickedness, but rather that He allows and governs the consequences of evil. He set universal moral laws in motion, and those who violate them experience suffering as a natural outcome.

Evil is not a substance but rather a wrong relationship with God. Instead of having a God-conscious mind, we have a self-conscious mind.

The words “devil” and “satan” are conveniently used to disguise the corruption of the human heart.

Evil does not exist as a singular identity. Evil is the consequence of wrong choices and bad deeds. The consequence is always condemnation.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

The Heart as the Origin of Evil

The Bible repeatedly affirms that evil originates in the heart. Throughout Scripture, the heart is not merely an organ but a symbol of one’s inner being—the source of thoughts, emotions, and decisions. Let’s explore biblical passages, historical context, linguistic insights, theological interpretations, and practical applications to understand why the heart is identified as the root of sin.

Biblical Passages on the Heart and Evil

Old Testament Passages

Genesis 6:5 – “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
→ Evil is not occasional; it is deeply embedded in human thought.

→ The human heart is the source of evil thoughts and actions.

Genesis 8:21 – “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”
→ The inclination toward sin is present from early life.

→ Evil is deeply rooted in the heart from childhood.

Psalm 10:6-13 – “He has said in his heart, ‘I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity.’ His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression.”
→ The wicked rationalize their actions within their hearts.

→ The wicked man’s heart is arrogant, deceitful, and full of evil.

Psalm 14:1 / 53:1 – “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
→ The denial of God originates in the heart, leading to corruption.

Psalm 26:2 – “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.”
→ The heart requires divine scrutiny.

→ The heart needs testing because it is the source of moral failures.

Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
→ The heart is the source of all human actions.

Proverbs 6:18 – “A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run swiftly to evil.”
→ The heart conceives wickedness before it is acted upon.

→ Evil schemes originate in the heart.

Proverbs 21:2 – “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts.”
→ Human hearts justify sin, but God sees the truth.

Jeremiah 3:17 – “No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.”
→ Sinful behavior originates in the heart’s desires.

→ The heart leads people away from God.

Jeremiah 7:24 – “Yet they did not obey… but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts.”
→ The rejection of God stems from internal rebellion.

→ Evil hearts resist God’s instruction.

Jeremiah 11:8 – “Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but which they have not done.”
→ God judges people for following their evil hearts.

Jeremiah 11:20 – “But, O Lord of hosts, You who judge righteously, testing the mind and the heart, let me see Your vengeance on them, for to You I have revealed my cause.”
→ The heart is where righteousness or wickedness is determined.

Jeremiah 16:12 – “And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me.”
→ The heart leads people away from God, worsening over time.

Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
→ The heart is the most deceptive and corrupt part of a person.

→ The heart’s self-deception makes it the ultimate source of evil.

Jeremiah 18:12 – “And they said, ‘That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.’”
→ People reject God to follow their own hearts.

Isaiah 5:11 – “Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink, who continue until night, till wine inflames them!”
→ Addiction and immorality arise from the heart’s desires.

Obadiah 1:3 – “The pride of your heart has deceived you.”
→ The heart fosters pride and self-deception.

New Testament Passages

Matthew 15:18-19 – “Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.”
→ Jesus confirms that sin begins internally.

→ Jesus declares the heart as the source of all evil.

Mark 7:20-23 – “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders…”
→ A comprehensive list of sins emerging from the heart.

→ The heart generates all kinds of wickedness.

Luke 6:45 – “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.”
→ The heart’s condition determines actions.

→ The heart determines a person’s character.

The term ‘devil‘ is used to describe someone with these evil characteristics.

Luke 12:45 – “But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk…”
→ Evil begins in the heart before manifesting in action.

Luke 16:15 – “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.”
→ Human attempts to justify sin are futile before God.

→ People disguise sin, but God sees the heart’s true condition.

Romans 1:21 – “Their foolish hearts were darkened.”
→ Spiritual blindness originates in the heart.

→ The heart grows darker when rejecting God.

Romans 2:5 – “In accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath.”
→ A hardened and unrepentant heart leads to divine judgment.

Revelation 2:23 – “And all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.”
→ God judges based on the condition of the heart.

The world of churchianity is in for a big surprise in ‘that day’ when they learn that their faith was shallow because though these people believe they are worshiping the Jesus and Lord of the Bible, they are in fact and in reality worshiping what they know not. Jesus was not Jewish. They believe they are ‘saved’ already, and by their own declaration. They honor Jesus with their lips, but their actions and lives do not reflect the Faith of Jesus. Jesus did not do away with the law, He did not come for everybody in the world, He did not say to make friends with the wicked, and the rapture tickets they bought from their denomination are not valid. Nobody is leaving this earth. God created the world for the meek. The kingdom of God is here on earth, not in the clouds somewhere. The whole world and the average church-goer cannot see these things because their hearts are not right with God, their hearts are with their church’s Happy Meal doctrines!

Historical and Theological Context

  • In ancient Hebrew thought, the heart (leb) was not just the seat of emotions but the center of thought, will, and morality.
  • The New Testament’s Greek term for heart G2588 (kardia) conveys a similar idea, emphasizing the inner nature of a person.
  • Early Christian theology (e.g., Augustine, Calvin) saw the heart as inherently corrupt due to original sin.

Hebrew & Greek Word Studies

  • Hebrew: H3820 (leb) – Used for the mind, will, and conscience, not just emotions.
  • Greek: G2588 (kardia) – Refers to thoughts, emotions, and desires.
  • It is interesting that Greek words ending in ‘ia’ generally denote a condition. Kardia = cardiac arrest = the condition of having a heart attack.
  • Some examples:
    • Sin = hamartia = to miss the mark, to err, to be mistaken (condition of being a sinner)
    • Congregation = ekklesia = a calling out (a condition of being acknowledged, placed as son)
    • Kingdom = basileia = a reign/kingship (a condition of reigning with Jesus)
    • Sorceries = pharmakeia = medication (a condition of being medicated)
    • anesthesia=loss of feeling; anorexia=morbid want of appetite

Exegetical Analysis of Key Passages

Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

  • Theological Implications:
    • The phrase “above all things” suggests the heart’s wickedness surpasses even external evil forces.
    • “Who can know it?” implies humans cannot fully grasp their own sinfulness.
  • Cross-reference: Mark 7:21 – Jesus reiterates that sin originates in the heart.

Matthew 15:19 – “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries…”

  • Significance: Jesus rejects external rituals as the cause of defilement and instead identifies the heart as the true source of sin.
  • Application: Righteousness cannot come from outward actions alone but requires heart transformation.
  • Romans 2:29 But a Judahite, is he who is so inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

1Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Deuteronomy 10:12 “And now, Yisra’ěl, what is יהוה your Elohim asking of you, but to fear יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being,

10:13 to guard the commands of יהוה and His laws which I command you today for your good?

Deuteronomy 30:6 “And יהוה your Elohim shall circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed, to love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being, so that you might live,

30:7 and יהוה your Elohim shall put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.

Practical Applications

  • Spiritual Life: Recognizing the heart’s corruption helps believers seek transformation through Jesus Christ (Ezekiel 36:26 – “I will give you a new heart”) (Jeremiah 31 “After those days, saith Yahweh, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts”) (Fulfilled at the Last Supper-Matthew 26).
  • Moral and Ethical Life: Understanding that evil originates in the heart warns against rationalizing sin.
  • Psychological and Philosophical Parallels: Secular thinkers like Freud and Nietzsche also acknowledge the internal battle between morality and selfish desires.

Conclusion

Scripture teaches that the heart is the origin of evil due to its deceitfulness, self-justification, and inclination toward sin. However, God offers a new heart through transformation in Jesus Christ (Ezekiel 36:26). This study reinforces the need for divine intervention in human nature and the importance of guarding one’s heart against evil (Proverbs 4:23).

What about the verses about the Mind?

The Bible addresses the concept of the human mind being in opposition to God, highlighting its potential to harbor hostility, engage in sinful behaviors, and become a battleground for spiritual warfare. Here are key passages that illustrate this theme:

Colossians 1:21

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.”

  • Context: The Apostle Paul reminds the Colossian Israelites of their former state before reconciliation through Jesus Christ.
  • Insight: The term “enemies in your minds” indicates a mental disposition opposed to God, leading to alienation and sinful actions.

James 4:4

“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”

  • Context: James admonishes believers about the dangers of worldly desires.
  • Insight: Aligning one’s mind with worldly values creates hostility toward God, emphasizing the mind’s role in fostering enmity.

Romans 8:7

“The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.”

  • Context: Paul contrasts living according to the flesh versus the Spirit.
  • Insight: A fleshly mind is inherently hostile to God, incapable of genuine submission to His laws.

2Corinthians 4:4

“The God of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

  • Context: Paul discusses the spiritual blindness affecting unbelievers.
  • Insight: God blinds minds, preventing them from understanding and accepting the gospel, illustrating the mind’s vulnerability to spiritual deception.

Ephesians 4:17-18

“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles (nations) do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.”

  • Context: Paul urges believers to abandon their former ways of thinking.
  • Insight: Futile thinking and darkened understanding lead to separation from God, highlighting the mind’s role in spiritual alienation.

Philippians 3:18-19

“For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.”

  • Context: Paul laments over those who oppose Christ’s sacrifice.
  • Insight: A mind focused on earthly desires positions individuals as enemies of Christ’s work.

2Corinthians 10:4-5

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

  • Context: Paul describes the spiritual warfare believers engage in.
  • Insight: Believers are called to actively combat and transform thoughts that oppose God’s knowledge, indicating the mind as a spiritual battleground.

1Peter 5:8

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

  • Context: Peter warns believers to remain vigilant against spiritual threats.
  • Insight: Maintaining a sober mind is crucial to resist the devil’s schemes, underscoring the mind’s role in spiritual defense.

These passages collectively emphasize the importance of aligning one’s mind with God’s will and remaining vigilant against thoughts and influences that lead to enmity with God.

Scripture consistently reveals that the true source of evil is not a supernatural devil, but the fallen condition of the human heart. The heart is the seat of thought, desire, emotion, and will — the very place where sin is conceived, nurtured, and acted upon. From Eve’s first act of rebellion to the ongoing struggles of humanity, sin arises not from an external being, but from within — from the deceitful, self-justifying heart that turns from God’s instruction. The so-called “devil” or “Satan” is often a metaphor for the adversarial nature of the flesh, the darkness of ignorance, and the corrupt desires that dominate unredeemed minds. Biblical language about Satan, diabolos, and spiritual warfare points us inward, not outward, calling us to confront the adversary within: our own carnal inclinations, pride, and unbelief. The heart must be circumcised, the mind renewed, and the flesh subdued — not by fear of an external devil, but by submission to the Spirit and the transforming power of God’s Word. Victory over evil begins when we recognize that the battle is within, and that true deliverance comes through a new heart, a renewed mind, and obedience to the truth.

We’ve uncovered the true biblical nature of “the devil” — not a horned devil with a forked tail, but the carnal mind, the flesh in rebellion against God. It’s the spirit of deception, pride, slander, and resistance to truth — manifesting through wicked people, false teachers, and even our own inner voice when it strays from God’s Word.

This “devil” doesn’t just oppose God openly — it whispers, flatters, and manipulates. It tells us what we want to hear. It promises peace where there is no peace. It offers shortcuts to power, pleasure, and comfort — but every one of those roads ends in destruction.

The carnal mind — the devil within — will tell you sweet little lies to keep you from truth. Lies that feel good in the moment but that blind and bind you in the long run. Lies that echo what the world wants you to believe — not what God has said.

So ask yourself:
Are you making the mistake of telling yourself sweet little lies?…

DEVIL SATAN SERPENT   https://www.thinkoutsidethebeast.com/devil-satan-serpent/

These are Quick Reference Charts

Serpent Chart https://www.ageoflaodicea.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SERPENT-Chart.pdf

Devil Chart https://www.thinkoutsidethebeast.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/DEVIL-Chart-Master.pdf

Satan Chart https://www.thinkoutsidethebeast.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SATAN-Chart.pdf

Coming soon…..Picturebooks for each of the terms. Great for kids, and for adults when they can be as a child and become teachable. So easy even a Caveman can do it.