Beware Satan's Tactics!

Taking from J. C. Ryle's Thoughts For Young Men, listen to this sage, godly advice:

For another thing, the devil uses special diligence to destroy the souls of young men, and they seem not to know it. Satan knows well that you will make up the next generation, and therefore he employs every art betimes to make you his own. I would not have you ignorant of his devices.

". . . We would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs" (2 Cor. 2:11).

Young men, beware of being taken by his snares. He will try to throw dust in your eyes, and prevent you seeing anything in its true colors. He would fain make you think evil good, and good evil. He will paint, and gild, and dress up sin, in order to make you fall in love with it. He will deform, and misrepresent, and caricature true religion, in order to make you take a dislike to it. [Just watch the evening news!] He will exalt the pleasures of wickedness--but he will hide the sting. He will lift up before your eyes the cross and its painfulness--but he will keep out of sight the eternal crown. He will promise you everything, as he did to Christ, if you will only serve him. (Matt. 4:1-11) He will even help you to wear a form of religion, if you will only neglect the power. He will tell you at the beginning of your lives, it is too soon to serve God--he will tell you at the end, it is too late. Oh, be not deceived!

See yesterday's post for where to buy Ryle's book or to read it online for free.
+