by David E. Strope

Fake news abounds! Several years ago, news spread like wildfire in Central America that Juan Orlando Hernández, president of Honduras, had banned homework for all Honduran students. Fake news!

Far more serious are the wars begun and fought due to inaccurate intelligence. And worse yet is the justification of war by the publishing of fake news. Think of the various assertions made by Vladimir Putin to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Radio, television, deep fake videos, Facebook, internet news, and the Gray Lady (New York Times) all seemingly specialize in fake news.

But the expert in fake news is Satan, the deceiver. To Eve he wilily declared, “You won’t really die if you eat that fruit,” but die she did.

Paul the apostle warned of the constant danger of “false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:13–14, CSB).

The fake news of Satan is a bald-faced lie, promoted not only by principalities and powers, but also by earthly sages and pundits. This fake news? That God’s will is bad for humanity; that living by His counsel will bring no joy, only drudgery, guilt, and waste.

Yet here is the truth: God’s will—known, believed, and lived—is good, acceptable, and perfect!

David E. Strope serves as interim national representative of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches.