Satan failed in his temptations to Christ in the wilderness. The plan of salvation has been carried out. The dear price has been paid for man’s redemption. And now Satan seeks to tear away the foundation of the Christian’s hope and turn the minds of men into such a channel that they may not be benefited or saved by the great sacrifice offered. He leads fallen man, through his “all deceivableness of unrighteousness,“ to believe that he can do very well without an atonement, that he need not depend upon a crucified and risen Saviour, that man’s own merits will entitle him to God’s favor. And then he destroys man’s confidence in the Bible, well knowing that if he succeeds here, and faith in the detector which places a mark upon himself is destroyed, he is safe. He fastens upon minds the delusion that there is no personal devil, and those who believe this make no effort to resist and war against that which they think does not exist. Thus poor, blind mortals finally adopt the maxim, “Whatever is, is right.” They acknowledge no rule to measure their course. {1T 294.2}

Satan tabte sine fristelser mod Kristus i ørknen. Frelsesplanen var blevet udført. Den dyrebare pris var blevet betalt for menneskets forløsning. Og nu søger Satan at rive grundlaget væk for den kristnes håb og vende menneskets sind i en sådan retning at de ikke må få gavn eller blive frelst af det store offer som er givet. Han leder faldne mennesker, »med al uretfærdighedens forførelse«, (295) til at tro at han kan gøre meget godt uden soning, så han ikke behøver at blive afhængig af en korsfæstet og opstanden Frelser, så menneskets egen fortjeneste vil berettige ham til Guds gunst. Og så vil han ødelægge menneskets tillid til bibelen, vel vidende at lykkes det, vil han som opdager dette bliver ødelagt. Han indprenter det bedrag i sindene at der ingen personlig djævel er og at dem, som tror dette ikke gør nogen anstrengelser imod den og fører ikke krig imod det som de tror ikke eksisterer. Således tager stakkels, blinde mennesker endelig imod maksismens almindelige leveregler, "Alt er rigtigt". De erkender ingen regler, som målesnor for deres levebane.