This post is the beginning of a series about perversion. In this first post we will introduce the problem.
What is Perversion?
Here is the definition.
perversion
per·ver·sion pər-ˈvər-zhən
-shən
1 : the action of perverting : the condition of being perverted
2 : a perverted form
especially : an aberrant sexual practice or interest especially when habitual
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perversion
When we use the word “pervert,” we usually think of sexual perversion. However, if we look up “perverting,” we find that is about corrupting or misusing someone or something. If someone or something is “perverted,” that someone or something is corrupted. What is corruption? To be corrupted is to lack the wisdom to choose the good over the evil. In the extreme, what does a corrupt person do? Consider a couple of verses from Isaiah.
Isaiah 5:20-21 New American Standard Bible
20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight!
Someone who is wise in their own eyes trusts their self more than they trust God. That is, they refuse to see the wisdom in this proverb.
Proverbs 3:5-6 New American Standard Bible
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
When Adam and Eve sinned, what was their sin? Was it eating the forbidden fruit? No. Before Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they sinned by refusing to believe God.
Genesis 2:16-17 New American Standard Bible
16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die.”
How did Satan pervert Adam and Eve? He persuaded them to trust themselves more than they trusted God.
Genesis 3:1-7 New American Standard Bible
3 Now the serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die! 5 For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves waist coverings.
Note verse 6 in the passage above. God had told Adam and Eve the truth, but they refused to believe the truth. Because they wanted to be like God, they believed a lie. Because they did not trust God, they believed a lie.
Because Satan tempted Adam and Eve with the promise that they would “become like God, knowing good and evil,” we may say that Satan perverted them. Nevertheless, the sin was Adam’s and Eve’s. When we refuse to trust God and believe the truth, we sin. It is because we refuse to trust God and believe the truth that we speak and behave perversely.
To Be Continued
- Biblical Examples of Perversion
- Choosing Between The Truth And The Lie
- How Is The United States Being Perverted?
- Revival Begins With Discernment Of The Truth
Citizen Tom 
A very appropriate subject for today’s world. Looking forward to the series.
Tom,
Thanks for your link and your perfect word choice, perversion, which inspired me to write a post on another issue and link back to your post.
Regards and goodwill blogging