Why Can’t Fallen Angels Repent?

            The notion that fallen angels cannot repent is, arguably, a common position held by many Christians. Since the Bible does not offer an explicit teaching on this theme, some Christians believe that fallen angels can repent. Since this is not an essential theme to uphold Historic Christianity, there is adequate scope for contradictory opinions.

            Understanding this theme will enable us to understand God’s expectation of man and the most appropriate response of man towards God.

Fallen Angels Cannot Repent

            Gotquestions.org states that fallen angels cannot repent:¹

First, Satan (Lucifer) was one of the highest angels, perhaps the highest (Ezekiel 28:14). Lucifer—and all the angels—were continually in God’s presence and had knowledge of the glory of God. Therefore, they had no excuse for rebelling against God and turning away from Him. They were not tempted. Lucifer and the other angels rebelling against God despite what they knew was the utmost evil…Second, God did not provide a plan of redemption for the angels as He did for mankind…Finally, the Bible gives us no reason to believe that angels would repent even if God gave them the chance (1 Peter 5:8). The fallen angels seem completely devoted to opposing God and attacking God's people. The Bible says that the severity of God’s judgment varies according to how much knowledge a person possesses (Luke 12:48). The fallen angels, then, with the great knowledge they possessed, are greatly deserving of God’s wrath.

            Although the reasons cited are highly persuasive, the question still remains as to why the fallen angels cannot repent.

The Intriguing Inability to Repent (The Freewill Conundrum)

            Angels were created by God as good beings. Hence the angels that rebelled against God should have had the freedom or freewill that caused them to rebel. This is affirmed by Gotquestions.org, “Satan was an angel who was cast out of heaven along with many other angels who decided to follow him and chose to sin (2 Peter 2:4). In terms of free will, the Bible reveals this was an exercise of their ability to choose (Jude 1:6).”²

            Hence, it is reasonable to believe that the angels had freewill. They would not have rebelled against God, in the first place, had they not possessed freewill. Moreover, God could not have created them as evil beings, since evil does not proceed from God.

            Since these fallen angels possess freewill, shouldn’t they be able to repent (they know God since the time of their creation, hence they have the opportunity to observe HIS goodness.)? If they cannot repent, does it mean that they have lost their freedom entirely or just the freewill to repent?

            If we believe that fallen angels cannot repent, then we need to resolve the freewill mystery. If fallen angels cannot repent, then it is quite plausible that they were deprived of their freewill after their fall. On the other hand, if their freewill is intact, why are they unable to exercise their freewill to repent?

            There could be another perspective to resolving this conundrum.

            When a pastor was exorcising a demon from a young girl, the demon apparently told him that they are under the tight control of Satan. Here’s an excerpt from the conversation between that pastor and the demon:³

Demon: I hate you. You get to go to heaven. I just hate you people. I believed Satan. He told us that we were gonna be greater. Ohh its so late…

Pastor: What happened when you were cast out of heaven?

Demon: Mmmmm….Jesus…HE just…I don’t know…I don’t know…

Pastor: You want to go back to heaven, don’t you?

Demon: Yes, if only I had a chance…if only I had a chance I’ll go back…

Pastor: God might have mercy on you. If you stop doing the things you are doing and making people sin.

Demon: I can’t do that. I can’t do that. Satan won’t let me. I can’t stop people from doing bad things; that’s what I am supposed to do. He makes me do it.

            From this conversation, an inference that the demons cannot repent since they are under Satan’s control is quite plausible. But to formulate a doctrine from a fallible source cannot be bulletproof, for the conversation between the pastor and the demon may have been fictitious.

            Gotquestions.org states that the direct knowledge of God may be the cause for the inability of the fallen angels to repent (by virtue of being in God’s presence), “Lucifer—and all the angels—were continually in God’s presence and had knowledge of the glory of God. Therefore, they had no excuse for rebelling against God and turning away from Him. They were not tempted. Lucifer and the other angels rebelling against God despite what they knew was the utmost evil.”⁴

            So the key to the demons’ inability to repent, it seems, is their direct knowledge of God. This is a conjecture, if not explicitly validated by the Bible. 

             If the Bible teaches about man’s inability to repent (a man who was a believer), then as an extension of that teaching, the inability of the demons to repent can be comprehended or justified.

            The Bible teaches that a man who has truly experienced God cannot be brought back to repentance if he/she rejects God, “For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.” (Hebrews 6:4-6, RSV, Emphasis Mine). Such a person, after his rejection of God, still possesses freewill. Although this freewill precludes the ability to repent.

            Since the Bible teaches that a man, who has truly experienced God, cannot repent if he rejects HIM, fallen angels who have rejected God cannot repent, for they rejected HIM while they were in HIS presence.

            The inability of the fallen angels to repent need not necessarily be construed as an unforgivable sin committed by the fallen angels. The doctrine of the unforgivable sin presupposes the ability to repent, for the process of forgiveness cannot be initiated without repentance.

            Therefore, the teaching that repentance is impossible for those who reject God after having truly experienced HIM provides clarity to the inability of the fallen angels to repent even while possessing freewill. (The metaphysics of this freewill that precludes the ability to repent would be an intriguing theme to discuss, but that’s for another day.)

God’s Expectation & Man’s Most Appropriate Response

            What does this theme (the inability of fallen angels to repent) teach us?

            God expects HIS people to love HIM and love HIM more. God has done everything for us to love HIM and not reject HIM. Our love for God would be strengthened if we [strive to] remain in HIS presence always.

            The world and its ruler – Satan, will do everything possible to distract us from loving God. If we consciously or unconsciously allow that distraction to gain strength in our Christian life, then our relationship with God would be on shaky ground.

            Therefore, our most appropriate response is to remain with God; love, obey and trust HIM at all times – be it in moments of joy or pain, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, NET).

Endnotes:

¹https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-repent.html (last accessed on 10^th August 2017)

²https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-free-will.html (last accessed on 10^th August 2017)

³http://www.deonvsearth.com/i-wish-i-could-go-back-to-heaven-demon-speaks-through-16yr-old-girl-video/ (last accessed on 10^th August 2017)

⁴https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-repent.html (last accessed on 10^th August 2017)

Photo credit: Guillaume DELEBARRE (off for a while) via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

War & Christians: How Should Christians Wage War?

            This is a turbulent period for Christians. The enemy is active and prowling to destroy us. The enemy is exceptionally powerful than the individual Christian or the Christian community. This enemy has destroyed innumerable Christians; he cannot be ignored or discounted. A vulnerable church or a vulnerable Christian will be totally destroyed by this enemy. 

            We cannot remain passive; we should actively fight this enemy. Unless we remain vigilant, we could be destroyed. The threat is real.

            There is no middle ground in this war; we cannot escape the clutches of this enemy. We either win or lose this war.

Deadly Deception

            This enemy is incredibly powerful and extremely deceptive. His power and deceptions are beyond compare.

            He owns remarkable intelligence about us. He knows our vulnerabilities to precision. He has his eyes all over us.

            Deception is the most effective weapon in his arsenal. His deception is significantly dangerous since it could be very subtle. His deception is highly effective since it is employed during our weakest moment.

Prime Target: Christianity

            The enemy targets Christians primarily. This is not to say that he would not harm the non-Christians. If non-Christians could be used to destroy Christians, this enemy would gladly use them in any manner whatsoever.

            This enemy targets the strong and the weak Christians. The more mature and strong Christians could be complacent about their maturity and strength. Hence they may ignore the enemy and even think that this enemy cannot defeat them at any cost. Their complacency could be their downfall.

            The weak Christians would not be aware of the enemy’s deadly potential. They will always be an easy prey to this enemy. They will be seduced to fall into his deadly embrace. Unknowingly, the weak Christians would offer themselves as a means to destroy their stronger counterparts. (My reference to the weak Christians is not a pejorative remark. It is germane to this theme. I sincerely hope and pray that every weak Christian would become stronger and mature in the Lord.)      

Beware

            He will attack us when we least expect him to. The attack is most deadly when it catches us by surprise. He will hurl his best weapons against us; even through our near and dear whom we trust the most.¹ We cannot be smug and complacent about this enemy or those around us.

            I am not sorry to say this, but if our relative or friend is not a strong Christian then he/she is a potential tool in the hands of the enemy. Beware of such a person. I am not saying that we should passionately suspect all those around us, who are not too keen on growing in the Lord. But we should be diligently vigilant. 

Embrace Hate; Abandon Love, Meekness & Humility

            This war, for a Christian, is a reality. We cannot think that we cannot wage this war. The Bible mandates this war at all costs.²

            We cannot be meek while contending with this enemy, for if we are meek, we will be destroyed. Abandon humility. If we are humble with this enemy, he will not only destroy us, but he will destroy our family and everything that we have.

            When this enemy hurts us, we cannot show our other cheek. In fact, we should not allow our enemy to reside in our vicinity or to lay his little finger upon us.

            We are to sincerely and passionately hate this enemy. Hate him with all our might, hate him with all our power, and hate him with all that we have.³

            We need to be on fire to burn this enemy. We should strive to eliminate this enemy. We need our weapons and all the protective gear that we can marshal to fight this enemy.⁴

Can This Enemy Be Defeated?

            Christianity is not a powerless or a vain faith in the triune God. God who created this world is more powerful than anything and everything. So this enemy can be absolutely defeated.

            Christians should follow a certain protocol while fighting this enemy. First, we should identify the enemy and understand his potential. Second, we should know how to fight this enemy and fight him. Finally, we should persevere in the battle to defeat this enemy.

Enemy’s Identity

            The enemy is the enemy of our souls. He is the one who can separate us from the Lord, if we are weak and lukewarm towards God. Satan is this enemy.

             The Bible reveals the true character of Satan. Please read your Bible diligently to understand Satan. Many essays and books have been authored about Satan. Please read them. I have authored a few essays about Satan as well.⁵

How To Fight The Satan?

            Fight him with truth.⁶ We need to live in the truth if we are to fight the evil one.

            Fight him passionately. In order to fight Satan with passion, we should love and obey the Lord our God with a greater passion. The Lord should be real in our lives. Our relationship with the Lord should be the most significant aspect of our life.

            Fight him with prayer and fasting. God’s incomparable power will be ours only if we fast and pray.

            Outside of Christ, there is no victory over Satan. Unless we remain in the Lord, we cannot overpower Satan.

            Persevering in this battle is not child’s play. It is very difficult to fight Satan. We may have to face failures during our warfare with Satan. These failures cannot deter our warfare with Satan. We need to face and accept these failures if we are to win the battle.

            Worldly desires cannot impede our fight with Satan. We may lose our health, our families, our jobs, our savings, our comforts, even our reputation, all for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, ““I have come to bring fire on the earth—and how I wish it were already kindled!...Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! For from now on there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”” (Luke 12: 49-53, NET). 

            Why, we may even lose our lives in the process. We cannot worry about our lives while we battle Satan. Losing our lives during this battle does not imply a loss, for all the lives that were lost in this battle glorified God.

            Do not believe those who say that there is no Satan. They are liars. They are the sons and daughters of Satan; they are Satan’s stooges.

            Know this; Satan is able to inflict damage upon our lives because God has allowed him to do so. In other words, God is in control. Because God is in control, HE can and will deliver us, if not in this world but in the world to come.

            In God alone we trust. But trusting in God comes at a price – the price of our time and effort. May we dedicate our time and effort into knowing God, loving HIM more, and living a glorious life for HIS sake.

Conclusion

            C.S. Lewis, in his work “The Screwtape Letter,” wrote “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them…” I am not advocating an unhealthy interest in Satan but my sole intent is to remind us of our attitude and response to the enemy of our souls. 

            God, who was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the blazing furnace, is with us. HE will guide, guard and lead us to a victory over the evil one.

Endnotes:

¹cf. Job 6: 9

²Ephesians 6: 10-18

³Proverbs 8:13; Psalm 97:10; Romans 12:9

⁴Ephesians 6: 10-18

⁵These are the essays authored by me:

1. Knowledge to Overcome Satan: http://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.in/2013/11/knowledge-to-overcome-satan.html

2. The Devil is God’s Devil: http://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.in/2013/11/the-devil-is-gods-devil-overcoming-satan.html

3. Should Christians Fear Evil Spirits & Demons: http://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.in/2014/03/should-we-fear-evil-spirits-demons.html

4. Could Genuine Born Again Christian be Demon Possessed: http://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.in/2014/07/could-genuine-born-again-christian-be.html

⁶cf. Ephesians 6: 14  

Would A World Without Satan Lack Evil?

            The question, “Would there be less evil in a world without Satan?” could be relevant, for if the answer to this question is a yes, then we could plausibly ask, “Why did God create angels i.e. Satan, if evil in this world would be lesser without Satan?”

            Within this context, if God had not created Satan, evil would have been less, and our world would have been a good world. However, since God created Satan, could we then infer that God erred in HIS decision to create Satan?

            The entailment to this thought process could potentially debunk Historic Christianity. God (as a maximally great being) cannot err. If God erred in creating Satan, HE cannot be God. Hence God’s existence could be disputed. The infallibility of the Bible that reveals God to mankind could also be thus disputed. We could go on and on.

            Let us discuss this theme by considering the following aspects albeit from a biblical standpoint.

The Source of Sin

            Sin is an evil action or motive that opposes and assaults God. Sin replaces God with something or someone in God’s rightful place of supremacy. Sin entails evil.

            Understanding the source of sin is vital to understanding the theme we are discussing now. If Satan is the source of sin and evil, one could argue that God should have not created Satan to keep the world free of sin and evil.

            The “Animal Nature” of man is the source of sin, claimed British Philosopher and Theologian Frederick R. Tennant. Under this notion, humans possess natural animalistic impulses as a means to human survival that have intensified through natural selection based on their evolution from less highly developed forms. Other theologians have posited other sources of sin. However, each of these views has been found to be largely inadequate.¹

            The Bible teaches differently. Sin is not caused by God (James 1:13) but man is responsible for his sins (James 1: 14-15).

            Man possesses certain innate desires. He could either satisfy those desires in moderation or sin by abusing those desires to either hurt himself or the others.

            His ‘desire to enjoy’ could result in an enjoyment of eating in moderation or a sin by being a glutton, whereby he injures himself.  His ‘desire to obtain’ could be satisfied either by legitimately acquiring material possessions or he could sin by exploiting and stealing from others. His ‘desire to achieve’ could be satisfied either through legitimate achievement or he could sin and achieve at the expense of others.

            Man could satisfy these desires in a godly manner by dwelling within the divinely imposed constraints. But man sins when he fails to accept the divine limits to these desires and makes these desires as ends in themselves, which are the cravings of a sinful man (1 John 2: 16).

            While desires are natural, there could be external inducements (Satanic or human) that motivate man to sin. Whatever be the case, man is wholly responsible for his sins. Sin is the choice of the person who commits it.

Function of Satan in Sin

            Satan is a demon (cf. Luke 10: 17-20). He is the tempter and deceiver. Satan opposes God and the work of Christ by tempting and deceiving humans. Satan tempted Adam & Eve, Jesus, Judas etc (cf. Acts 5:3, 1 Corinthians 7:5, 2 Corinthians 2: 11, Ephesians 6: 11, 2 Timothy 2: 26).

            Sometimes we state that Satan is the source of sins. While making such statements, we use the word “source” informally. In this informal usage, “source” refers to an ‘originator’ or an ‘instigatory cause.’

            If we claim that Satan is the source of all sins i.e. if we use the word ‘source’ to mean, in an Aristotelian sense, the material cause (‘that out of which’) or the efficient cause (‘the primary source of…’), then we posit dualism. Dualism contradicts the Bible, for there are no two equally ultimate powers, one good and the other evil.

            God is the only ultimate power and God is good. God is not the source or the originator of sin or evil. Moreover, Satan was originally created good; hence Satan is not the source of sin and evil. 

Potency of Freewill to Sin without Satan

            If asked differently, the title question would be, “Would Adam & Eve have sinned without Satan?” Since man is responsible for his sins, the answer should be yes.

            The premise on which this argument is also predicated on is the freewill-based rebellion of angels in the heavenly realm. (This premise presupposes the metaphysical similarity of the freewill of the angels and humans.)

            The angels that rebelled against God did not have an external inducement (as Adam & Eve had Satan as an external inducer). There were only two entities during the angelic fall – God and Angels. (Even if mankind was created before the fall of Satan, man was totally incapable of influencing Satan’s fall.)

            Since God can neither tempt nor cause evil, the angelic rebellion was an entailment of their freewill. Therefore, it is quite reasonable to conclude that Adam & Eve had the potential to sin or would have sinned irrespective of the presence of Satan.

            Satan merely accelerated the sin of Adam and Eve. Had Satan not existed, Adam and Eve would have sinned (or eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) sooner or later.

Conclusion

            Satan is not the source of sin. Man’s freewill is the source of sin. Man would have inevitably sinned irrespective of Satan or not.

            Would the quantum and the extent of sins be minimized if Satan was not created? Not necessarily so, for if Satan is to be considered as an accelerant of sin, then there is a possibility that the quantum and the extent of sins would be actualized at a later time. So the quantum and the extent of sins would have been the same with or without Satan, for the potency of man’s freewill to sin is independent of Satan.

            The other possibility is that the quantum and the extent of sins would be lesser without Satan. In which case, the question, “If evil in this world would be lesser without Satan, then why did God create Satan?” gains legitimacy.

            If Satan is the sole cause of evil, then evil would have been absolutely eliminated, had Satan not been created. However, since Satan exists and that Satan is not the sole cause of evil, only God, in HIS omniscient wisdom would be able to determine the extent to which evil would be reduced had angels not been created. 

            But on the other hand, if the good that is to be actualized from the good angels in ministering to people is commensurately immeasurable, then God would be justified to create Satan even with the potential of evil.

            Finally, natural evil, which is devoid of human willing and acting, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis etc. and suffering caused by a host of diseases  such as cancer, cystic fibrosis etc. exist independent of Satan and adds substantial numbers to the victims of evil. The pain and suffering caused by natural evil and diseases are innate in the creational design of this world and the human body.

            The fact of the matter is that evil would not cease to exist if Satan were to be non-existent. Hence, numbers need not matter. When evil exists, the terms ‘lesser’ and ‘greater’ do not gain greater significance, for the world we live in would be evil even if only 1% of the total population (1 out of 10 people) are adversely affected by evil. Moreover, if only 1% of the total population is affected by evil, then there is a certain possibility for evil to increase. 

            Therefore, the question, “Would there be less evil in a world without Satan?” would neither debunk nor harm Historic Christianity.

Endnotes:

¹ Other theologians have posited various sources for sin. The “Anxiety of Finiteness” was proposed by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971). The idea of “Existential Estrangement” was proposed by Paul Tillich (1886-1965), the “Economic Struggle” proposed by the Liberation Theology, and “Individualism and Competitiveness” as argued by Harrison Sacket Elliott (1882-1951).

Why Did God Create Satan Knowing That Satan Would Cause Evil?

                  No one is spared of evil in this world. We either reel under the effects of evil or hear the impact of evil upon our relatives, friends and society at large. Some question God’s goodness on account of evil and a few others dispute God’s presence.

            Evil is real. Evil is not an illusion. Any sane human being would affirm this position. Terrorism or human trafficking is an act of evil, and the pain felt by those hurt by evil is indeed real.

            If evil is real, then it should have a source, and that source has to be real. (If Satan is not real, then was Christ hallucinating while HE was tempted by Satan and while HE drove away the demons?)

            The Bible terms Satan as the source of all evil (John 8: 44 etc.). Christians believe in God as a maximally great being; HE is supreme over all that has been, is and ever will be. If God is supreme, then HE should have created Satan. Isn’t it?

            Before we explore the Bible to learn about Satan, we should discard the following concepts:

            1. That Satan and his demonic entourage are merely a mythological conception drawn from the culture of the day. This is German theologian Rudolf Bultmann’s program of demythologization of Satan.

            2. That Satan and evil do not stem from a personal source but are woven in the fabric of our social reality as a part of the very structure of reality. This is Christian existentialist theologian Paul Tilich’s depersonalization of Satan.

            3. That demons are simply nothingness in their dynamic, not created by God but a threat to God’s creation. This is reformed theologian Karl Barth’s conception. This conception of evil denies the concreteness of evil, hence we disagree.

            So to begin with, we agree with the Bible that evil is real, Satan is real, and God is also real. Did God then create Satan? The answer is an unequivocal yes.

            But the bigger question is, “Did God create Satan as a source of evil?” The answer to this question is an unequivocal no, for God, as a good being, cannot be the creator of evil.

            This then is Bible’s teaching about Satan:

            Isaiah 14: 12-17 and Ezekiel 28: 12-19 are often termed as conjectures of the Satanic fall. This may or may not be so, for these passages could refer to human kings of Babylon and Tyre. Hence it would be profitable for us to explore the Bible outside these references to learn more about Satan.

            1. God created everything, which includes angels and demons (Colossians 1: 15-16).

            2. Everything God created was originally good (Genesis 1: 31; 1 Timothy 4: 4)

            3. Some angels sinned and are doomed for eternal destruction (1 John 3: 8; 2 Peter 2: 4; Jude 6). If some angels sinned, then they were created merely with a potential to sin i.e. they had the freewill to sin.

            4. Satan is an angel who is subordinate to God (Job 1: 6-7).

            5. Satan is a demon (Luke 10: 17-20) – casting out of demons implies the defeat of Satan.

            6. Satan is the prince of demons (Matthew 12: 22-32; Mark 3: 22-30; Luke 11: 14-23).

            7. Those who are demon possessed are under the influence of the devil (Acts 10: 38; cf. Luke 13: 16).

            8. Satan is the evil one (Matthew 13: 19; 1 John 2: 13, 3: 12, 5: 18).

            These passages undoubtedly teach us that God created Satan and his demons originally as good beings. But Satan and some of his fellow angels sinned against God and are in the business of enabling mankind’s rebellion and disobedience against God.

            Significantly, God did not create an evil Satan. God created a good angel, who used his freewill to reject God and become evil.

            If God had not created angels, then Satan would not exist. So why did God create angels? The Bible reveals the purpose behind God’s creation of angels. Angels were created to…

            1. …reveal and communicate God’s message to humans (Acts 7: 53; Hebrews 2: 2).

            2. …minister to believers (Acts 5: 19; Hebrews 1: 14).

            3. …execute judgment on the enemies of God (2 Kings 19: 35).

            4. …praise and glorify God (Psalm 103: 20, 148: 2).

            5. …be involved in Christ’s second coming (Matthew 25: 31)

            A variant of the bigger question is, ‘why did God create Satan knowing that he will cause evil in this world?’

            First, did God know that Satan would cause evil? Yes, God would have known all about Satan. God is all-knowing (Job 37:16; Psalm 139:2–4, 147:5; Proverbs 5:21; Isaiah 46:9-10; 1 John 3:19–20), so God would have definitely known that Satan would cause evil and disaster in this world.

            Second, could not have God created a world without Satan? Wouldn’t a world without Satan and evil be a better world than ours? In other words, is our world the best of all possible worlds?

            One of the great thinkers of 17^th and 18^th century is Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. He proposed that our world is the best of all possible worlds. Leibniz's proposition was that since God knew all of the infinite possibilities, this world should be the best of all possible worlds, for God has actualized this world over the other possible worlds.

            Christian analytic philosopher, Alvin Plantinga differed from Leibniz by positing that there cannot be a best world, for one more palm tree or one more morally righteous person can make any world better. So Plantinga concluded that there is no such thing as the best world. [Even if God does not create anything, HE alone will exist as the greatest good (Summum bonum)]. Therefore, God is merely obligated to create a good world and not a best world.

            This world is a good world, since God has offered freedom to his creation. God has offered freedom to man to love HIM freely. The same freedom was offered to the angels as well. Some angels a.k.a. Satan and his demonic entourage abused this freedom and rebelled against God.

            A world without freedom is not a good world. Therefore, as C.S Lewis wrote in ‘Problem of Pain,’ God has created a good world in such a way that the goodness of this world could be perverted into evil upon mankind’s rebellion or when creation is distorted.

            In other words, free beings i.e. man could use their freedom to perform evil deeds by rejecting God, which in effect would destroy the goodness of God’s creation. Similarly man can tamper with nature to bring about evil e.g. destruction of coral reefs would bring about hunger, poverty and political instability.

            As long as God offers freedom to his creation, the free moral agents (e.g. man) would possess the ability to do good or evil. So the question is not about Satan’s existence whereas the question should be about the presence of freedom.

            A world without freedom would be a world full of puppets or robots albeit in the form of human beings, which in essence is not a good world at all.

            Creating human beings with freedom is wiser than creating humans in an antiseptic environment from whom the logical possibility of desiring anything contrary to God’s will is excluded.

            Therefore, a world without freewill and Satan would any day be a terrible world to live in than a world with freewill and Satan.

            Could God have created a world with freewill and without Satan? A world with freewill will entail evil and a world with evil will posit a source, namely Satan. Even if angelic beings were not created, and as long as freewill exists, evil would exist.

            Evil would exist because God in HIS nature is good. So anyone opposing or rejecting a good God would do evil. So a world with freewill and without Satan would still contain evil.

            Satan and his cohorts are busy causing evil in this world. Although we reel under the effects of evil both directly and indirectly, God has offered us eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ and God has promised to care for and protect those who believe and seek HIM. May we believe in Christ, gain life eternal, and protection against evil. Amen. 

Should We Fear Evil Spirits & Demons?

Evil spirits / demons exist. Searching for “witchcraft,” “black magic,” “voodoo,” “séance” on the internet affirms their existence. Quite a few practice these and there are others who consult these services for evil purposes.

Black magic and witchcraft (terms that I use interchangeably) employ supernatural powers for evil purposes. Let us consider some instances of witchcraft in different parts of the world:

In December 2013, ‘Livescience’ the science news website reported a Bahraini parliament official Mohammed Buqais demanding his government to crackdown on witchcraft. Buquais narrates a “story of a wife who consulted a witch doctor for help in making her husband obedient. The sorcerer gave her a magic ritual to follow — one that included contaminating his meals with her blood. The result, Buqais claimed, was that the man became paralyzed and has remained so since 2006.” ¹

If witchcraft is prevalent in Bahrain - a tiny Arab kingdom with a million people, then one can only imagine the presence of this evil practice in larger countries.

‘National Geographic’ reported the killing of albinos in Tanzania for their body parts to be used by witch doctors.² These witch doctors supposedly assume the presence of magical powers in albino body parts such as limbs, heart, tongue etc.

Black magic is prevalent in India. Maharashtra, a western state, approved a bill to curb such activities.³

Black magic is existent in China, the world’s largest populated country. The black magic practices are grouped under the term ‘ku.’ ⁴

Media has reported instances of black magic practice in the USA and UK. For more information, you could refer to this article.⁵

Practice of witchcraft / black magic include:

Use of voodoo dolls for evil purposes. They can make a voodoo doll of their enemy and prick the doll with needles so to inflict pain and even death.

People interacting with spirits through Ouija boards for sinister purposes. (Interaction with spirits is termed as Séance.)

Demonic rituals performed by sacrificing people (including children) and animals for evil purposes.

This video describes the evil of human sacrifices during the celebrations of Halloween in America.

It is reported that even corporates take to witchcraft.⁶

The demonic threat is real in every life. It takes one person to resort to black magic and then there are innocent victim(s). So the possibilities of invoking the demonic are quite large.

Not surprisingly, the Bible talks much about demons.

Demons are often described as spirits (Matthew 8: 16; Luke 7: 21; Acts 19: 12, Revelation 16: 14 et al.). These wicked forces in heavenly places are invisible (cf. Colossians 1: 16). The Christian struggles“…against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6: 12, NASB).

Since angels obtain their great power from God, their powers are limited by the will of God.  In other words, angels, good or evil, cannot exercise their powers without God’s permission (cf. Job 1: 12, 2:6).

Satan is the chief of demons. He opposes God and the work of Christ through temptation and deception. Satan opposes and hinders Christians in God’s service (1 Thessalonians 2: 18) through all available means, and blinds the minds of unbelievers “so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4: 4, NASB).

Demons inflict diseases (Matthew 12:22; Mark 9:17; Acts 8: 7) and oppose the spiritual progress of God’s people (Ephesians 6: 12). They incite one against another, kill, and destroy property (Job 1: 13-19).

Since demonic existence and attack on mankind is factual, we then wonder if all people are vulnerable to demonic attacks or only a few. If only a few are vulnerable and fearful of demonic attacks, what separates these few from the others?  

Common sense suggests that the weaker is destroyed by the stronger. From a creational perspective, angels are stronger than humans; so humans are weaker than the good and evil angels. Therefore, all humans are susceptible to demonic attack from the evil angels.

However, humans can prevent demons from attacking them, if they are, in some way, stronger than the demons. How? Employing a stronger demon is unwise for it is equivalent to inviting a more powerful hazard into our lives. 

The other option is to get behind a good force that is more powerful than the most evil demon. This seems to be the only safe and a viable option.

The good force is God – the Almighty being, the ruler of heaven and earth. Since God created angels, HE obviously is more powerful than HIS creation. 

The sovereign God (because of HIS grace, goodness, love, mercy, compassion, and justice) protects HIS creation against the schemes of the evil one. HE protects those who love and those who reject HIM. This is HIS common grace.

Occasionally HE removes the hedge of HIS protection and permits the demons to attack us. Why? Because God is good, HE removes the protection for a good reason. We may be aware of some general reasons, but we may be mostly unaware of the specific reason.

Although man is vulnerable, can he get under the protective umbrella of God’s presence to live a fearless life?  Yes it is surely possible. But there is a condition. The condition is that we should not be fragile; instead we should be strong in God.

The parable of the sower in Matthew 13 describes fragile Christians. These fragile Christians exhibit three fatal traits:

1. They do not understand the Word of God.

2. They fall away when persecuted.

3. They succumb to the worries of this world and deceitfulness of wealth.

Exhibition of one or more of these traits exhibits the fragility and the enormity of the distance between this individual and God.

            Instead of consciously and intentionally remaining in the Lord, this person consciously and intentionally drifts away from God. The reason for the occurrence of these three traits in a Christian life is due to man’s separation from God.

When man is separated from God, he is very much vulnerable to demonic attacks. He is both actively and passively open to the demonic. He can either actively employ the demonic to hurt others or be passively hurt by those employing the demonic.

In contrast, there is a Christian who hears the Word, understands it, bears fruit, and remains strong in the Lord. He does not employ the demonic to hurt others, for he loves everyone (Mark 12: 31).

This strong Christian is not vulnerable to demonic attacks. Or is it so?

Being strong in the Lord does not guarantee a 24x7 protection from the demonic. Even though this man devotedly opposes the evil, there are moments when God removes the hedge of HIS protection to permit a demonic attack on this strong Christian.

So we have two groups of people. One group remains intimate and strong in the Lord. The other group is separated from God.

Although both these groups are vulnerable to the demonic, they live differently.

Which of these groups of people are more likely to fear the demons? The answer is obvious; the group that is separated from God is the one that lives in fear of demons, and will surrender to the demonic, even to the point of death.

The strong Christian who understands God and HIS Word does not fear the Satan or his demons for he is deeply rooted in God. The strong Christian will remain in the Lord even when there is a demonic attack against him.

The strong Christian will victoriously live through the demonic attack and will finally emerge victorious by the power of the living God – the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

Apostle Paul was given “a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment…” (2 Corinthians 12:7, NASB, Emphasis Mine). The Lord did not remove the demonic from Paul’s life although Paul pleaded with the Lord. Did Paul then lose hope or faith in God? No!

Instead he thundered, “most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12: 9b-10, NASB, Emphasis Mine).

Although Paul was under a demonic attack, he was glad, he boasted about his weakness, he was content, and importantly he was strong. What a fascinating testimony of a man under a demonic attack. He did not fear demons, but he endured and remained victorious even through the demonic attack.

Job is another classic example. To begin with, the demons robbed him of his family and possessions. Then they inflicted painful sores upon him.

But his wife, who should have been a pillar of strength to Job, incited Job to curse God and die.

But Job the Gentile, not even a member of God’s chosen race – the Jews, displayed a monumental faith in the Lord and said, ““You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2: 10, NASB). 

Although Job was under a severe demonic attack, he did not lose faith or hope in God. This is yet another marvelous testimony by a powerful man of God.

Powerful Christians neither fear the demonic nor lose hope or faith in God during the demonic. Why? Powerful Christians know and trust their God too well that they are in constant communication with God through prayer. Thus they overcome the demonic. They even disregard their life for the sake of God and HIS glory. 

How could one gain this power? It is rather simple. Accept the Lord Jesus, love HIM with all your life, live in Christ always. Seek Christ with an incessant hunger by the reading and understanding of HIS Word and constant communication (prayer).

What do you do if you are under a demonic attack? Pray to Jesus and request your strong and gifted Christian friends to pray for and over you, for it is only the Lord Jesus who can drive away the demonic from your life and offer you a victorious life even through the demonic. Amen.

Endnotes:

¹ http://www.livescience.com/41938-black-magic-crackdown-bahrain.html

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/652454-when-corporates-take-to-witchcraft.html

² http://news.nationalgeographic.co.in/news/2013/10/131011-albino-killings-witch-doctors-tanzania-superstition/

³ http://www.ibtimes.com/indian-state-adopts-bill-against-superstition-black-magic-first-time-after-anti-superstition-1509722

⁴ http://www.biroco.com/yijing/ku.pdf

⁵ http://thetruthwins.com/archives/the-fastest-growing-religion-in-america-is-witchcraft 

& 

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/the-dark-side-of-halloween-is-the-kind-of-stuff-that-real-life-nightmares-are-made-of

⁶ http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/652454-when-corporates-take-to-witchcraft.html