Mt. 12:44-45 π Mk. 1:25 π Eph. 6:11 π Eph. 6:12
Demoniacal "doctrines" have been generally tabulated as either belonging to the Church of Rome, because of the two marked results of demon teaching mentioned by Paul, which characterise that Church; or later "cults" of the twentieth century, with their omission of the fact of sin, and the need of the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and a Divine Saviour. But there is a vast realm of doctrinal deception by deceiving spirits, penetrating, and interpenetrating Evangelical Christendom, by which evil spirits, in more or less degree, influence the lives even of Christian men, and bring them under their power; even spiritual Christians being thus affected on the plane described by the Apostle, where believers united to the Risen Christ meet "spiritual wickedness" in "heavenly places." For the Satanic forces described in Ephesians 6:12 (top), are shown to be divided into
(1) "Principalities" - force and dominion dealing with nations and governments;
(2) "Powers" - having authority and power of action in all the spheres open to them;
(3) "World- rulers" - governing the darkness, and blindness of the world at large;
(4) "Wicked spirits" in the heavenly places -
their forces being directed in, and upon the Church of Jesus Christ, in "wiles," "fiery darts," onslaughts, and every conceivable deception over "doctrines" which they are capable of planning.
The peril of the household of God is therefore not of a few, but all, for obviously none can "fall away from the faith" but those who are actually in the faith to begin with. The peril is from an army of teaching spirits poured forth by Satan upon all who would be open to "teachings" from the spiritual world, and through ignorance of such a danger, be unable to detect the wiles of the enemy.
The peril assails the Church from the supernatural world, and comes from supernatural spirit-beings who are persons ( Mk. 1:25 ) with intelligent power of planning ( Mt. 12:44-45 ), with strategy ( Eph. 6:11; top ) the deception of those who "give heed" to them.
The peril is supernatural. And those who are in peril are the spiritual children of God; who are not to be beguiled by the world or the flesh, but who are open to all they can learn of "spiritual" things, with sincere longing to be more "spiritual" and more advanced in the knowledge of God. For deception by doctrines would not concern the world so much as the Church. Evil spirits would not urge spiritual Christians to open sin, such as murder, drink, gambling, etc., but would plan deception in the form of "teaching" and "doctrines," the believer not knowing that deception on "teaching" and "doctrines" gives admission to evil spirits to "possess" the deceived one, as much as through sin.
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