Religiot had ignored my answer to the same question previous to post #61.
Should I have to repeat myself? Again, and again?
Here is the key passage...
Matthew 7:21-23...
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say
to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your
name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will
tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"
Jesus saying he never knew them?
Means? They were never saved.
These were never believers! Religious, yes. But, not saved.
Add to that? Jesus said that there would be MANY doing such a charade. Not a few. Counterfeiting being super Christians.
First of all.
One passage Religiot cited trying to prove that no one could cast out demons unless he be from God? He used a passage stated during the Jewish age. The new way of the Church age had not yet begun.
In contrast, Matthew 7:21-23 speaks of what was yet to come. Appear after Pentecost. A new age. Changes had been made!
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus was warning of what was to come later on. Later after the Jewish age had ceased. Jesus was speaking of when the new way of the Spirit would begin as the Church entered into becoming God's Chosen people.
During the age of Israel? It would have never entered Satan's mind to cast out demons like Jesus manifested. He had no reason to do so. No one else could do it until Jesus came along. If Satan had done that at that time? Jesus said that Satan would be a kingdom divided against itself.
But that all changed....
When the church age burst onto the scene the apostles began drawing crowds with miracles and casting out of demons. And, after doing so? They were having audiences willing to hear the new teachings of Christ.
Satan's new problem? The more solid teachings believers accepted? The more Satan was losing his ability to influence people away from Truth. Truth that would make them free of Satan's influencing the minds of men. That had to cause Satan panic initially. For he craves controlling the minds of men. Satan is the original socialist. The original control freak.
Because after Jesus ascended this became a new age? Satan now needed to form a new strategy to combat, with a new offensive that was to counter what was being manifested in the church age. In doing so? Satan devised and created counterfeit Christianity.
To do so, Satan would have to enter men as a double agents and mislead and deceive. Satan became the first "deep state" within the Church.
But Satan had to wait till after the apostles were all gone before entering certain ways. For the apostles while alive held the authority to expose and refute these fakers who preached in the name of Christ. The only thing that protects us now is having a sure and sound grasp on the Scriptures. Sloppy thinking leaves the gate open for false doctrine to creep in.
Satan's illusion was being formed and was already beginning in Paul's day...
And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground
from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with
us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles,
deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder,
for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." 2 Cor 11:12-14
Need we say more?
It was a new learning curve. It took Satan time to perfect his new illusions. It took planning and organizing, and training of his demons. Fake exorcisms done while using the name of Jesus to pull it off did not appear right away. First the church needed to be dumbed down by stifling sound doctrinal teachings. Peter warns us about that coming around the corner.
Over time Satan's deception has worked to fool many, as we can see today with the likes of certain TV preachers who somehow become super filthy rich.
The plan? Satan had to deceive gullible people and draw them away from good Bible teaching into false doctrine. To do so, Satan was forced to create an illusion that he disliked doing. For he had to put himself down at times to make the illusion stick. Its done by having certain demons agreeing to remove themselves on command from a demonic agent pretending to be a man of God. Men doing their works in the name of Jesus to fully cover their scheme. That way it blows wide open the minds of gullible souls into accepting all sorts of false teachings. For only having Truth will make a soul free from Satan's influence.
So my point was..
Yes. Definitely..unbelievers (never saved) can be used of Satan to appear to know Christ, and to perform all sorts of false wonders done in Satan's powers. These men and women do sense an anointing. But its not God they sense. They have become the deceived deceiving the deceived.
Many (not a few) will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy
in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform
many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from
me, you evildoers!’"
These ones were never saved! They are unbelievers counterfeiting being Christians.
So, to answer anything else Rigolot had to say?
Would be for me to deny the point I had already made. One which has been cleanly resolved for those who do comprehend what is written. Reading carefully what is said.
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.
Away from me, you evildoers!’"
That can not be speaking about someone who believed. Never means never!
Jesus did not say...
‘I no longer know you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"
One false doctrine Satan loves is telling believers they can lose their salvation. If it were true? We would be reading how I rewrote that verse instead of what it says!
grace and peace....... GeneZ