@ViaCrucis
Hey I'm just wondering if you could respond to post #11. You seem to not be a conspiracy theorist (that's fine we can't all be lol) but I'm just wondering what your thoughts are on the devil having a following on earth from a scriptural point of view. If you don't want to address post #11 that's fine though, I'm just curious as to what you make of it. Thanks
There's nothing in Scripture that suggests there are, or ever would be, secret societies of devil followers/worshipers.
Scripture instead assumes that we are, by nature of our captivity to our sinful passions, apart from Christ, enslaved--to sin, death, hell, and the devil. In Hebrews 2:14 the author says that Christ defeated the devil and the the power the devil wielded against us, death. It is not that the devil is in control of creation, or in control of the world as some kind of puppet master; but the devil is a liar, a thief, and a murderer and because of the Fall we have inherited Adam's damaged human nature and inhabit a world that is now plagued by the tyranny of death.
The idea of secret cabals of devil worshipers creates the idea that the universe is a battle ground between competing cosmic forces, one good and one evil. This is something known as "cosmic dualism":
It was a chief doctrine of the Zoroastrian religion of Persia which taught that there were two cosmic principles, one good represented by Ahura Mazda, the good lord; and one evil represented by Angra Mainyu the evil spirit. According to Zoroastrian dogma there would one day be a final showdown between the forces of good and evil, and human beings ultimately had to take a side in this life, and in the end good would triumph over evil. This form of dualism would be complimented with Gnostic/Platonic matter dualism in the Manichaean religion, the founder of Manichaeanism, Mani, was from 3rd century Persia and had been raised in a Gnostic sect known as the Elkasites. According to Mani there were two cosmic principles of dark and light, good and evil, matter and spirit, etc. The influence of Manichaeanism on later heretical movements, such as the Paulicians of Armenia, the Bogomils of Bulgaria, and the Cathars of France, is fairly evident.
So there has always been a struggle within Christianity against these false and heretical doctrines. This cosmic dualism is antithetical to the teaching of Scripture, antithetical to everything Christian. The devil is not an evil god, evil is not a cosmic principle in contrast to good. Rather, there is only overarching cosmic principle, and that's God, and God is good. Evil, therefore, is not the cosmic opposite of good; instead evil is the deprivation, the perversion, the distortion of the good. In the beginning God created all things and what did He say about everything He made? He called everything good. Was the devil created evil? No, the devil is a creature and was originally created good. In the same way, Adam and Eve were created good, but what happened when they believed the lie of the serpent?
Evil is not a cosmic principle or force, it is the absence of the good, the perversion of the good, the distortion of the good. It is not evil that man desires to have sex, to procreate, to reproduce--in the beginning God commanded that all things reproduce. Sex isn't evil, sex is good and was part of God's good created order. But when sin entered the picture, our desires became depraved, corrupted, distorted; the Image of God with which we were created in has been twisted and malformed. That's what evil is, it is deprivation and distortion and the absence of good.
I bring all this up because when we see these conspiracy theories about secret societies of devil worshipers, and deep conspiratorial plans to create one world governments or whatever, it all plays into a deeply and fundamentally NON-Christian view of the world. It is an unbiblical view of reality. Because it imagines this world as a cosmic battleground between two opposing forces, because it grants to the devil god-like power and ability, it glorifies Satan and blasphemes God.
Resist the devil and he will flee. That's what the Bible says. Consider that seriously, it says "resist the devil", that's it. He's such a low-life coward that just resisting him makes him flee in terror.
Paul wrote "We are more than conquerors through Him", think about that. And think about what Jesus said, "Do not rejoice that the devils submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
Consider the deep contrast: The devil is called the prince of the powers of the air and a "god of this world". And yet the one who belongs to Christ and bears His name rests in Him who has crushed the old snake's head under foot. Christ is risen from the dead, the devil is defeated. Christ is risen, hell is in ruins. Christ is risen, death is dead.
So who are you, O Christian, in relation to the devil? Yours is the victory already, for Christ is Victor. The devil is a liar, so call him a liar, he shall flee. The devil is a thief, but there is nothing that he can take from you if your treasure is in Christ. The devil is a murderer, but why should you fear those that can harm only the body, fear only God.
You are a child of the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the little lamb of the Good Shepherd who watches over His flock, and will search high and low for the smallest of His lambs. He finds what is broken and He heals it. He finds what is dead and raises it. He finds the poor and blesses them. You have all things in Christ who died for you.
The devil is unworthy of our fear. He is a pathetic worm to be smooshed. As Martin Luther wrote five hundred years ago in his hymn,
"For lo! his doom is sure.
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them abideth,
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through Him who with us sideth."
-CryptoLutheran
