"Dark Angel of Light" September 26 Readings: Isaiah 62-63, 2 Corinthians 11:1–15, Psalm 108:1–5, Proverbs 23:29–30

Today's Readings -  Isaiah 62-63, 2 Corinthians 11:1–15, Psalm 108:1–5, Proverbs 23:29–30

Devotional - Dark Angel of Light

In Genesis 3, when the Serpent tempts Adam and Eve, it uses (abuses) the words of God to do so. When Satan tempts Jesus he quotes (misquotes) Scriptures in the attempt. Our enemy is a "scholar" of God's word who uses it freely. The problem is that he always twists it.

In 2 Corinthians 11, we are told about false teachers in the church of Jesus. Guess what. They don't preach from the Bhagavad Gita! Like Satan, they use and abuse God's word and the people of God need to be wary of their presence. 

Almost every Scripture that speaks of the end times warns us of the proliferation of false Christs (who would claim to be God’s new representative on earth), false apostles (claiming new authority over God’s church), false prophets (claiming new revelation to add to or clarify what God’s perfect Word already says) and false teachers (who lead God’s people astray by twisting truth for their own reasons – generally money and power). We are duly warned that such will always be within the church (yes, that is right – INSIDE the church) trying to lead God’s people astray from the inside.

But this spirit of antichrist was already at work in the church of Corinth. There were those who had come in among the brethren there and tried to undermine Paul’s authority and call the gospel of grace he proclaimed into question. It was the presence of these men, these false apostles, that caused Paul to deal so harshly with the Corinthian church. He was worried that they would follow the lies into spiritual destruction.

Wouldn’t it be great if liars and deceivers wore signs and marked themselves clearly? I was reading today of a well-known “evangelical” writer who has now compromised on pretty much every doctrine and moral standard that we hold dear. Yet he never says, “I’ve left the faith and am no longer a Christian.” He continues to maintain that he is both a Christian and faithful to God’s Word. He is pleasant, a great writer, charismatic (in the personality sense) – seems all around like a nice guy. But his doctrine is increasingly poisonous. Wouldn’t it be nice if he owned his doctrine deviation and admitted it, so that no one would be confused?

That is not the way of false teachers, false prophets, false apostles or false Christs. Paul addressed this in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. He begins by describing those against whom he contended, in verse 13

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.”

Then, in verse 14, he explains the reason for this.

“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”

He makes this conclusion in verse 15.

“So, it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.”

Satan is not a hideous creature of with grotesque features – like he is presented in fiction. He is aa being of light who presents his ways as beautiful, wonderful and happy. “God wants you to be happy,” he whispers as you try to decide whether to do the right thing or not.  “It’s all about you.” “Just follow your heart and do what you feel is best.” Satan whispers sweet things to us and tells us what we want to hear.

It is all a masquerade. His purpose is to kill and to destroy. From the beginning of time, his strategy has been to lie to God’s creation and to get us human beings to choose what is wrong instead of choosing obedience. By shining his lying light on us, he induces us to choose the wrong path and bring the consequences of sin on our lives.

He seems fair and happy and beautiful but he pays off in death and destruction. Don’t be fooled by the light. It can be simply a means of being drawn into the darkness.

When his false teachers enter the church, they follow his pattern. They tell us nice things, things we want to hear. They tell us to stop talking about sin, to ignore biblical standards that might make us or others unhappy, to cast off the yoke of Christ and to maintain control of our own lives. It all sounds so good but it is a mirage, a lie. It brings the death of the church instead of the blessing of God.

We must be deep in the Word of God and sensitive to the Spirit of God so that we can identify these false workmen who would lead us astray from the inside.

Father, help me to be a proclaimer of truth and righteousness, to identify and expose those who would lead the Body of Christ astray.

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Do you assume that every person who quotes God's word is a true man or woman of God?
Do you exercise discernment, judging teachings against the clear teachings of God's word or do you just accept what you are taught and assume that there is no such thing as a false teacher?