Wayne Coats
The rationalists and certain naturalists have been telling the world for a few generations that anything in the Bible which is contrary to reason cannot be true. The foolishness of this proposition can be seen in that the fellow who makes such a silly assertion will not abide by his thesis. How reasonable is electricity? Moreover, whose reason will be the criteria in determining the validity of Biblical events?
Shall we select someone with a dull-normal or lesser reasoning ability to tell us all of that which is not true? Why not? When it comes to determining what man will accept and reject from the word of God, one man’s reason is just as good as that of some moron. I have never seen, smelled, touched, tasted and heard the devil, insofar as I know. I have certainly been the brunt of his influence, tactics, darts and wiles from within and without the church.
One of the most successful spheres in which Satan can accomplish his diabolical purposes is among church members. Tell me not that this isn’t so. Satan dared to enter the garden of Eden and work havoc in the garden of God. “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them” (Job 1:6). Do you think Satan has ceased coming with the sons of God when they come before the Lord? I suspect Sunday is his busiest day in our part of the world.
Is it not true that Satan had ruined six of seven congregations in Asia (Rev. 2-3)? The devil tried to destroy Jesus (Mat. 4:1ff). Do we not realize that Satan is “…the accuser of our brethren” (Rev. 12:10)? He is our adversary (1 Pet. 5:8). He is our enemy (Rev. 20:2). He is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). He rules as the prince of the power of the air, of darkness; and the god of this world (John 12:31; Eph. 2:2; 6:12; 2 Cor. 4:4).
It was Satan who filled the hearts of two members of the church to lie and be lost (Acts 5:3). It was Satan who put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray the Son of God (John 13:2). When the seed is sowed, it is the devil which snatches the word away (Mat. 13:19). It is Satan who sows tares (Mat. 13:39).
Satan has his devices and wiles which he uses to destroy us (2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 6:11). If we will permit, Satan will take advantage of us (2 Cor. 2:11). He will blind our eyes (2 Cor. 4:4). He will corrupt our minds (2 Cor. 11:3). This will be accomplished by the devil transforming himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:4). He will hinder us (1 The. 2:18). The devil will use snares to capture us (1 Tim. 3:7; 2 Tim. 2:26).
The Bible teaches us to put on the whole armour of God in order to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:11). We must resist the devil (Jam. 4:7). We must resist Satan steadfast in the faith (1 Pet. 5:8). It is possible for Christians to keep themselves (1 John 5:18). We can overcome Satan (1 John 2:13).
I shudder to think of what it will be to suffer the eternal fires of hell. Brethren, there will be no reprieve, no way out, no ending of torment. There will be “…the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev. 20:10).
What possesses the minds of our preachers when they refuse to tell lost sinners about the fate of those who refuse to obey the Gospel? It may not cause people to feel good when they hear about “…that old serpent called the devil” (Rev. 12:9). Do you not think God wants us to know about him? If not, we should cut out of the Bible all those verses which tell us about the devil. Why not?
