Traps and Snares

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  -- 2 Corinthians 11:14

If we saw the devil for what he is, or if he told us the whole truth of what he is doing, we would reject him without a thought. 

The lies that entrap us always have a false front of truth and beauty.  Even those of us who have fallen prey to the deceiver are not immune.  The old lines and the old lies have a certain comfort and reassurance.  We manage to convince ourselves that it will be different this time.  MacDonald depicts it well by way of his “Maid of the Alder “ in Phantastes.  Even after the protagonist had seen the hollow, empty ugliness within, he still acknowledged the beauty of her face when she turned toward him. 

Despite being an old cynic and knowing that there is a valid reason for something sounding too good to be true, my heart may still jump just a little when I hear the pitch or glimpse the lure.  I’ve gotten off that hook before with just a sore jaw.  I mean, if there really is a hook this time.  It could be what it seems to be. 

Paul, of course, was talking about false brethren and religious error.  The flock would flee the predator if they saw him as a wolf.  Red Riding Hood would not have conversed long with the fiend who had devoured her grandmother if she had seen through his guise.  If Elmer Gantry confessed that he was just in the game for the money who would listen to his hypocritical sermons?  There are always some, who, even after their noses have been buried in the gross reality, will defend the devil.  I have seen it in person.  

Bob Tilton was still making a living the last I heard.  Jim Bakker is prospering and in health not far down the road from me.  Barack Obama’s approval rating is right around forty percent.  There are still people who think that government is the solution rather than the problem and that we have a free market economy.  And so on. 

We always have to be on guard.  Watch and pray.  We have to understand that the wolf always hides behind a sheepskin.  Sometimes he hangs it on his wall.  The trap is always baited.  The lure always looks so sweet. 

The lady glided round by the wall from behind me, still keeping her face towards me, and seated herself in the furthest corner, with her back to the lamp, which she hid completely from my view. I then saw indeed a form of perfect loveliness before me. – Phantastes, MacDonald

J'accuse

For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me.  I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.  But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty, and many are those who hate me wrongfully.  Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good. – Psalm 38:17-20

It’s because I’m too cynical, but, when I read something like that, my first thought is, Sure.  People do attack us and accuse us unjustly and unfairly.  I think it happens more in literature, on television, and in the movies than in everyday life.  It happens more in politics than in the real world.  Most people have better things to do and nothing to gain from playing stupid games and coming against those who have done nothing to harm them.

There are exceptions.  These are the psalms of David who was both king and prophet.  He was, as a monarch, most certainly the object of intrigue and hostility.  Before he ascended to the throne he had been hunted and harried by Saul for simply being one chosen by God to rule His people.  In this, Saul is a type of Satan, one who accuses and seeks to destroy the elect. 

I don’t know that this is Devil Week in the Jungle, but it is possible that I often fail to deal with the reality of an adversary.  I have seen too many people blame the devil for too many things.  The good Christian who is five-by-five, lives on steak and cake, and considers walking around the buffet table exercise lambasts the devil for causing his heart problems.  The devil may have encouraged him to have another piece of pie, but the fork was in his own hand. 

Certainly there is a demonic presence behind gluttony, just as there is behind some kinds of fear, behind envy and jealousy, lust and greed, pride, rage, and other sins.  The truth is I don’t need a lot of encouragement to please myself or to do wrong. 

Still, Jesus – and I consider Him the Authority – dealt with the devil and demons, not as mere influences but as entities with intelligence and wills.  As Lewis said (and I frequently quote) in the preface to Screwtape:  There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils.  One is to disbelieve in their existence.  The other is to believe, and to feel and excessive and unhealthy interest in them.  Lewis never met, I don’t suppose, Flip Wilson or any of the “pigs in the parlor” Christians I have known.  I would add a third category for those who find the devil and demons a convenient excuse for their bad situations.

I have to wonder, though, if my reluctance to blame anyone or anything other than myself does not contain just a touch of pride.  I am a practical, cause-and-effect person.  There’s a reason for everything.  “Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see,” was drilled into me in childhood, though I think the hard heads of my Scots ancestors inclined me that way in any case. 

Yet, there are times, especially over the last fifteen years or so, when I have felt I was targeted for opposition by a malevolent personality.  Feelings are more easily moved than reason and less trustworthy, but they are not always, therefore, wrong.   I have encountered evil that all but took a black, hooded form like Tolkien’s Nazgûl, and I have talked to otherwise trustworthy people who claim to have seen and been threatened by such things – long before they were so depicted in the movies. 

There are angels.  When they appear, their first words are usually, “Fear not”, because their stature and presence is, apparently, innately terrifying.  Paul says that Satan himself may appear as an angel of light, a disguise designed to deceive and lead astray the unwary.

When we do get off the path of righteousness, it is an opportunity for the accuser to come in and make matters worse.  We will feel that we ought to deny or excuse or hide.  David, though, had the right idea:  I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.  Let’s get that out of the way.  Now, about these who are attacking me, Lord, I could use a little help.  They are too much for me. 

There are fallen angels.  There are demons.  Demons are parasitic, and they feed themselves on human fear, anguish, regret and similar emotional energies.  We cultivate the ground and sow seed to raise our tomatoes, corn, and beans.  Demons cultivate the minds of men and sow seeds of fear, hatred, and confusion to raise their favorite dark energies.  If we let them, they will lead us to commit wickedness so they might grow fat on our desperation, shame, and guilt. 

We don’t have to put up with it.

Angels and Heirs

See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. -- Matthew 18:10

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? -- Hebrews 1:14

On OC last Friday, I expressed some reservations about guardian angels.  My issue is not with regard to the existence of angels for which there is more than sufficient Scriptural evidence.  I am less uneasy talking about angels than I would be talking to an angel.  It seems to me that getting too involved in the business of angels might be somewhat like the attitude Gildor the Elf had of wizards:  Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger. 

We are also warned:  Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind (Colossians 2:18).  This is probably the source of most of my reluctance to attempt to communicate with or call upon angelic beings.  Then, too, one must beware of the potential for deception by the agents of the enemy:  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).  Yet, this is also a strong argument for seeking angelic assistance.  In yesterday’s post, I talked about two kinds of wisdom, worldly as opposed to spiritual. 

People may be led astray by the practicality and functionality of earthly wisdom.  We may also be deceived by “insights” with come from demonic sources.  One may be -- in as sense -- inspired by bad angels just as by good.  Since Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit Himself, we might conclude that only those outside of the Body of Christ would be susceptible to demonic enthusiasms.  I think that is generally the case, though a Christian who is lax and lukewarm might be more vulnerable to such an attack and more likely to accept demonic insights as genuine.  We are aware, also, that simply recognizing something agrees with Scripture is hardly proof that it is not a satanic suggestion – see the temptation of Christ.  Give the Devil his due.  He knows the Bible. 

And, speaking of Christ’s trial in the desert, we are reminded that after Jesus had faced the Tempter, angels came to minister to Him (Matthew 4:11).  The same thing occurred in Gethsemane (Luke 22:43).  Jesus could have called upon angelic help to escape from those sent to arrest Him:  Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53).  He refused to do so because it was necessary that “the Scriptures be fulfilled” (v. 54).

Being no expert in this area, I can only follow along with what the Bible says and with the advice of wiser and more sanctified heads than my own.  Angels will strengthen us when our strength and ability to resist is weakened.  When physical trials overwhelm us, we may call upon their aid in extremity.  When we are confused by the attacks of the enemy, we may call upon angels to defend us and speak truth to us. 

A very practical application might be if we find ourselves involved in conflict, our own anger and defensiveness tends to blind us to reason and spiral us deeper into hurt and anger.  I have no doubt that demons can feed off pain and rage.  We can ask that our angel or angels step in to fend off the enemy and help us get back in control.  Too, if we see someone else in a similar situation, we can ask that angels be allowed to defend them against demonic instigations.      

Angels are our fellow servants.  The fallen ones, like fallen men, seek their own glory and exaltation.  The holy and good angels live only to serve God, to glorify, honor, worship, and exalt Him.  They do not desire our worship, but they will joyously come alongside in our hour of need because we have been adopted as heirs of salvation.