by A. W. Pink
Introduction
SATAN IS NOT AN
INITIATOR but an imitator. God has an only begotten Son - the Lord Jesus, and
so has Satan - "the son of Perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3). There is
a Holy Trinity, and there is likewise a Trinity of Evil (Rev. 20: 10). Do we
read of the "children of God," so also we read of "the
children of the wicked one" (Matt. 13:38). Does God work in the
former both to will and to do of His good pleasure, then we are told that Satan
is "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience"
(Eph. 2:2). Is there a "mystery of godliness" (1 Tim. 3:16),
so also is there a "mystery of iniquity" (2 Thess. 2:7). Are
we told that God by His angels "seals" His servants in their
foreheads (Rev. 7:3), so also, we learn that Satan by his agents sets a mark in
the foreheads of his devotees (Rev. 13:16). Are we told that "the
Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor.
2:10), then Satan also provides his "deep things." (See Greek
of Rev. 2:24.) Did Christ perform miracles, so also can Satan (2 Thess. 2:9).
Is Christ seated upon a throne, so is Satan (Rev. 2:13 - Gr.). Has Christ a
Church, then Satan has his "synagogue"(Rev. 2:9). Is Christ
the Light of the world, then so is Satan himself "transformed into an
angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14). Did Christ appoint "apostles,"
then Satan has his apostles, too (2 Cor. 11:13). And this leads us to consider "The
Gospel of Satan."
Satan is the
arch-counterfeiter. The Devil is now busy at work in the same field in which
the Lord sowed the good seed. He is seeking to prevent the growth of the wheat
by another plant, the tares, which closely resembles the wheat in appearance.
In a word, by a process of imitation he is aiming to neutralize the Work
of Christ. Therefore, as Christ has a Gospel, Satan has a gospel too; the
latter being a clever counterfeit of the former. So closely does the gospel of
Satan resemble that which it parodies. multitudes of the unsaved are deceived
by it.
It is to this
gospel of Satan the apostle refers when he says to the Galatians, "I
marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of
Christ unto another gospel: which is not another, but there be some that
trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ:" (1:6, 7). This
false gospel was being heralded even in the days of the apostle, and a most
awful curse was called down upon those who preached it. The apostle continues, "But
though we, or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that
which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."By the help of
God we shall now endeavor to expound, or rather, expose, this false gospel.
The
"gospel" of Satan
The gospel of
Satan is not a system of revolutionary principles, nor yet a program of
anarchy. It does not promote strife and war, but aims at peace and unity. It
seeks not to set the mother against her daughter nor the father against his
son, but fosters the fraternal spirit whereby the human race is regarded as one
great "brotherhood." It does not seek to drag down the natural man,
but to improve and uplift him. It advocates education and cultivation and
appeals to "the best that is within us." It aims to make this world
such a comfortable and congenial habitat that Christ's absence from it will not
be felt and God will not be needed. It endeavors to occupy man so much with this
world that he has no time or inclination to think of the world to come.
It propagates the principles of self-sacrifice, charity and benevolence, and
teaches us to live for the good of others, and to be kind to all. It appeals
strongly to the carnal mind and is popular with the masses, because it ignores
the solemn facts that by nature man is a fallen creature, alienated from the
life of God, and dead in trespasses and sins, and that his only hope lies in
being born again.
"Salvation"
by Works
In
contradistinction to the Gospel of Christ, the gospel of Satan teaches
salvation by works. It inculcates justification before God on the ground of
human merits. Its sacramental phrase is "Be good and do good"; but it
fails to recognize that in the flesh there dwelleth no good thing. It
announces salvation by character, which reverses the order of God's Word -
character by, as the fruit of, salvation. Its various ramifications and
organizations are manifold. Temperance, Reform Movements, "Christian
Socialist Leagues." Ethical Culture Societies, "Peace
Congresses" are all employed (perhaps unconsciously) in proclaiming this
gospel of Satan - salvation by works. The pledge-card is substituted for
Christ; social purity for individual regeneration, and politics and philosophy,
for doctrine and godliness. The cultivation of the old man is considered more
"practical" than the creation of a new man in Christ Jesus: whilst
universal peace is looked for apart from the interposition and return of the
Prince of Peace.
Deceitful
Workers
The apostles of
Satan are not saloon-keepers and white-slave traffickers, but are for the
most part ordained ministers. Thousands of those who occupy our modern pulpits
are no longer engaged in presenting the fundamentals of the Christian Faith,
but have turned aside from the Truth and have given heed unto fables. Instead
of magnifying the enormity of sin and setting forth its eternal consequences,
they minimize it by declaring that sin is merely ignorance or the absence of
good. Instead of warning their hearers to "flee from the wrath to
come" they make God a liar by declaring that He is too loving and
merciful to send any of His own creatures to eternal torment. Instead of
declaring that "without shedding of blood is no remission,"
they merely hold up Christ as the great Exemplar and exhort their hearers to
"follow in His steps." Of them it must be said, "For they being
ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of
God" (Rom. 10.3). Their message may sound very plausible and their aim
appear very praiseworthy, yet we read of them--"for such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves (imitating) into
the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an
angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing (not to be wondered at) if
his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end
shall be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11:13-15).
A
"Famine" of the Word of God
In addition to the
fact that today hundreds of churches are without a leader who faithfully
declares the whole counsel of God and presents His way of salvation, we
also have to face the additional fact that the majority of people in these
churches are very unlikely to learn the Truth for themselves. The family altar,
where a portion of God's Word was wont to be read daily is now, even in the
homes of nominal Christians, largely a thing of the past. The Bible is not
expounded in the pulpit and it is not read in the pew. The demands of this
rushing age are so numerous, that the multitudes have little time and still
less inclination to make preparation for the meeting with God. Hence the
majority who are too indolent to search for themselves, are left at the mercy
of those whom they pay to search for them; many of whom betray their trust by
studying and expounding economic and social problems rather than the Oracles of
God.
The
Ways of Death
In Prov. 14:12 we
read. "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end
thereof are the ways of death." This "way" which ends
in "death" is the Devil's Delusion - the gospel of Satan - a
way of salvation by human attainment. It is a way which "seemeth
right," that is to say, it is presented in such plausible language
that it appeals to the natural man: it is set forth in such a subtile and
attractive manner, that it commends itself to the intelligence of its hearers.
By virtue of the fact that it appropriates to itself religious terminology,
sometimes appeals to the Bible for its support (whenever this suits its purpose),
holds up before men lofty ideals, and is proclaimed by those who have graduated
from our theological institutions, countless multitudes are decoyed and
deceived by it.
Counterfeit
Christianity
The success of an
illegitimate coiner depends largely upon how closely the counterfeit resembles
the genuine article. Heresy is not so much the total denial of the truth as a
perversion of it. That is why half a lie is always more dangerous than a
complete repudiation. Hence, when the Father of Lies enters the pulpit it is
not his custom to flatly deny the fundamental truths of Christianity, rather
does he tacitly acknowledge them, and then proceed to give an erroneous
interpretation and a false application. For example: he would not be so foolish
as to boldly announce his disbelief in a personal God; he takes His existence
for granted and then gives a false description of His character. He announces
that God is the spiritual Father of all men, when the Scriptures plainly tell
us that we are "the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus"
(Gal. 3:26), and that "as many as received Him, to them gave He power
to become the sons of God" (John 1:12). Further, he declares that God
is far too merciful to ever send any member of the human race to Hell, when God
Himself has said, "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life
was cast into the Lake of Fire'' (Rev. 20:15). Again; Satan would not be so
foolish as to ignore the central figure of human history - the Lord Jesus
Christ; on the contrary, his gospel acknowledges Him to be the best man that
ever lived. Attention is drawn to His deeds of compassion and works of mercy,
the beauty of His character and the sublimity of His teaching. His life is
eulogized, but His vicarious Death is ignored; the all-important atoning
work of the cross is never mentioned, whilst His triumphant and bodily
resurrection from the grave is regarded as one of the credulities of a
superstitious age. It is a bloodless gospel, and presents a crossless Christ.
who is received not as God manifest in the flesh, but merely as the Ideal Man.
The
Spiritually Blind
In 2 Cor. 4:3,4 we
have a scripture which sheds much light upon our present theme. There we are
told, "if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom
the god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image
of God should shine unto them." He blinds the minds of unbelievers
through hiding the light of the Gospel of Christ, and he does this by
substituting his own gospel. Appropriately is he designated "The Devil
and Satan which deceiveth the whole world" (Rev. 12:9). In merely
appealing to "the best that is within man," and in simply exhorting
him to "lead a nobler life" there is afforded a general platform upon
which those of every shade of opinion can unite and proclaim this common
message.
The
Devil's Delusion
Again we quote
Prov. 14: 12 - "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the
end thereof are the ways of death." It has been said with considerable
truth that the way to Hell is paved with good intentions. There will be many in
the Lake of Fire who commenced life with good intentions, honest resolutions
and exalted ideals - those who were just in their dealings, fair in their
transactions and charitable in all their ways; men who prided themselves in
their integrity, but who sought to justify themselves before God by their own
righteousness; men who were moral, merciful and magnanimous, but who never saw
themselves as guilty, lost, hell-deserving sinners needing a Saviour.
Such is the way which "seemeth right." Such is the way that
commends itself to the carnal mind and recommends itself to multitudes of
deluded ones today. The Devil's Delusion is that we can be saved by our own
works, and justified before God by our own deeds; whereas, God tells us
in His Word - "By grace are ye saved through faith . . . , not of works
lest any man should boast." And again. "Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us."
Intellectual
Assent - or - Saving Faith?
A few years ago
the writer became acquainted with one who was a lay preacher and an
enthusiastic "Christian worker." For over seven years this friend had
been engaged in public preaching and religious activities, but from certain
expressions and phrases he used, the writer doubted whether his friend was a
"born again" man. When we began to question him, it was found that he
was very imperfectly acquainted with the Scriptures and had only the vaguest
conception of Christ's Work for sinners. For a time we sought to present the
way of salvation in a simple and impersonal manner and to encourage our friend
to study the Word for himself, in the hope that if he were still unsaved God
would be pleased to reveal the Saviour he needed. One night to our joy, the one
who had been preaching the Gospel(?) for seven years, confessed that he had
found Christ only the previous night. He acknowledged (to use his own words)
that he had been presenting "the Christ ideal" but not the Christ of
the Cross. The writer believes there are thousands like this preacher who,
perhaps, have been brought up in Sunday School, taught about the birth, life,
and teachings of Jesus Christ, who believe in the historicity of His person,
who spasmodically endeavor to practice His precepts, and who think that that
is all that is necessary for their salvation. Frequently, this class when they
reach manhood go out into the world. encounter the attacks of atheists and
infidels and are told that such a person as Jesus of Nazareth never lived. But
the impressions of early days cannot be easily erased, and they remain
steadfast in their declaration that they "believe in Jesus Christ."
Yet, when their faith is examined, only too often it is found that though they
believe many things about Jesus Christ they do not really believe
in Him. They believe with the head that such a person lived (and,
because they believe this imagine that therefore they are saved), but
they have never thrown down the weapons of their warfare against Him, yielded
themselves to Him, nor truly believed with their heart in Him. The bare
acceptance of an orthodox doctrine about the person of Christ without
the heart being won by Him and the life devoted to Him, is another phase of
that way "which seemeth right unto a man" but the end thereof
are "the ways of death." A mere intellectual assent to the
reality of Christ's person, and which goes no further, is another phase
of the way which "seemeth right unto a man" but of which the
end thereof "are the ways of death," or, in other words, is
another aspect of the gospel of Satan.
The
Broad Road - or - The Narrow Way?
And now, where do you
stand? Are you in the way which "seemeth right," but which
ends in death; or, are you in the Narrow Way which leadeth unto life? Have you
truly forsaken the Broad Road which leadeth to death? Has the love of
Christ created in your heart a hatred and horror of all that is displeasing
to Him? Are you desirous that He "reign over" you? (Luke
19:14). Are you relying wholly on Hisrighteousness and blood for your
acceptance with God?
"Religion"
- or - Faith?
Those who are
trusting to an outward form of godliness, such as baptism or
"confirmation"; those who are religious because it is considered a
mark of respectability; those who attend some Church or Chapel because it is
the fashion to do so; and, those who unite with some Denomination because they
suppose that such a step will enable them to become Christians, are in
the way which "ends in death" - death spiritual and eternal.
However pure our motives, however noble our intentions, however well-meaning
our purposes, however sincere our endeavours, God will not accept us as His
sons, until we accept His Son.
"Easy
Believism" - or - Repentant Faith?
A yet more
specious form of Satan's gospel is to move preachers to present the atoning
sacrifice of Christ and then tell their hearers that all God requires
from them is to "believe" in His Son. Thereby thousands of impenitent
souls are deluded into thinking they have been saved. But Christ said, "Except
ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). To
"repent" is to hate sin, to sorrow over, to turn from it. It is the
result of the Spirit's making the heart contrite before God. None except a brokenheart
can savingly believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Again; thousands
are deceived into supposing that they have "accepted Christ" as their
"personal Saviour," who have not first received Him as their LORD.
The Son of God did not come here to save His people in their sin, but "from
their sins" (Matt. 1:21). To be saved from sins, is to be saved
from ignoring and despising the authority of God, it is to abandon the course
of self-will and self-pleasing, it is to "forsake our way"
(Isa. 55:7). It is to surrender to God's authority, to yield to His
dominion, to give ourselves over to be ruled by Him. The one who has
never taken Christ's "yoke" upon him, who is not truly and diligently
seeking to please Him in all the details of his life, and yet
supposes that he is "resting on the Finished Work of Christ' is deluded by
the Devil.
Conclusion
In the seventh
chapter of Matthew there are two scriptures which give us approximate results
of Christ's Gospel and Satan's counterfeit. First. in verses 13 and 14, "Enter
ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait
is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be
that find it." Second; in verses 22 and 23, "Many will say to
Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied (preached) in Thy
name? and in Thy name have cast out demons, and in thy name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye
that work iniquity." Yes, my reader, it is possible to work in the
name of Christ, and even to preach in His name, and though the world
knows us, and the Church knows us, yet to be unknown to the Lord! How
necessary it is then to find out where we really are; to examine ourselves and
see whether we be in the faith; to measure ourselves by the Word of God and see
if we are being deceived by our subtle Enemy; to find out whether we are
building our house upon the sand, or whether it is erected on the Rock which is
Christ Jesus. May the Holy Spirit search our hearts, break our wills, slay our
enmity against God; work in us a deep and true repentance, and direct our gaze
to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.
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