Tag: John 8:44

COMPARING ISLAM WITH CHRISTIANITY – Part 3

Tahwid or Trinity? (Two different Gods)

Introduction

       In part 2 of our study, we compared the Scriptures of Islam (Qur’an) and Christianity (Bible), presenting four different parts. In the first three parts, we discovered that by far the Bible has far more manuscript, documentary, and archaeological evidence than does the Qur’an. In addition, when we looked at the reasons why Muslims and Christians believe their sacred writings are true, we concluded that Christians have far more reasonable and persuasive arguments to support the reliability of their Scripture than do Muslims.

      In this article we are going to compare the god of Islam (Allah) with the God of the Bible (Yahweh). Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God, as Muslims and some Christian leaders in the West claim? They point out that both Christianity (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29) and Islam (Qur’an 2:163; 3:64; 4:48; 5:73; 16:22; 22:34) teach there is no God but one. 

       It is important to understand some of the early history of Islam regarding their doctrine of Tahwid – the absolute oneness of Allah or God (see above timeline). Following Mohammed’s death in 632 A.D., his initial successors (Caliphs) during the Rashidun Period were plagued with high-profile assassinations (632 – 661 A.D.). After this, the Umayyad Caliphates governed the Islamic Empire for a brief ninety years (661-750 A.D.) until the Abbasid Muslims took control and established a dynasty that would last over 750 years (750-1517 A.D.). It was during the reign of the seventh Abbasid Caliphate, Al-Mamun (813 – 833 A.D.), that he would impose the Mihna, or Islamic Inquisition in 833 A.D. [1] Why?

       In 827 A.D., Al-Mamun aligned himself with Shia rationalism which declared that the Qur’an was a created book, not uncreated and eternal as the Qur’an claims (Qur’an 85:22). In those days, heated debates about the Quran erupted over the doctrine of Tawhid which teaches that Allah is absolutely one; and the conclusion naturally arose among some thinkers that since Allah is absolutely one, he cannot have attributes. Attributes would reduce his absolute unity, being things he has as opposed to things he is. [2]

       Former Muslim, Nabeel Qureshi explains: “If God has attributes, he must always have had them, because he is unchanging. That would make those attributes eternal. If those eternal attributes are not a part of his essence, part of who he is, then something other than God existed alongside God from the beginning of time. The existence of eternal entities apart from Allah’s essence was an affront to Muslim theologians committed to tawhid, the absolute unity of God.

       “Where this philosophical debate mattered most was on the issue of the Quran. It was understood that the Quran is the Word of God, his attribute of speech. Is the speech of Allah eternal? If so, something apart from Allah, his speech, would be eternal. It would exist in eternity past alongside Allah. Theologians who defended tawhid, like the Jahmiya and the Mutazili, saw this as blasphemous in light of Allah’s absolute unity. It is clear why: It would mean there are two eternal entities, Allah and the Quran.

       “To establish their case from scripture, the rationalists referred to verses in the Quran that seemed to situate its contents in history. If the Quran refers to events in Muhammad’s life, like the Battle of Badr, how could it be Allah’s eternal speech? More convincingly, they cited 43.2 of the Quran, which says, ‘We have made it an Arabic Quran.’ If the Quran was made, how could it be eternal? Thus, the rationalists argued that the Quran was created, and that it taught the doctrine of its own creation. Anyone who disagreed was an enemy of tawhid.” [3] [emphasis added]

       This is why Al-Mamun declared that the Qur’an is created. He did not want to curb the absolute unity of God. And when he made this proclamation, he announced that those who do not believe the Qur’an is created have no belief in the Tawhid. He went so far as to say that  those who believe in the eternality of the Qur’an are “the worst among Muslims” and are “the tongue of the devil.” [4]

       Thus, the Islamic Inquisition or Mihna was inaugurated by Al-Mamun  in 833 A.D. (see above AI photo).  So, for the next eighteen years and reigns of three Muslim caliphs, Muslim thinkers who embraced the eternality of the Qur’an were interrogated, flogged, and threatened with execution because they were undermining the tawhid – the absolute unity of Allah The tenth Abbasid caliph, Al-Mutawakkil, abolished the Mihna, in 851 A.D. because he had lesspassion about his theology, and simply prohibited debate on the nature of the Quran. [5]

      Even though the Islamic Inquisition came to an end, the debate about the eternality of the Qur’an did not. Eventually, the majority of Muslims embraced the view that the Qur’an was eternal and was thus contrary to the traditional understanding of the Tawhid. This was based on the position of a man named al-Ashari.  

       How can the Qur’an be eternal without challenging the absolute unity of Allah? Al-Ashari’s response became famous: “bila kayf, or ‘without how.’ In other words, there is no rational resolution; it is just true that the Quran is eternal, and this does not contradict tawhid. In this proclamation al-Ashari emphasized revelation and tradition over reason and rationality, and his method has remained dominant among Muslim thinkers ever since.” [6]

       Smith writes, “The first and greatest teaching of Islam is proclaimed by the Shahada: ‘La Ilaha illa-l-lah, Muhammadun rasulu-l-lah.’ (‘There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah.’) It is this very confession, which, once uttered sincerely, makes one a Muslim. This is the phrase all new converts are asked to say upon conversion. For those who take the pilgrimage, or the Hajj, it is requisite that they repeat this phrase with belief before they enter into the holy city of Mecca.” [7][emphasis added]

The Nature of the God (Allah) of Islam

       THE ABSOLUTE ONENESS OF ALLAH: For a Muslim, Allah is absolutely one (Wahid), and has no partners and no equals. The Qur’an states, “And do not call with Allah on another god. There is no god but him.” (Qur’an 28:88a). [8] To a Muslim, since Allah is one, no one else can share even an atom of His Divine essence, power, and authority. 

       Janosik writes, “Reza Aslan even goes so far as to say that this concept of Tawhid goes beyond monotheism. ‘Tawhid means that God is Oneness. God is unity: wholly indivisible, entirely unique, and utterly indefinable. God resembles nothing in either essence or attributes.’” [9] [emphasis added]

       The Qur’an makes it clear that Allah has no son, no father, no relative, and no associates:  “We serve only Allah nor partner anything with him nor take each other as lords rather than Allah.” (Qur’an 3:64b; [10] cf. 3:151; 4:36, 48, 116; 5:72-73; 6:19, 41, 79-81, 100-102, 162-163; 12:38; 72:20). “O People of the Book, do not exaggerate in your religion and do not speak against Allah, except the truth. Surely the Christ ‘Isā, son of Mary, is only a messenger of Allah and his word, which he cast to Mary, and a spirit from him. So, believe in Allah and his messengers, and do not say, ‘Three.’ [Trinity] Cease; it is better for you. Surely Allah is only one god.” (Qur’an 4:171). [11] “The inventor of the heavens and the earth, how can he have a son when he has no female companion? And he created everything, and he is the knower of all things.” (Qur’an 6:101). [12] “And say, ‘Praise be to Allah who has not taken a son, and it was not for him to have a partner in the kingdom. And it was not for him to have a friend from the humiliated.’ And magnify him [‘Allah Akbar’, i.e. Allah is bigger] magnificently.” (Qur’an 17:111). [13] “He who has the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and he did not take a son. And it was not for him to have a partner in the kingdom, and he created everything, so he determined it, determining.” (Qur’an 25:2). [14]

       The Qur’an teaches that whoever adds partners to Allah is an infidel and is destined to the fire of hell, including Isā (the Jesus of Mohammed). [15] “72 Infidels, indeed, are those who said, ‘Surely Allah is the Christ, son of Mary.’ And the Christ said, ‘O children of Israel, serve Allah, my lord and your lord.’ Surely whoever partners with Allah, so indeed, Allah forbids him the garden. And his abode is the fire, and the unjust will have no helpers. 73 Infidels, indeed, are those who said, ‘Surely Allah is the third of three.’ And there is no god except one god, and if they do not refrain from what they are saying, a painful torment will touch those who became infidels among them.” (Qur’an 5:72-73; [16] cf. 16:49-65; 24:55-57; 39:64-72; 40:42).

       For Muslims, Allah is totally “other” from humanity or creation, and so he cannot be a father, or have a son, or have any associates. [17] Janosik writes, “This is the reason that Muslims have such difficulty with the Christian concept of the Trinity. If Allah is an absolute unity, then how could the one God also be three Gods? For Muslims, this belief in the Trinity adds something ‘other’ than God to God, which is blasphemy. In fact, to claim that Jesus Christ is God’s Son is the greatest of all sins in Islam and is known as ‘shirk,’ or the worship of anyone or anything other than the one God.

       “Some Muslims even believe that anyone who commits shirk will not be able to receive forgiveness from Allah. This is supported by Sura 4:48, which states,” [18] “Surely Allah will not forgive partnering [worshiping other gods] with him. But other than this, he will forgive whom he wills. And who partners with Allah, so indeed, he forged a great sin.” (Qur’an 4:48). [19] Hence, according to Islam, Christians are the greatest of all sinners since they worship Jesus Christ as God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity. [20]

        The Qur’an erroneously teaches that Christians believe the Trinity consists of Allah (God), Mary the mother of Christ, and Jesus (see above diagram).“And when Allah said, ‘O ‘Isā, son of Mary, did you say to the people, ‘Take me and my mother as two gods, other than Allah’?“ (Qur’an 5:116a). [21] “Infidels, indeed, are those who said, ‘Surely Allah is the Christ, the son of Mary.’” (Qur’an 5:17a). [22] “The inventor of the heavens and the earth, how can he have a son when he has no female companion? And he created everything, and he is the knower of all things.”(Qur’an 6:101). [23] Smith notes thatthis depiction of Christians as believing that God took Mary as His wife and she and their baby Jesus became two separate gods is as offensive to Christians as it is to Muslims, although there is evidence that heretical sects banished to Arabia were teaching this, or something similar, at the time of Mohammed (known as the Maryamia or Choloridians). [24]       

       The Bible teaches that God the Son has always existed (John 1:1-3, 18; 8:58; I John 5:20; Rev. 1:8; 11; et al.), yet He became a human person (John 1:14) by means of the virgin birth through Mary (Matt. 1:18-25). Though she is highly respected as the means by which God used to come to earth, it is quite wrong to say she is God, which the Qur’an erroneously states Christians have done. Islam mistakenly believes that Christians consider Mary to be “God the Mother,” who produced God the Son, by God the Father. This is completely false, as the Bible NEVER says anything remotely like this. According to the gospels, Mary was not God but was an ordinary sinful human who considered herself to need a Savior (Luke 1:47). She was used by God to bring Jesus Christ into the world as a human. 

       When witnessing to Muslims, I have found that it is important to understand that there are two words for “son” in the Arabic language. Geisler explains: “Muslim moral and spiritual repugnance to the deity of Christ is based largely on a misunderstanding of what it means for Christ to be a ‘Son’ of God. They understand it in a physical sense of resulting from a sexual union between God and Mary (see Surah 10:68), rather than in a spiritual sense. There are two Arabic words for ‘son,’ one meaning son in a physical sense (walad) and one meaning son in a metaphorical or relational sense (ibn). In dialogue with Muslims, Christians should use the latter when referring to Christ to avoid misunderstanding.” [25]

       THE DECEPTION OF ALLAH: In addition, we learn from Islam’s sacred book that Allah is the best deceiver: “And Allah is the best deceiver.” (Qur’an 3:54b). [26] “And when those who became infidels deceive you to detain you or to kill you or to expel you. And they deceive, and Allah deceives. And Allah is the best deceiver.” (Qur’an 8:30). [27] Allah desires to lead people astray: “Will he whose evil deed is adorned to him so he saw it as good? So surely Allah leads astray whom he wills and guides whom he wills. So do not grieve your soul in regret for them, surely Allah knows what they do.” (Qur’an 35:8; [28] cf. 2:26; 4:88; 13:27; 40:74). 

        Does this sound like the God of the Bible? Is the God of the Bible a deceiver? Of course not. The prophet Balaam said to Balak, “God is not a man, that He should lie.” (Num. 23:19). Samuel said to King Saul, “The Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.” (I Sam. 15:29). King David referred to Him as, “O Lord God of truth.” (Psa. 31:5). The apostle John says that the Word, Jesus, is “full of… truth” (John 1:14b) and Jesus Himself said, “I am the truth.” (John 14:6). In addition, the apostle Paul says, “God, who cannot lie” (Tit. 1:2). The writer of Hebrews affirms, “It is impossible for God to lie.” (Heb. 6:18). According to James, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” (Jas. 1:13). [29]

       However, the Bible depicts Satan as the best deceiver. We see Satan taking the form of a serpent to deceive Eve and Adam (see above pic) to eat the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1-6; cf. Rev. 12:9-10; 20:1-3, 7-10). Jesus tells unbelieving Jews, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44). According to Jesus, the source of deception and lying is “the devil.”

       Satan is the best deceiver, especially as it relates to leading people away from the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus. The apostle Paul writes, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2 Cor. 11:3). The apostle Paul was deeply concerned (“I fear”) that the Christians at Corinth might be “deceived” by Satan’s false apostles (2 Cor. 11:13-15) to move away “from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). These false teachers were preaching “another Jesus” (2 Cor. 11:4a; cf. I John 4:1-3) much like Islam which denies that Jesus is God or the Son of God (Qur’an 4:171; 5:17, 72-73, 75, 116; 9:30-31; 17:111; 19:35). They had “a different spirit” that was not the Holy Spirit who always magnifies the Person and work of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 11:4b; cf. I Cor. 12:3; I John 4:1-3). These false apostles depreciated the finished work of Jesus on the cross just as Islam does by teaching the way to paradise (i.e., heaven) is through their good works which outweigh their bad works (Qur’an 5:9-10; 7:8-9; 23:102-103; 39:53). In particular, Islam’s five pillars (i.e., confession of faith, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and pilgrimage to Mecca) must be obeyed. [30] Islam also teaches that when a Muslim dies fighting infidels (Jihad), he gains a place in paradise (Qur’an 3:195; cf. 2:244; 4:95; 8:12). [31] These false apostles also preached “a different gospel” that denied the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection as sufficient payment for the sins of the world (2 Cor. 11:4c; cf. John 19:30). Islam also denies that Jesus died on the cross and therefore could not have rose from the dead (cf. Qur’an 4:157-159).

       Allah also desires to fill hell with people: “118 And if your lord willed, he would have made the people one nation. And they are still different, 119 except whom your lord has given mercy, and that is why he created them. And the word of your lord has been fulfilled: ‘I will surely fill hell with the jinn [supernatural creatures between people and angels [32]] and the people together.’” (Qur’an 11:118-119). [33] [bracket added] According to these verses, Allah (“your lord”) created some people who would not be Muslim just to fill hell with them. “And if we had willed, we would surely give to every soul its guidance. But the word which has gone forth from me was established: ‘I will surely fill hell with jinn and people together.’” (Qur’an 32:13). [34] It is Allah’s will not to guide all the people, but to fill hell with jinn and people. “Surely, I will fill hell from you [Devil] and from those who followed you from among them together.” (Qur’an 38:85). [35] [bracket added] 

         Does the God of the Bible desire to fill hell with people? Not at all. Hell was intended for Satan and his fallen angels (Matt. 25:41). God loves all people (John 3:16) and desires to fill heaven with them. The Bible says, “3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (I Tim. 2:3-4). God does not send people to hell, people send themselves to hell by refusing to believe in the name of the only begotten the Son of God, Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18). God does not desire that any human being perish in hell: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9; cf. Matt. 18:14; John 3:15-16).

       ALLAH IS SATAN: 

       When we compare the names and nature of Allah and Satan, we discover they are one in the same (see above chart). Repeatedly, the Qur’an refers to Allah as “the lord of the worlds.” (Qur’an 1:1 [36] cf. 5:28; 6:45, 162; 7:54; 10:10; 27:8, 44; 28:30; 37:182; 39:76; 40:64-66; 59:16; 81:29). Likewise, the Bible refers to Satan as the “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) and the “god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4).    

       Allah does not love sinful people (Qur’an 2:191, 205, 276; 3:32, 57; 4:36-37, 107; 22:38) and desires to fill hell with them (Qur’an 32:13; 38:85; 11:118-119). Allah gives infidels (non-Muslims) a long life so that they will sin more and be punished more: “And do not let those who became infidels think we only increase for them good for themselves, surely, we only increase for them that they may increase in sin. And to them is a disgraceful torment.” (Qur’an 3:178). [37]

       Allah resembles Satan who seeks to deceive people and mislead them away from the gospel of Christ so they will suffer eternally with the Devil in the lake of fire (Luke 8:5, 12; John 8:44; 10:10a; 2 Cor. 4:3-4; 11:3, 13-15; Eph. 2:2-3; I Pet. 5:8; I John 4:1-3; 5:19; Rev. 12:9-10; 13:1-18; 14:9-11; 20:1-3, 7-10, 14-15). 

       The god of Islam hates Jews and Christians (“people of the book… polytheists”) and seeks to destroy them both now [38] and in hell [39] (Qur’an 1:6; 2:24, 26, 39, 96, 126, 161-162, 217, 276; 3:4I, 10-13, 19, 21, 32, 44-46, 55-56, 85, 90-91, 106, 116, 131, 141, 149, 151, 178; 4:18, 44-46, 48, 51-52, 56, 157-161, 171; 5:17-19, 51, 72-73, 86; 6:14, 21-24; 9:5, 12-17, 26, 29-30, 36, 68, 73-74, 80, 113; et al.) as does Satan (Rev. 12:4-17; [40] cf. Matt. 24:9-28; John 10:10a; 15:18-25; 16:1-4, 33; Eph. 2:2-3; I Pet. 5:8; Rev. 2:8-10, 12-16, 18-24; 3:9-10; 13:1-18; Rev. 14:9-11; 20:1-3, 7-10, 14-15).

       Allah resembles Satan more than anyone else in the universe. Clearly, the god of Islam (Allah) is not the same God (Yahweh) that Christians worship and love as we shall now see.

The nature of the God (Yahweh) of the Bible

      I believe it is fair to say that the Trinity, or “polytheism,” as Islam puts it, is what disturbs Muslims the most. They cannot comprehend how God can be both THREE and ONE at the same time? To them it is illogical and impossible! Yet, we must point out to our Muslim friends that God is beyond all human reason. Too often humans have tried to reduce God to a level that they can understand for themselves. They try to make God like themselves. [41]

       Christianity has always taught and believed there is only one God. The difference between our monotheism and other monotheists is not on the number of gods, but on the concept of God’s Personhood. The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that the one God exists as three Persons. This is not a self-contradiction as Islam charges because person is not the same as being. Your being is the quality that makes you what you are, but your person is the quality that makes you who you are. For example, we are humans. That is what we are. That is why we are called human beings. But what we are is not the same as who we are. If someone asks, “Who are you?” I would not respond by saying, “A human.” That answers the question of what I am, not who I am. Who I am is Jeff; that is my person. What I am is a human; that is my being. Being and person are separate. [42]

       Unlike a human being, which has only one person, God has three Persons. He is one being, Yahweh, in three Persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. He is more than able to exist like that because He is God. If we say God must have only one Person, like humans, then we are making God in our image. Who are we to limit God? It is up to God to tell us who He is, and He has in the Bible. [43]

       Our human reason alone cannot dictate or even decipher the nature of God. God is far greater than we can possibly conceive and more complex than we could ever hope to grasp. We are in no position to determine the intricacies of God’s nature. If He were to inform us He is one Being in one Person, we are obligated to believe Him. If He tells us, “I am one Being in three Persons,” who are we to say no to God? As believers in revelation, we must turn to divine Scripture to learn about God. [44]       

       Jesus said that His followers are to make disciples of all the nations, “Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19b). The Bible teaches that God is one (“the name” = singular) yet eternally exists in three Persons (“Father… Son… Holy Spirit”) Who are equal in every way, yet distinct in their tasks and relations to humanity. God is one substance (Deut. 6:4) yet three in Person (Eph. 2:18; 2 Cor. 13:14). 

       Students of the Bible refer to this truth as the Trinity or “three in one.” The word “Trinity,” as Tri-unity, was coined by an early church leader named Tertullian (145-220 A.D.) over five hundred years before the Qur’an was even written. [45] Although the word “Trinity,” is not found in the Bible, nor is the word “Tahwid” found in the Qur’an either. 

       Each Person of the Godhead is eternal, meaning God the Father did not create God the Son at some point in time like some cults and false religions say He did. 

       Throughout the Old Testament references are made to the Trinity. For example, the first verse of the Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”(Gen. 1:1). The Hebrew word translated “God” is the plural noun Elohim which occurs with the singular verb bārā (“created”), suggesting that in some sense God is both plural and singular. This is best explained by the Trinity.

       “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.’” (Gen. 1:26). The Hebrew phrase translated, “let Us make” (na‘ăśeh) again gives the idea of plurality. The word “Us” cannot refer to angels because angels do not create. Other references to God as “Us” can be seen in Genesis 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8. 

        “For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name.” (Isa. 54:5). The word translated, “Maker” (‘ōśayiḵ) is plural in Hebrew. Therefore, we have a second Hebrew word that is plural that is used of God. 

        “16 Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit have sent Me. 17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.’” (Isa. 48:16-17). In verse sixteen, God the Son is speaking. He identifies the Father [“the Lord God”] and “His Spirit” as having sent Him. In the next verse, the Son is clearly spoken of as “the Lord.” Hence, these verses identify three distinct Persons Who are God without denying the fact there is only one God. 

       “8 For He [the Lord] said, ‘Surely they are My people, children who will not lie.’ So, He became their Savior. 9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old. 10 But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.” (Isa. 63:8-10). These verses make the most sense when we realize that the Lord or Yahweh (Father), the Angel of His presence (the Son), and the Holy Spirit are distinguishable as three Persons of the Trinity. 

       In the Old Testament, God is referred to as Father (Deut. 32:6; Isa. 63:16; Mal. 2:10), Son (Psa. 2:6-7, 12; 45:6-7; Prov. 30:1-4; Isa. 9:6), and Spirit (Gen. 1:2; Psa. 139:7-12; Isa. 11:2-3; 61:1; 63:10; Zech. 4:6). 

       The New Testament also refers to God as Father (Gal. 1:1, 3; Eph. 1:2-3), Son (John 20:28; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 1:8; I John 5:20), and Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). We see each Person of the Trinity mentioned in several New Testament verses: 

–       “16  When He had been baptized, Jesus [Son] came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him [Son], and He [Son] saw the Spirit of God [Holy Spirit] descending like a dove and alighting upon Him [Son]. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My [Father] beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:16-17 [brackets added]

–       “And I [Son] will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper [Holy Spirit], that He may abide with you forever.” John 14:16 [brackets added]

–       “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My [Son] name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I [Son] said to you.” John 14:26 [brackets added]

–       “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ [Son], and the love of God [Father], and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” 2 Corinthians 13:14 [brackets added]

       One of the reasons Jesus commands Christians to baptize in the name of the Triune God (Matt. 28:19) is because each Person of the Godhead had a part in our eternal salvation (see above pic) from hell (Eph. 1:3-14). God the Father has blessed believers with every spiritual blessing in the spiritual realm (1:3). The Father chose believers before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in Christ before the Father (1:4). God predetermined beforehand (“predestination”) to adopt into His family those who would believe or trust in Christ (1:5). The Father made us accepted in Christ (1:6). Conclusion: God the Father planned our salvation. 

       God the Son blessed us with “redemption” (He purchased us from sin by paying the penalty for all of our sins.) so we can have complete “forgiveness of sins” through faith in Christ (1:7-8; cf. Acts 10:43; Col. 2:13). God has revealed His plan of redemption to us in Christ (1:9-12). Conclusion: God the Son provided our salvation.     

       God the Holy Spirit has “sealed” all who “heard” and ”believed” the gospel, making them secure and safe forever (1:13-14). Conclusion: God the Holy Spirit produced and protected our salvation.

Conclusion

       Janosik writes, “It is important to point out that Christians believe in one God and not three separate gods. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three persons that make up the one God – three persons in one essence. This may be a difficult concept to grasp, but it is not contradictory nor illogical. Moreover, because the Christian God is a unity within the community of the Trinity, this explains why God desires His followers to love Him and worship Him through a relationship. It explains why God could come to the earth as a Man and personally take the place of sinners on the cross. The Trinity also explains why God did not have to create a universe to be love. In contrast, Allah is so transcendent and remote that Muslims cannot know him personally or have a relationship.” [46][emphasis added]

       The God of Islam (Allah) and the God of the Bible (Yahweh) cannot be the same. Why? Janosik  writes, “First of all, their natures are fundamentally different. Allah’s nature is based on absolute oneness (Tawhid), which means that there can be no personal relationship with anything or anyone else. The way in which he displays his attributes then, such as his will and his power, are impersonal and often seem capricious to his followers. Also, since his power is more important than his other attributes, there is an unequal emphasis on power over the other characteristics. In the end, a follower of Allah cannot know him or even be sure of consistency in his attributes.” [47] [emphasis added]

       “In addition, if Allah is a distant, remote being who reveals his will but not himself (Qur’an 67:12), then it is impossible to know him in a personal way. In Allah’s monadic oneness, his attributes stem from his powerful Will, which, because it provides no basis for relationship, often promotes capriciousness. Also, since his power is more important than his other attributes, there is an unequal emphasis on power over his other attributes. Therefore, a follower cannot know Allah or even be sure of the consistency of his attributes. In his absolute oneness there is unity but not the community of the trinity, and because of this lack of relationship, love is not emphasized.” [48] [emphasis added]

       “On the other hand, Yahweh is by nature a triune unity, which means that the three persons of the one Godhead have always been in relationship with one another. Therefore, because of this eternal relationship within the Trinity, love is promoted within the Godhead and is extended to His creation. Also, since His attributes are based on His unchanging nature rather than His powerful will, all of His attributes are equal and promote trustworthiness rather than uncertainty. This means that believers can know God and be sure of consistency in His attributes.

       “Second, Christians understand the nature of God to be triune (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), which is the only way that Jesus Christ, as the second person of the Trinity, could die on the cross to pay for our sins. If Jesus were not God Himself, then His death on the cross would be meaningless. However, Muslims deny that Jesus died on the cross and they reject the belief in His resurrection from the dead. Only a triune God, defined as one essence and three persons, could become incarnate and still remain God of the universe, and yet this is the God that Muslims reject. For them, Jesus cannot be God nor can God be a Father, for He cannot have a son. Therefore, if Muslims reject God as the Father of Jesus, then Allah cannot be the same as the God of the Bible.” [49] [emphasis added]

       Several years ago, I wrote an article about the original conflict between Arabs and Jews, and it alludes to the father wounds of Ishmael being passed down to Mohammed, the founder of Islam. Here is a portion of that article:

      Fourteen years after Ishmael was born, God faithfully fulfilled His promise of an heir through Sarah when Isaac was born (Gen. 21:1-3). After Isaac was weaned, Sarah saw Ishmael scoffing at Isaac so she tells Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away because Hagar would not be the heir with her son, Isaac (Gen. 21:8-10). Abraham was displeased to do this, but God came to him and assured Abraham that Sarah’s desire was within His will, telling him, “For in Isaac your seed shall be called.” (Gen. 21:12). Hagar and Ishmael were not to be heirs with Isaac, but God graciously promised to make Ishmael a great nation because he was a son of Abraham, “Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.” (Gen. 21:13). It is from this nation that Islam eventually came.

      Joel Richardson, a teacher of Bible prophecy, says this about Islam (see above pic): “So now we have this story: Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael is a fourteen-year-old boy. He’s kicked out into the desert, but the Lord is faithful. He preserves him. He promises to make him into a great nation. So, we read these things and they’re interesting Bible stories but what I’m asking you to do is to put yourself in the position and recognize the fact that in history, in real time, this was a real boy… with real emotions, with a real life. This happened to a little kid named Ishmael. And so, what we need to understand is you have this little boy and… he had a dad. He had a mother. He had a family. He had a life. He had an inheritance. And in one day he loses all of these things. He loses his dad. He loses his inheritance. He’s out in the desert. He’s on his own. And that brokenness, that woundedness, that rejection that took place in this little child, today, has been passed on into the religion of Islam.

      “What do I mean? … Muhammad, the founder of Islam… claims to be a direct descendant of Ishmael. And Muslims, today, view themselves as both the physical and the spiritual descendants of Ishmael. And so here you have this story, this incredible event that took place in this child’s life. Two thousand six hundred years after these events took place, a direct descendant of Ishmael named Muhammad birthed forth a new religion into the world. And what does the religion teach? … It teaches God is not a Father. God has no Son. And, thirdly, Ishmael, not Isaac, is the heir with regard to the promises of God to the earth. The very things that those issues of rejection and woundedness and brokenness that took place in Ishmael’s life, were preserved in that line. And two thousand six hundred years later, a man named Muhammad goes into a cave, has an incredibly dark encounter with some sort of spiritual being. It literally chokes the life out of him to where he feels as though he’s going to die. Three times this presence comes over him and it demands of him to recite… On the third time, the words of the Qur’an begin to flow forth from his mouth.” [50] [emphasis added]

      I appreciate the compassion with which Dr. Richardson describes Islam. No wonder Islam denies that God is a Father and teaches that God had no Son. Ishmael’s brokenness regarding his own father has been passed on to Islam. The Church of Jesus Christ is to have compassion toward Muslims whom God desires to be saved (I Tim. 2:3-4). We are to value Muslims as Jesus does.

       “For God so loved the world…” Jesus tells us in John 3:16. This includes Islamists. How did He love them? He gave His Son to die for them. How do we show Christ’s love to them? Jesus said, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matt. 5:44). When is the last time we blessed Islamists? When was the last time we did something good for them or prayed for them? As we bless them, do good to them, and pray for them, God can work to bring them to Christ. He may use us to share the gospel with them so they can believe in the Lord Jesus for His gift of salvation (Acts 16:31).

      When comparing a loved Son (Jesus) with a wounded son (Mohammed), the contrast is very significant:

      Our broken and chaotic world needs more sons (and daughters) who are loved by the Triune God of the Bible. The God of the Bible has always been relational. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have always existed and loved One Another (cf. Gen. 1:1-2, 26; John 1:1-3, 18; 3:35; 14:31; 17:5, 24; Rom. 5:5; 2 Cor. 13:14; et al.). Our God has never operated alone and nor should we. God has always consisted of three Eternal Persons Who relate to One Another in love and unity, and He calls us to do the same (cf. Eph. 4:1-6; 5:1-2; I John 4:7-21; et al.). 
        Prayer: Father God, Lord Jesus, and Holy Spirit, thank You for revealing Yourself to us. The fact that You are one God in three eternal Persons reminds us that You do not operate alone and nor should we. Islam’s god is transcendent and remote and cannot be known personally. Hence, many Muslims are lonely and lack assurance that they are loved. Please help us to communicate to our Muslim friends that they are loved and valued by You so they can begin to open their hearts to a relationship with You. Thank You for hearing our prayer. In the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

ENDNOTES:

[1] Nabeel Qureshi, No God but One: Allah or Jesus? (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016 Kindle Edition), pg. 49.

[2] Ibid., pp. 49-50.

[3] Ibid., pg. 50. 

[4] Ibid., pp. 50-51. 

[5] Ibid., pg. 51. 

[6] Ibid. 

[7] Retrieved on September 6, 2026, from Jay Smith, May 1995 Apologetic Paper entitled, “Tahwid: Belief in One God,” at this Link – https://www.pfandercenter.org/blog/articles/tawhid-belief-in-one-god

[8] Verse taken from Usama K. Dakdok, THE GENEROUS QUR’AN: An Accurate, Modern English Translation of the Qur’an, Islam’s Holiest Book (Venice, FL: Usama Dakdok Publishing, LLC, 2009 Smashwords Edition), pp. 544-545. Used by permission of Usama Dakdok Publishing, LLC.

[9] Daniel Janosik, THE GUIDE TO ANSWERING ISLAM: What Every Christian Needs to Know About Islam and the Rise of Radical Islam (Cambridge, OH: Christian Publishing House, 2019 Kindle Edition), pg. 94 cites Reza Aslan, No God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam (New York: Random House, 2006), pg. 150.

[10] Verse taken from Dakdok, THE GENEROUS QUR’AN: An Accurate, Modern English Translation of the Qur’an, Islam’s Holiest Book, 2009 Smashwords Edition, pg. 140. Used by permission of Usama Dakdok Publishing, LLC.

[11] Ibid., pg. 186. 

[12] Ibid., pg. 240.

[13] Ibid., pp. 448-449.

[14] Ibid., pg. 547. 

[15] Ibid., pg. 699. 

[16] Ibid., pp. 209-210.

[17] Janosik, THE GUIDE TO ANSWERING ISLAM, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 94. 

[18] Ibid., pp. 94-95. 

[19] Verse taken from Dakdok, THE GENEROUS QUR’AN: An Accurate, Modern English Translation of the Qur’an, Islam’s Holiest Book, 2009 Smashwords Edition, pg. 162. Used by permission of Usama Dakdok Publishing, LLC.

[20] Janosik, THE GUIDE TO ANSWERING ISLAM, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 95. 

[21] Verse taken from Dakdok, THE GENEROUS QUR’AN: An Accurate, Modern English Translation of the Qur’an, Islam’s Holiest Book, 2009 Smashwords Edition, pg. 219. Used by permission of Usama Dakdok Publishing, LLC.

[22] Ibid., pg. 197. 

[23] Ibid., pg. 240. 

[24] Smith, May 1995 Apologetic Paper entitled, “Tahwid: Belief in One God,” at www.pfandercenter.org.

[25] Norman L. Geisler, “Jesus and Muhammad in the Qur’an: A Comparison and Contrast,” Southern Baptist Journal of Theology SBJT 08:1 (Spring 2004), pg. 58, endnote #3.

[26] Verse taken from Dakdok, THE GENEROUS QUR’AN: An Accurate, Modern English Translation of the Qur’an, Islam’s Holiest Book, 2009 Smashwords Edition, pg. 121. Used by permission of Usama Dakdok Publishing, LLC.

[27] Ibid., pg. 295.

[28] Ibid., pg. 655.

[29] It must be noted that there are examples of where God allows people to be deceived as a form of judgment on those who have resisted His truth and rebelled against Him (cf. 2 Sam. 24:1; I Kgs. 22:19-23; Ezek. 14:9-10; 2 Thess. 2:9-12; et al.). See Robert B. Chisholm, Jr’s article entitled, “Does God Deceive?”, Bibliotheca Sacra BSAC 155:617 (Jan. 1998).

[30] Janosik, THE GUIDE TO ANSWERING ISLAM, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 141;  Norman L. Geisler and Abdul Saleeb, Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross Second Ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1993, 2002), pg. 126. 

[31] Janosik, THE GUIDE TO ANSWERING ISLAM, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 142;  Geisler and Saleeb, Answering Islam (1993, 2002), pp. 178-179.

[32] Verse taken from Dakdok, THE GENEROUS QUR’AN: An Accurate, Modern English Translation of the Qur’an, Islam’s Holiest Book, 2009 Smashwords Edition, pp. 239-240. Used by permission of Usama Dakdok Publishing, LLC.

[33] Ibid., pg. 366. 

[34] Ibid., pg. 625. 

[35] Ibid., pg. 688.

[36] Verse taken from Dakdok, THE GENEROUS QUR’AN: An Accurate, Modern English Translation of the Qur’an, Islam’s Holiest Book, 2009 Smashwords Edition, pg. 38. Used by permission of Usama Dakdok Publishing, LLC.

[37] Ibid., pg. 141. 

[38] “So when the forbidden months are passed, [pre-Islamic tradition of not fighting during a four-month period] so kill the polytheists [Jews and Christians] wherever you find them…” (Qur’an 9:5). “12 And if they break their oath after their covenant and stab in your religion, so engage in war with the leaders of the infidelity… 14 Engage in war with them. Allah will torment them by your hands and put them to shame and give you victory over them and heal chests of a believing people… 26 Then Allah sent down his tranquility on his messenger and on the believers, and he sent down troops which you did not see. And he tormented those who became infidels. And this is the reward of the infidels… 29 Engage in war with those who do not believe in Allah nor in the last day. Nor forbid what Allah and his messenger forbid, nor believe in the religion of the truth [Islam] among those who have been given the book until they pay the jizya [tribute – non-Arabic word of Aramaic origin] out of hand and they are subdued… 30 And the Jews said, ‘Uzair [Ezra – non-Arabic word of Hebrew origin] is the son of Allah.’ And the Nasara (Christians) said, ‘The Christ is the son of Allah.’ This is their saying with their mouths; they repeat the sayings of those who became infidels before. Allah engages in war with them… 73 O you prophet, perform jihad against the infidels and the hypocrites, and be harsh with them. And their abode will be hell, and evil is the final place. 74 They swear by Allah that they did not say, and indeed, they said the word of the infidelity, and they became infidels after they became Muslims. They planned what they could not attain and only disapproved of it because Allah and his messenger had enriched them from his bounty. So, if they repent, it will be better for them. And if they turn away, Allah will torment them with a painful torment in this world and the hereafter, and they will not have on earth a friend nor helper.” (Qur’an 9:12, 14, 26, 29-30, 73-74).Verses taken from taken from Dakdok, THE GENEROUS QUR’AN: An Accurate, Modern English Translation of the Qur’an, Islam’s Holiest Book, 2009 Smashwords Edition, pp. 306-308, 310-312, 319-320. Used by permission of Usama Dakdok Publishing, LLC.

[39] “72 Infidels, indeed, are those who said, ‘Surely Allah is the Christ, son of Mary.’ And the Christ said, ‘O children of Israel, serve Allah, my lord and your lord.’ Surely whoever partners with Allah, so indeed, Allah forbids him the garden. And his abode is the fire, and the unjust will have no helpers. 73 Infidels, indeed, are those who said, ‘SurelyAllah is the third of three.’ And there is no god except one god, and if they do not refrain from what they are saying, a painful torment will touch those who became infidels among them.” (Qur’an 5:72-73). “It was not for polytheists to visit the mosque of Allah; they witness against themselves with infidelity. Those, their works are in vain, and in the fire they will abide forever.” (Qur’an 9:17). Verses taken from taken from Dakdok, THE GENEROUS QUR’AN: An Accurate, Modern English Translation of the Qur’an, Islam’s Holiest Book, 2009 Smashwords Edition, pp. 209-210; 308. Used by permission of Usama Dakdok Publishing, LLC.

[40] When Satan (the dragon) and his fallen angels failed to destroy the Christ Child at His birth (Rev. 12:3-4; cf. Matt. 2:16) and during His earthly ministry (Rev. 12:5), Satan was determined to kill what was most precious to Jesus after Christ ascended to heaven – the Lord’s own people (Jews and Gentiles) during the church age (John 15:18-25; 16:1-3; I Pet. 5:8) and His Jewish people during the Tribulation period (Rev. 12:6-17; cf. Matt. 24:9-22).

[41] Ibid. 

[42] Adapted from Qureshi, No God but One: Allah or Jesus? 2016 Kindle Edition, pp. 55-56. 

[43] Ibid., pg. 56. 

[44] Ibid.

[45] Smith, May 1995 Apologetic Paper entitled, “Tahwid: Belief in One God,” at www.pfandercenter.org.

[46] Janosik, THE GUIDE TO ANSWERING ISLAM, 2019 Kindle Edition, pp. 105-106. 

[47] Ibid., pg. 263.

[48] Ibid., pg. 95. 

[49] Ibid., pg. 263. 

[50] Joel Richardson, Return Is Near: Strategic Insights Into the Most Important Moment In History, 2011 DVD.  

[51] Nabeel Qureshi, No God but One: Allah or Jesus? 2016 Kindle Edition,pg. 261, Qureshi states, “Muhammad personally oversaw the beheadings of up to nine hundred men on a single day, digging trenches in the marketplaces so that their corpses could fall into mass graves upon being decapitated (cites Muhammad Husayn Hasykal, The Life of Muhammad [USA: North American Trust, 1976], pg. 494); he ordered the assassination of an old man who had composed poetry complaining about Muhammad (cites Ibid., pg. 675); a woman lamented the old man’s death in poetry, so Muhammad ordered her assassination, and her blood splattered on her children as she breastfed (cites Ibid., pp. 675-676).” (Footnotes 3-5)

[52] Ibid., pp. 250-251, Qureshi states, “What is striking, though, is how enthusiastically Muhammad embraced warfare. He said that fighting is literally the best thing in the world (cites Sahih Bukhari 4.52.50). Nothing earns a Muslim more reward than fighting in jihad, and it is better than praying without ceasing and fasting perpetually (cites Sahih Bukhari 4.52.44). Muhammad taught that dying in battle is so great that it is the only thing that would make a man want to leave heaven (cites Sahih Bukhari 4.52.72). As far as his conduct with enemies, at times Muhammad would invoke curses upon them (cites Sahih Bukhari 5.59.297) and encourage his men to compose insults and abusive poetry (cites Sahih Bukhari 5.59.449). On one occasion, he asked Allah to fill peoples’ homes with flames simply because they delayed the Muslims in their daily prayers (cites Sahih Bukhari 4.52.182)… At other times, it also does not appear that Muhammad fought only those who were attacking him. Muhammad said, ‘I have been ordered to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger . . . then they save their lives and property from me.’ (cites Sahih Bukhari 1.2.25). Muhammad clarifies in another hadith, I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will not leave any but Muslim.’ (cites Sahih Muslim 1767).” (Footnotes 8-13, 20-21).

[53] Ibid., pp. 250-251, Qureshi states, “Muhammad sent assassins to kill his enemies in their sleep (cites Sahih Bukhari 5.59.370), and even to deceive and abuse trust in order to assassinate (cites Sahih Bukhari 5.59.369). He punished some enemies by cutting off their hands and feet, branding their eyes with a heated iron, and causing them to lick the dust until they died (cites Sahih Bukhari 7.71.589). He led battles against unarmed cities (cites Sahih Bukhari 1.11.584). He allowed even women and children to be killed during nighttime raids (cites Sahih Bukhari 4.52.256). On more than one occasion, Muhammad decimated tribes by killing all their men and teenage boys while distributing their women and children as slaves (cites Sahih Bukhari 5.59.362 with Banu Quraiza; Sahih Bukhari 5.59.512 with the inhabitants of Khaibar.) This is quite contrary to the image of a Muhammad who reluctantly fought only defensive battles.” (Footnotes 14-19).

[54] Ibid., pp. 137, 252, Qureshi states, “When we turn to the example of Muhammad’s life, we find multiple accounts of Muhammad not just allowing sex slavery but also encouraging Muslims who were hesitant to use their newly captured women for sexual intercourse (cites Sahih Muslim 3432, 3371; Sunan Abi Dawud 11.2150; and Sahih Bukhari 3.46.718)… The hadith say that this is the very reason why 4.24 of the Quran was revealed, so that men would not be hesitant to have sex with female captives whose husbands were still alive. These accounts of Muhammad’s life influenced Muslims throughout the classical age of Islam and delineated their rules of war. These are the accounts to which ISIS appeals now…. Regarding his estimation and treatment of women: Muhammad allowed for prostitution through the institution of temporary marriage (cites Sahih Bukhari 6:60.139; Sahih Muslim 3248); when fifty-two years old he consummated his marriage with his nine-year-old bride Aisha, who was still playing with dolls (cites Sahih Muslim 3481; see also Sahih Bukhari 7:62.64); Muhammad allowed his men to have sex with female captives and slaves, unconcerned if they became pregnant or were to be sold (cites the Quran 23:1-6; Sahih Bukhari 5.59.459; Sahih Muslim 3371 and 3384); Muhammad declared women to be mentally deficient compared to men (Sahih Bukhari 3.48.826); and Muhammad said women will be the majority of hell’s inhabitants because they are ungrateful to their husbands (cites Sahih Bukhari 2.18.161).” (Footnotes 26-30).

[55] Ibid., pp. 138, 251-252, 261, Qureshi states, “Muhammad had commanded that, except in night raids, children could not be killed in war. So, when a group of people were taken captive, such as the Qurayza Jews, the boys were separated from men by the growth of pubic hair, and the men were executed. (cites Sunan Abi Dawud 39.4390)… Of course, this allowance of Muhammad also explains why the Seljuq Turks and virtually all other Muslim dynasties had no qualms about capturing boys and making them slave warriors. Muhammad himself enslaved Jewish boys, perhaps a merciful act in light of the fact that their fathers were all beheaded that day… When fifty-two years old he consummated his marriage with his nine-year-old bride Aisha, who was still playing with dolls (cites Sahih Muslim 3481; see also Sahih Bukhari 7:62.64); He allowed even women and children to be killed during nighttime raids (cites Sahih Bukhari 4.52.256). On more than one occasion, Muhammad decimated tribes by killing all their men and teenage boys while distributing their women and children as slaves (cites Sahih Bukhari 5.59.362 with Banu Quraiza; Sahih Bukhari 5.59.512 with the inhabitants of Khaibar.)… when Muhammad was about to execute a man, the man pleaded, ‘Who will look after my children?’ to which Muhammad responded, ‘Hell!’ (cites Hasykal, The Life of Muhammad, pg. 308).” (Footnotes 7, 8, 18, 19, 27)

[56] Hasykal, The Life of Muhammad, pg. 74. 

[57] Qureshi, No God but One, 2016 Kindle Edition, pg. 252 states, “There is a passing reference to the satanic verse in Shahih Bukhari 2.19.177, in which Muhammad recites Sura Najm, causing jinn and pagans to prostrate with him. This is part of a much larger account, found in thirty-seven early Islamic records. Shahab Ahmed, a Muslim scholar who graduated from Princeton University and taught at Harvard University, submitted his 1999 doctoral dissertation on this topic, arguing that Muhammad actually did proclaim the satanic verses.” (Footnote 25).

Spiritual Warfare – Part 4

A man walks with his Bible for a spiritual battle, represented by the verse Ephesians 6:12

Introduction

       Last time we observed that the apostle Paul prepared his Christians readers at Ephesus (and us) for spiritual warfare by talking about the spiritual blessings or resources we have in Christ (Eph. 1:3-14). Next, he prayed for us to understand and experience God’s great power in raising Christ from the dead (Eph. 1:15-23) and then spoke of the authority we have in Jesus (Eph. 2:1-6). After praying for his readers to be rooted in the unlimited love of Christ (Eph. 3:17-19), Paul advises us not to grieve the Holy Spirit by giving “place” or ground to the devil through unresolved anger (Eph. 4:25-31). Instead, we are to be “filled” or controlled by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18) in all our relationships, including relations with church members (Eph. 5:19-21), our spouses (Eph. 5:22-33), our children (Eph. 6:1-4), and our work relationships (Eph. 6:5-9). 

       After talking about all these relationships with different people, Paul wants us to understand that people are not our primary problem. Our primary struggle is in the spiritual realm. Hence, the apostle writes, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Eph. 6:11). The Ephesian believers are commanded to “put on the whole armor of God,” not just some of His armor. For what purpose? That they “may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” The battle that Christians face every day is “against the wiles of the devil.” The Greek word translated “wiles” (methodeias) refers to the methods or strategies of “the devil” that he employs to deceive or trick us. [1]

       It is not just “the devil” we are fighting against (Eph. 6:11). We are fighting “against the wiles of the devil” which permeate the whole kingdom of darkness. The apostle writes, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12). Last time we looked at the four groupings of demonic spirits in this verse. I won’t take the time to review them in this article. But the main thing to understand is that our battle is not just with the Devil, but with his entire kingdom of darkness consisting of various demonic spirits under different levels of authority, all of which are under Satan, who is “the prince” (Eph. 2:2) of this kingdom, “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4), and “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; cf. Matt. 4:8-9).

The Whole Armor of God [2]

       Before we look in depth at the first piece of armor, the belt of truth today, we will look briefly at the “whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:11) because each piece of armor will describe some of the various ways the Devil tries to deceive or trick us. He will tempt us to think in a way that is contrary to God. So, keep this in mind as we look at each part of the armor of God in the months to come, Lord willing. 

       God is the One Who gives us the armor we need to stand victoriously against the enemy. But we must choose to use it. It is like a doctor giving us medicine, but it will not benefit us until we take it. If we do not use the armor God has given us, we will have no authority from heaven (Eph. 1:19-21; 2:5-6) with which to exercise here on earth against the wiles (trickery) of the Devil (Eph. 6:13). [3]   

       The six pieces of armor that Paul presents are divided into two categories of three. He introduces each of these two categories with different verbs. The first three are introduced with the verb “to be.” The last three are introduced with the verb “to take.” Why does Paul switch verbs halfway through the armament? He wants us to understand two specific, distinct orientations to the six pieces of armor. The first three relate to a state we should always be in. The last three are what we use on an as needed basis. [4]

      It is like a baseball player who has his uniform on during the entire game because that is the state he is in. But he only picks up the bat when it is time for him to go to the plate to play offense. And he only picks up his glove when it is time for him to go to the field to play defense. [5]

        The first three pieces of armor we have with us all of the time [6] (“having girded… put on… shod…” – Eph. 6:14-15). [7] This is the state we are always to be in. But the last three pieces of armor we are called to take and use as needed [8] (“taking … take…” Eph. 6:16-17). [9]

     The first piece of armor is the belt of truth (Eph. 6:14a). It teaches us that Satan wants to deceive us or make us be deceptive ourselves. [10] Either one is deadly. The New Age movement is part of his deception. Even evolution, which is so openly taught as science in our country’s educational system, has decreased peoples’ sensitivity to God and to what is right and wrong. 

       For example, years ago if people had mentioned casino gambling, horse track or dog track racing, or the lottery, the people of Iowa would have risen up in moral indignation. And yet subtly, the enemy of our souls has been able to persuade our state government to legislate such activities which say you really can gain something for nothing. You can get rich quickly so just gamble. Thousands of people are being deceived into gambling and are being robbed of their funds. Such behavior is addictive. But it doesn’t stop there, does it?

       There are also things like methamphetamine, cocaine, alcohol, pornography, sexual perversion, and occult experimentation – all of which are part of the Devil’s deception. Jesus reminds us that the Devil “is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44b). And one of the ways Satan wants to bring us into bondage is through his lies. This is why we need the belt of truth.

       Satan also wants to accuse us of wrongdoing and get us to compromise. He wants to point out our faults and weaknesses in addition to our sins so we will get so focused on our failures and problems, we won’t look to Jesus. He also wants us to lower our standards of righteousness by tempting us to open our lives to a little sinfulness or worldliness. It won’t hurt you to try that. Everyone else is doing it. Go ahead and do it. It’s fun. This is why we need the protection of the breastplate of righteousness (Eph. 6:14b). 

      The next piece of armor teaches us about that which will rob us of our peace – anxiety and worry. Hence, we need the sandals of the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15) –  peace with God, peace of God, the God of peace, and the Person of peace. This piece of armor teaches us that Satan wants us to live in fear and anxiety. 

       The fourth piece of armor addresses unbelief. Hence, we are to take up the shield of faith (Eph. 6:16) which extinguishes all the fiery darts or arrows of the enemy. What is that talking about? It involves Satan’s temptation to get you to question God or to act independently of God. That is the way he approached Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-5). Satan got Eve to question God and what He had said and what would happen if she were to partake of the forbidden fruit. 

       The fifth piece of armor deals with mind or thought control. Satan tries to put thoughts in our minds to make us think that his thoughts are our thoughts. And so, we are to wear the helmet of salvation (Eph. 6:17a). This is the one of the ways he primarily attacks the thoughts of believers. When he begins to move violently in a believer’s life, one of the first things they begin to be tormented with is that maybe they are not saved. Sometimes all manner of hideous thoughts projected into the believer’s mind are Satan’s way of putting his thoughts into our thoughts, making it so confusing that we conclude that his thoughts are really ours. Then he taunts us with, “How could anyone who claims to be a Christian have such sinful thoughts as that?” 

      The sixth and final piece of armor addresses the Devil’s attempt to get us to neglect the Bible. The last piece of armor is “the sword of the Spirit, the word of God” (Eph. 6:17b). Have you ever wondered why it is so difficult for you to read the Bible? Why is it so challenging to set aside time to study God’s Word and meditate on it? Why do you never get around to memorizing the Scripture? The Devil is behind this. He wants to keep you from being in the Word of God because it will expose him as a liar and deceiver. 

        We have an enemy who is very versatile and subtle, and he has schemes that if we are not aware of them, he will soon bring us into his bondage. Thankfully God has given us spiritual pieces of armor that are strong and powerful. Let’s begin now with the first piece of armor. 

The Importance of the Belt of Truth

       When the apostle Paul wrote the book of Ephesians, he was a prisoner (Eph. 3:1; 4:1) under house arrest in guarded rental quarters (Acts 28:30), chained to a Roman soldier (Eph. 6:20). [11] As he looks at this Roman soldier, he begins to draw a comparison between the soldier’s armor and the spiritual armor of God. He will talk about each piece of armor in the order that a Roman soldier put it on.

       The first piece of armor was extremely important to a soldier. The soldier first put on over his tunic (a loose, sleeveless shirt that reached to his knees), a belt that would hold both the breastplate and sheathe for his sword in place. [12] He would be able to tuck his long clothes into the belt so he could run and be ready to fight. [13] Without this belt on, a soldier would be less mobile and more vulnerable to attack on the battlefield. 

       Likewise, Paul emphasizes the importance of this piece of armor by mentioning it first. “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth…” (Eph. 6:14a). This shows us how important the truth is in our battle against Satan and his demonic armies (Eph. 6:12). Since Satan “is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44b), it is essential that Christians wear this piece of armor to overcome his deceptions. 

The Ruthless Nature of Satan [14]

       The Greek word translated “waist” (osphus) in Ephesians 6:14a can refer to “the place where a belt… is worn, waist” or to “the place of the reproductive organs, the loins.” [15] Some translations say, “having girded your loins with truth.” (ASV; LSB; NASB1995; RSV). By mentioning the belt first and in this way, Paul emphasizes the ruthless nature of Satan’s attack. This belt buckled around the waist and covered the soldier’s vital organs from his belt line down to his mid thighs. [16] It protected him from the violent and ruthless actions of an enemy who tried to destroy him. 

       The Psalmist had an awareness of the ruthless nature of Satan. David writes, “3b Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause… 19 Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.” (Psa. 25:3b, 19). The Devil never fights fair and is extremely cruel. He has no problem hitting us below the belt. Satan will try to hit us when we are most vulnerable, doing whatever it takes to incapacitate and eventually destroy us. 

       For example, when we are weakened by an illness or experiencing tremendous grief due to the loss of a loved one, the Devil will attack us with the purpose of destroying us. He shows no mercy to a suffering person.

       We also see the brutal, cruel, and violent ways of Satan in his appearances in Scripture. For example, the man in the country of the Gadarenes was so violently oppressed by the powers of darkness that “always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.” (Mark 5:5). Satan’s torment of this man was so severe that the man constantly endured self-inflicted agony. 

       On another occasion when the Lord Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, He met a desperate father whose son had a ruthless demon. The father said to Jesus, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So, I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” (Matt. 17:15-16). This wicked spirit would often come upon this man’s son when he was near “the fire” or “the water.” Why would this demon do that? Because he wanted to throw him into the fire so that violent burning would happen to this boy during his seizures. He wanted to throw him into the water so he could drown this boy. It was not enough for this little boy to have violent seizures. Satan wanted to add to his sufferings by throwing him into the fire or the water. This is how brutal and cruel the kingdom of darkness is toward suffering people. 

       What do these examples say about the kingdom of darkness? It says that Satan’s kingdom always has as its purpose to violently hurt, wound, and destroy (cf. John 10:10a). Most people who have had experiences with the kingdom of darkness have no doubt about the cruelty and ruthlessness of this kingdom. 

       This is why Christians must always be on guard against the lies of the enemy. Deception and lies always bring us into the realm of the kingdom of darkness. Satan always speaks his native language when he lies. Jesus said of the Devil, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44). At first, Satan’s lies may seem very appealing and even pleasurable. And when we are tempted to lie, we are never more yielding to Satan’s deceptive ways than in that moment. But in that moment, we must remember that the Devil always intends to brutalize us, oppress us, torment us, destroy us, and take away our freedom in Christ. 

The Subtle Nature of Satan’s Schemes 

        By mentioning the belt of truth first, Paul also calls attention to the subtle nature of Satan’s schemes. Not only in John 8:44 is Satan called “a liar and father of it,” but the very last picture of Satan in the Bible also points to his subtle nature. “7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Rev. 20:7-10). At the end of King Jesus’ “thousand years” reign, “Satan will be released from his prison” in the abyss and will “deceive the nations” which are over all the earth “to gather them together to battle” against King Jesus and His people [“the saints”] in Jerusalem (“the beloved city”](Rev. 20:7-9a). The unbelievers in this battle led by their earthly leader “Gog” from the land of “Magog” (Rev. 20:8; cf. Ezekiel 38:2-3) will be as numerous “as the sand of the sea” and will be the offspring or descendants of the infants or children who survived Armageddon because they were below the age of accountability (Rev. 20:9b). God will intervene with “fire … out of heaven” and destroy them (Rev. 20:9c). Then “the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire … where the beast the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). Satan concluded his career by doing what was most natural for him to do. He “deceived” the nations (Rev. 20:8a, 10a). 

      The Greek word translated “deceived” (planaō) means “to lead astray, mislead, to cause someone to wander from the right way.” [17] This is Satan’s main tactic – to get us to believe his lies so he can bring us under his control. 

       We see Satan’s lies working constantly in the world, especially in the political scene. For example, under communism, the lie is the truth. According to the dogma of communism, as long as it advances the cause of communism it is the truth. [18] We also see this kind of deception in our own government here in the USA. During this presidential election year, we see candidates making promises that are contrary to their past political decisions. They present lies as though they were the truth and sadly, much of the American public believes those lies. 

        Satan’s deceptions are also evident among the religions of the world. Having worked with those steeped in Islam, I have observed that if a lie supports the cause of Allah, then it must be true. A Muslim does not hesitate to lie if it advances the cause of Islam. 

       Janosik writes, “The Islamic practice of taqiyya [deception], which allows Muslims to mislead non-believers in regard to the nature of a Muslim’s own belief in order to avoid persecution. This practice allows Muslims, both Shia and Sunni, to lie to non-Muslims in a time of war, persecution, or even minority status if the lie will protect Muslims and further the goals of Islam. In his article on taqiyya, Raymond Ibrahim quotes a Muslim authority, Sami Mukaram, who says,” [emphasis and brackets added] [19] “Taqiyya is of fundamental importance in Islam. Practically every Islamic sect agrees to it and practices it … We can go so far as to say that the practice of taqiyya is mainstream in Islam, and that those few sects not practicing it diverge from the mainstream … Taqiyya is very prevalent in Islamic politics, especially in the modern era.” [20]

       Mormonism initially claims to embrace Christianity. But what they don’t tell you is “Jesus Christ and Satan, like the rest of us, were spirit brothers and sons of God before the spirit of Jesus was given a body by Mary in Bethlehem. The Mormon ‘Book of Moses’ presents Satan and Jesus as contending for the privilege of taking a body of flesh in order to become the redeemer, with Jesus winning the contest. [See Joseph Smith, Pearl of Great Price, Book of Moses 4:1-4.]” [21]  [emphasis added] 

       Mormonism also believes “all human beings and spirits, including Jesus and Satan, existed as spirit beings before being born. Physical birth gives bodies to these spirits, and an opportunity to choose right or wrong. Thus, the present life is a period of probation. The way a person lives in this life determines their status in the life after the resurrection. If the deeds of this life have been satisfactory and all temple obligations have been fulfilled, the individual becomes a god and is considered eligible to create ‘spirit children’ as God the Father did and populate a world of his own.” [22][emphasis added]

       We also see Satan’s deceptions in the world’s educational scene in such things as evolution that is so ardently taught today. Anyone who knows the truth of God (Gen. 1-2; Exod. 20:8-11; Psa. 33:6-9; Rom. 1:18-23; 2 Pet. 3:1-7; et al.), knows that evolution is a lie. [23] But still it is taught as the truth.

       We also see that schools are teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) which says that negative stereotypes are being assigned to members of minority groups to benefit white people and increase racial oppression. [24]

       Neil Shenvi defines critical race theory as “an ideology that divides the world into oppressed groups and their oppressors and aims to liberate the oppressed.” [25] Sometimes called “Cultural Marxism,” CRT borrows concepts from classical Marxism dividing the world into the “haves” and the “have nots” and attempts to right the wrongs of previous generations through a redistribution of wealth and power. Unfortunately, CRT is pitting ethnic groups against each other in hopes of correcting historic inequalities. [26]

       Biblically speaking, racism is the sin of ethnic partiality or prejudice (Jas. 2:8-9; Lev. 19:15). Racism is wrong because there is only one race, and it is the human race which is in Adam (Acts 17:26). Racism has not only caused division, but it has caused great pain and suffering throughout history. Since racism is a real sin, we should repudiate it and address it from a biblical perspective. 

       Unfortunately, CRT advocates that truth is not determined objectively outside of oneself. Instead, CRT says that truth is determined experientially by historically oppressed groups of people; thus, different groups of people can have different “truths” according to this view. 

       But truth does not work that way. Truth is true outside of anyone’s perspective. For example, two plus two equals four no matter what your skin color or any of your past experiences. Bowling balls fall from airplanes regardless of what anyone believes about gravity. 

       Christians must remember where truth comes from: the Bible (John 17:17) and Jesus Christ (John 14:6; 1:14). Truth resides in God’s Word and the Person of Jesus Christ, not in oppressed groups of people. It does not matter if older white males in a so-called domineering culture believe it, or a young black lesbian doesn’t believe it. Believing or not believing the Bible or Jesus has no bearing on the truthfulness of either. The reason for this is because truth does not reside in a person’s perspective: truth resides outside any group’s shared experience. Ultimately, truth resides in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. [27]

       Jesus did not focus on the education, ethnicity, gender, income, social identity, or the sexual orientation of a person. His love excluded no one. Jesus Christ desires “all” people to be saved regardless of their education, ethnicity, gender, income, social identities, or sexual orientations. The apostle Paul exhorts us to pray for “all” people because Jesus desires “all” people to be saved and He died for “all” people (I Tim. 2:3-6). Jesus’ love is inclusive, not exclusive. But Satan wants to deceive us into thinking otherwise.

       Satan has a subtle strategy of using deception and lies to bring us under his control. He seeks to mislead us into bondage. This is why it is so important to put on the belt of truth.

What is the Truth? [28]

       The belt Christians are to put on is “truth” (alētheia). But what is the truth? “Truth is the absolute standard by which reality is measured. It’s not something that changes based on feelings or perspective. A person can deny that gravity is true, but if he decides to jump off a building to prove it, he’s going to find that truth doesn’t care about his feelings or perspective. Truth exists whether you embrace it or not.” [29] [emphasis added]

     Truth is simply God’s view on any subject on the front end. But often what happens is people start with man’s view and wind up with truth (God’s view) when man’s view has failed. 

       This is why the Bible speaks so much about first. “Seek FIRST the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 6:33). “He [Christ] is FIRST in everything.” (Col. 1:18 NLT). “You have left your FIRST love.” (Rev. 2:4). We always need to start first with God’s view on any subject.

       Truth is more than feelings because feelings can fluctuate. Truth is also more than facts. You can have facts and not have the truth. For example, I can say, “I have a headache. My head is really hurting me.” So, I go to Walmart and purchase some extra strength Tylenol because the fact is my head is hurting. But the Tylenol is not working. I still have my headache. So, I go to my doctor, and he does a head scan and discovers I have a brain tumor. I was treating the fact without knowing the truth. The truth was my head was hurting because of a brain tumor. Which means I was trying to solve the fact with an insufficient medication. 

       Truth is God’s view on any subject. God has spoken, He has not stuttered. There are two answers to every question: God’s answer and everyone else’s. And everyone else’s answer is wrong all the time. People can be so preoccupied with facts that they never arrive at truth. And thus, they never get solutions. 

      It is not the truth that sets us free. It is the truth that we know that sets us free. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32). So, if it is truth, and you do not know it, you are still in bondage. 

      In January of 1863, President Lincoln signed and issued his famous Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves throughout the Confederacy. But the slaves in Texas were not told until June 19, 1865. The information of the signing was true, but it was not passed on to everyone. African Americans in Texas did not discover this truth until a year and a half later. So, during those eighteen months, they lived in bondage with no authority to exercise their freedom because they did not know the truth. 

       The reason this is so critical in spiritual warfare is because our enemy is a liar. That is all that he does. Satan is a liar (John 8:44) and a deceiver (Rev. 12:9). And if he can use facts to trick us, he will. If we do not start with the truth, that is, God’s view on a subject, then we will automatically be in bondage. And the Devil will even use religion to keep us there. Nothing holds more people hostage than religion. 

       When Satan went to Eve in the garden of Eden, the first thing he said to her was, “Let’s talk about God.” “Has God indeed said…?” (Gen. 3:1). But do you know an important word that the Devil left out when he tempted Eve? In Genesis 2, we read over and over again, the phrase, “the Lord God (’Elōhîm Yahweh) …” (Gen. 2:4-5, 7-9, 15-16, 18-19, 21-22). When Satan spoke to Eve, he left out God’s relational name “Lord” (Yahweh). This indicates that he doesn’t mind religion as long as there is no relationship with the Lord God driving it. [30]

Defeating Satan with the Truth [31]

       How do we defeat Satan with the truth? We daily reach out and put on the truth. The Bible gives us four expressions or citadels of truth. The first is THE PERSON OF TRUTH. The Lord Jesus Christ is “the truth” (John 14:6) and is “full of truth” (John 1:14). Hence, Jesus is the Person of truth.

       When we clothe ourselves with truth, we are putting on the Lord Jesus. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Rom. 13:14). The Greek compound word translated “put on” is enduō = en (in) [32] + dunō (go down, set) [33] and thus means “to clothe in the sense of sinking into a garment.” We can “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” by focusing our minds and morality on Him. When we live by faith in Him (2 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 2:20), studying His Word (Josh. 1:8; John 8:31-32; 15:7a; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17), talking to Him in prayer (John 15:7b; Phil. 4:6-7), and seeking to reflect Him in our actions (Col. 3:23-24; I John 2:6), we are putting on the Lord Jesus. 

       At the moment of faith in Jesus for His gift of eternal life, we are given a new nature (cf. Eph. 4:24; I John 3:9) and identity (2 Cor. 5:17), much like being given a brand-new tuxedo. Paul exhorts us to conduct ourselves according to this new nature and identity. 

       When he says not to make any “provision for the flesh” (Rom. 13:14b), it helps to ask ourselves, “Would I climb through a garbage dumpster while wearing a brand-new tuxedo?” No, that filthy environment would contaminate our pristine suit. Yet that is what we are doing when we make plans to gratify the sinful desires of our “flesh.” Instead, we are to put on Christ’s purity and avoid climbing through the dumpsters of sin. [34]

       However, if we have been making plans to gratify our sinful desires or we have actually been climbing through the dumpsters of sin, it is time to take our brand-new tuxedo to the cleaners and let the Lord Jesus completely cleanse it with His blood. Come back into the light by confessing our sins to God (I John 1:7, 9) and to safe brothers or sisters in Christ (Jas. 5:16), so God can heal us and restore us to fellowship with Him. 

       The second expression or citadel of truth in the Bible is God the Holy Spirit, Who is called THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. Jesus said, “13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14). What does it mean to put on the Holy Spirit? It means that we look to the Holy Spirit to lead us in accord with the truth (God’s view on a subject) of what Jesus taught (John 14:26) and what the Bible teaches us. The Spirit of God will never lead us in a way that contradicts what Jesus taught or what the Bible says. As we read the Word of God, we ask the Holy Spirit to enable us to understand the truth as God intended (I John 2:20-27). We measure everything by whether or not it aligns with what the Holy Spirit has already revealed in the Bible. 

       And we are to be very careful to honor the Spirit of God. When we have difficulty understanding a Bible passage, we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us into the truth (John 16:13) and to protect us from error (I John 2:20-27; 4:1-6). Instead of rushing into things, especially religious things that may seem overly ecstatic and exciting, we step back and take time to measure things to see if they are in accord with what God’s Spirit has already said in the Word because He is the Spirit of truth. He always guides us into truth (John 16:13) which is always in harmony with Who the Lord Jesus Christ is (John 15:26; 16:14; cf. I John 2:20-27; 4:1-6) and what He has done (I Cor. 12:3; 15:3-6) because Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). The Spirit of truth can show us the lies we believe that have kept us in bondage to sin and shame and replace them with the liberating truth of God’s Word (cf. Psa. 119:28-29). 

       The third expression or citadel of truth is THE WORD OF TRUTH, THE BIBLE. Jesus prayed to His heavenly Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17). When we put on the belt of truth, we are putting on the Scripture. That means we understand that the Bible is the “word of truth” as it is called so many times throughout the Bible (cf. Psa. 119:43, 160;  Acts. 26:25; 2 Cor. 6:7; 2 Tim. 2:15; Jas. 1:18; et al.). This is why I believe that inerrancy [35] is an essential part of our Christian faith. We can trust what the Bible says in all things. It is the Word of truth, not the Word of error. We can build our lives upon the stable foundation of the Word of truth so we can endure the storms of life (Matt. 7:24-27). 

       The word “sanctify” (hagiazō) in John 17:17, literally means to “set apart” [36] from the world or “to make holy.”[37] This is not referring to sinless perfection. It is referring to spiritual growth or maturity – progressively becoming more like Christ. How? 

       We are to be “set apart” from the world’s influence and its values “by” the Father’s “truth” which is His “word,”the Bible. Throughout the Bible we see that God’s Word is true. It is not full of errors as many claim today. We cannot grow spiritually apart from God’s Word. So, the way we grow in holiness is by renewing our minds in accordance with the truth of God’s Word (cf. Rom. 12:1-2). Disciples of Jesus must abide in His word if they are to know the truth of His word and be set free from Satan’s lies that enslave their lives to sin (cf. John 8:31-36, 44). We must feed upon God’s word to experience the victory Jesus has already won for us (John 16:33). 

       At a meeting, a Native American Indian said a black wolf lived in his heart, but when Christ became his Savior, a white wolf came to live in his heart, and the two wolves were then fighting all the time. After the meeting, someone approached him and asked, “Which wolf wins, the white one or the black one?” The Indian replied, “The one I feed the most.” If we feed upon God’s Word and do it, we are going to experience more victory over the world and Satan in our Christian lives.  But if we feed upon the lies of Satan, we will experience more defeat in our Christian lives and be conformed to the world. I like what D.L. Moody wrote on the flyleaf of his Bible. “This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book.” That is the truth. If I let this book become more and more a part of my life it will keep me away from sin (Psa. 119:9, 11, 28-29). Or sin can keep me away from reading His word. 

       The final expression or citadel of truth in the Bible is the Church, THE PILLAR AND FOUNDATION OF TRUTH. Paul writes, “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.“ (I Tim. 3:15). Paul describes the church as “the pillar and ground of the truth.“  

       “Much as a pillar supports a roof, the local church is to hold up the truth. Without the church, there would be nothing on earth to hold up God’s truth. 

       “The ground is that on which things are built. Thus, the church is the foundation on which the truth is built. Without the church, the truth would not have a foundation on which to stand. The church protects the truth in the face of all who attack it. 

       “Biblically sound churches bless those in their location by being there. Such churches shine the truth into a dark and dying world.” [38] [emphasis added]

       This is a great reason to stay close to a local church that embraces God’s truth. We need God’s perspective especially as it relates to spiritual warfare. And a local church that is biblically sound is a great source of encouragement and protection for every Christian. 

Conclusion

       How do we put on the belt of truth? The same way we are to put on all the pieces of God’s spiritual armor – by means of prayer. Paul concluded his teaching on the armor of God by inviting his readers to pray: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” (Eph. 6:18). How often are we to pray the armor of God? “Always.” Prayer is to be woven into all of our lives. Satan and his demonic armies never take a day off, so it would be best that we don’t take a day off from praying the armor of God. 

       “We need to stay in regular communication with God and pray in the Spirit in order to access heaven’s authority for intervention on earth (6:18). In other words, we must be on the same page as the Spirit, utilizing spiritual wisdom. The most powerful way to do that is to pray God’s Word back to Him and apply it to your situation.” [39]

       Praying the belt of truth back to God can become a wonderful worship experience. We can express appreciation for the Lord Jesus, Who is the Person of Truth, and the Holy Spirit, Who is the Spirit of Truth, and the Bible, the Word of Truth, and the Local Church, the Pillar and Foundation of Truth.

       Prayer: In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray the protection of the belt of truth described in Ephesians 6:14a. I pray its protection over my personal life, my home, my family, and the ministry You, Lord, have appointed for my life. I use the belt of truth directly against Satan and his kingdom of darkness. I thank You heavenly Father for the Person of the Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ. I cling to Him Who is the truth and is full of truth, as my strength and protection from all of Satan’s deceptions. Thank You Father God for the Holy Spirit Who is the Spirit of truth. I look to You, Holy Spirit, to lead me in accord with the truth of what Jesus taught and what the Bible teaches. I ask You, Spirit of truth, to warn me before I deceive anyone and to protect me always from believing Satan’s lies. Forgive me, Lord, for not speaking the truth. Show me any way in which I am being deceived. I desire that the Bible, the Word of truth, shall constantly gain a deeper place in my life. I pray that the truth of the Word of God may be my heart’s delight to study and memorize. Thank You, Lord God, for making my local church a pillar and foundation for Your truth in my life. Help me relate to my church and give protection to others as well as receive it myself. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for showing me that my ability to be strong and to do Your will requires the stabilizing power of the belt of truth. Thank You for providing this part of the armor of God. In Your mighty name, I pray, Lord Jesus. Amen. [40]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Walter Bauer,  A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2000 Kindle Edition, pg. 625.

[2] Much of this section is adapted from Mark Bubeck’s video message entitled, “4. The Wholeness of the Armor: Ephesians 6 Series,” on the BRMinistry app, unless otherwise noted. 

[3] Tony Evan’s video message at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) entitled, “The Armor of God,” on YouTube.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid. 

[6] Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 2665. 

[7] The first three verbs in Greek (perizōsamenoi… endysamenoi… hypodēsamenoi… ) are aorist middle participles which means they have already been put on by the soldier or Christian.  

[8] Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 2665.

[9] The Greek verb translated “taking…” (analabontes) is an aorist active participle, meaning the Christian is taking the shield of faith as needed and the last Greek verb translated “take…” (dexasthe) is an aorist middle imperative which is used of the last two pieces of armor and means for oneself to take them up as needed. 

[10]  The next several paragraphs are adopted from Mark Bubeck’s video message entitled, “4. The Wholeness of the Armor: Ephesians 6 Series,” on the BRMinistry app, unless otherwise noted. 

[11] Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 2629.

[12] Tom Constable, Dr. Constable’s Notes on Ephesians, 2024 Edition, pg. 146.

[13] J.B. Bond, “Ephesians,” Grace New Testament Commentary: Revised Edition, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 1399.

[14] Much of this section is adapted from Mark Bubeck’s video message, “5. Belted Against Satan’s Belt: Ephesians 6 Series,” on BRMinistry app, unless otherwise noted. 

[15] Walter Bauer,  A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 2000 Kindle Edition, pg.  730.

[16] Bubeck, “5. Belted Against Satan’s Belt: Ephesians 6 Series,” on BRMinistry app. 

[17] Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2000 Kindle Edition, pp. 821-822.

[18] Bubeck, “5. Belted Against Satan’s Belt: Ephesians 6 Series,” on BRMinistry app.

[19] Daniel Janosik, THE GUIDE TO ANSWERING ISLAM: What Every Christian Needs to Know About Islam and the Rise of Radical Islam (Cambridge, OH: Christian Publishing House, 2019 Kindle Edition), pg. 172. 

[20] Ibid., pp. 172, 321 cites Sami Mukaram, At-Taqiyya fi ‘l-Islam (London: Mu’assisat at-Turath ad-Druzi, 2004), 7, quoted in Raymond Ibrahim, Beware Islam’s Doctrine of Deception, PJ Media, September 24, 2015: http://www.meforum.org/5522/ben-carson-taqiyya.

[21] Retrieved on October 27, 2024, from the article entitled, “Mormonism – Does it truly follow Jesus Christ?” at www.christiananswers.net

[22] Ibid. 

[23] See the following helpful articles or books exposing the deceptions of evolution – Simon Turpin, “How the Apostle Peter Relates to the Age of the Earth Debate: Analyzing 2 Peter 3:1-7,” at www.answersingenesis.org; Harold Dressler, “Evolution – Still an Option?” at www.answersingenesis.org; Ken Ham, The Lie: Unraveling the Myth: Evolution/Millions of Years, Updated Edition (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 1987, 2024); Roger G. Gallop, Evolution: The Greatest Deception in Modern History (Scientific Evidence for Divine Creation), Second Edition (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL: Red Butte Press, Inc., 2011, 2014). 

[24] Retrieved on June 2, 2024, from Wikipedia article entitled, “Critical Race Theory” at en.m.wikipedia.org.

[25] Retrieved on June 2, 2024, from Brandon Clay and Frost Smith’s September 29, 2020, article entitled “Critical Race Theory in the Church,” at www.answersingenesis.org.

[26] Ibid. 

[27] The previous four paragraphs were adapted from Ibid.

[28] Much of this section is adapted from Tony Evan’s video message at DTS entitled, “The Armor of God,” on Youtube, unless otherwise noted. 

[29] Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pp. 1820-1821.

[30] Ibid., pg. 137. 

[31] Much of this section is adapted from Bubeck, “5. Belted Against Satan’s Belt: Ephesians 6 Series,” on BRMinistryapp, unless otherwise noted. 

[32] Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2000 Kindle Edition, pg. 327.

[33] Ibid., pg. 264. 

[34] Adapted from Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pp. 2465-2466.

[35] Inerrancy states that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, without error in the original autographs, accurate in all areas it touches, and true in all it says (Psa. 119:86, 151, 160, 172; Prov. 30:5-6; Matt. 5:18; John 17:17; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20, 21). The Bible is God’s complete written revelation to humankind and is the final authority for guidance in living the Christian life (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:5-6; I Cor. 13:8-13; Heb. 4:12; Rev. 22:18). As the Scriptures in their entirety point to Jesus Christ and His death for the sins of the world on the cross, they are a complete and trustworthy guide to reveal God’s plan of salvation for all humankind (Luke 24:27, 44-48; John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:15).  

[36] J. Carl Laney, Moody Gospel John Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1992), pg. 307.

[37] Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2000 Kindle Edition, pp. 9-10.

[38] Robert Wilkin, “I Timothy,” The Grace New Testament Commentary: Revised Edition, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 1531.

[39] Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 2667.

[40] Adapted from Mark I. Bubeck, a prayer entitled “Prayer to Know and Speak Truth,” from Spiritual Warfare Prayers pamphlet (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1997).

SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Part 1

The Lord has burdened me (Jeff) to address something that many Christians are either unaware of or simply do not wish to acknowledge. It has to do with spiritual warfare – the conflict in the spiritual realm that impacts the physical realm.

For years I have battled trauma-based problems that have nearly destroyed my marriage, my family, and even my own life. I have spent thousands of dollars to receive treatment from various reputable counselors and recovery programs to find freedom from these problems that have controlled me. While I found these people and programs to be somewhat helpful, I remained stuck with these problems that were controlling my life, and thus, I was losing hope fast. That is, until I went to Biblical Restoration Ministries (BRM) in Sioux City, Iowa, over a month ago.

At BRM, I discovered that the primary roots of my problems were spiritual rather than emotional, psychological, or physical. I feel embarrassed to even say that because here I am a former pastor and missionary who failed to take my own advice that I had given to many Christians during thirty-two years of vocational ministry. I also discovered at BRM that my problems were not unique to me. There are thousands of Christians who have similar battles as I do. Why is this?       

Because every born-again Christian is a target for our enemy. Unlike the good news of Jesus’ love for us and His terrific plan for our lives, the bad news is that the Devil hates each of us and has a terrible plan for our lives. Satan’s plan can be summarized in John 10:10a: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” Let’s look at each part of Satan’s plan:

“to steal” – Satan wants to rob Christians of the eternal significance of their lives. He wants us to get so focused on our problems and circumstances that we will never reach out to Jesus or to other believers who can help us. That way, we are no threat to the Devil. Our enemy wants to steal the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) in our lives. That is why every attack of the enemy is designed to get our eyes off Jesus (cf. Heb. 12:2) and onto ourselves and our problems. [1]

One of the common ways Satan attacks Christians in this area is to steal their assurance of salvation. Since the Devil knows that eternal life is free (John 4:10; cf. Rom. 6:23a; Ephes. 2:8-9) and can never be lost once we receive it by faith alone in Jesus alone (John 6:35-40; 10:28-29; Rom. 8:31-39; Ephes. 1:13-14), he will try to steal our assurance of salvation. He will seek to convince us that no true child of God would have the kinds of sinful thoughts, feelings, or actions that we may struggle with.

If he can deceive us into thinking we have lost our salvation or we were never saved to begin with, then we will be more inclined to think and act like a non-Christian instead of the true child of God we are by grace through faith alone in Christ alone. Satan knows that if he can successfully attack our identity in Christ, he has won a significant battle. He understands that we act in the way we perceive ourselves to be (cf. Prov. 23:7a). So, if we perceive ourselves to have lost our salvation or never had it to begin with, we will think and act more like a non-Christian thinks and acts.

“to kill” – The second part of Satan’s plan is to “kill” the Christian. But he cannot do that without God’s permission, so the Devil will tell the Christian to do it for him. Our enemy will try to convince children of God that the only way out of their life-controlling problems is to take their own life. Suicide is not just a non-Christian problem. Christians can also struggle with thoughts of suicide because they have lost hope, and some have even successfully taken their own lives.

The Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention reports that suicide rates increased approximately 36% between 2000–2021. Suicide was responsible for 48,183 deaths in 2021, which was about one death every 11 minutes. [2] The number of people who think about or attempt suicide is even higher. In 2021, an estimated 12.3 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.5 million planned a suicide attempt, and 1.7 million attempted suicides. [3]
Suicide affects people of all ages. In 2021, suicide was among the top 9 leading causes of death for people ages 10-64. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 20-34. [4] It would be naïve for us to think that none of those statistics included Christians. [5]

Logan writes about Christians who struggle with suicidal thoughts, “‘I might as well end it all,’ they reason. Others think, ‘My situation is hopeless; I might as well give up and divorce my wife.’ And some believe, ‘Oh, I’m just born that way. I’ve got bad genes, or a physical problem.’ Each abandons hope he or she can be useful to God; they move to the sidelines as injured servants of God.” [6]

“to destroy” – The enemy wants to destroy our relationships especially with other Christians because he knows that believers who live in unity with one another provide an excellent expression of the image of God for a watching world to observe.

The apostle Paul writes to Christians in the city of Ephesus,  “25 Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.” (Ephes. 4:25-27). Christians are to speak “truth” to one another (Ephes. 4:25) in love (Ephes. 4:15) because God’s “truth” is what sets us free from Satan’s lies (cf. John 8:31-36, 44). However, hearing the truth from another believer can sometimes be hurtful.

Hence, God instructs us in those instances to “be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.” (Ephes. 4:26). The feeling of anger is not wrong in and of itself. Even God feels anger (cf. Exod. 4:14; Num. 11:10; Deut. 7:4; Mark 3:5; John 2:13-16; 3:36; Rom. 1:18; 12:19; Col. 3:6; Heb. 3:11; 4:3; Rev. 6:16; 19:15; et. al). Why is it important to resolve our anger before we go to bed? Because unresolved anger gives “place to the devil” (Ephes. 4:27).

The Greek word for “place” (topos) can mean “an inhabited place, a favorable circumstance for doing something, an opportunity.” [7]  When believers let their anger control them instead of taking control of their anger, bitterness and resentment can set in and give the devil a “chance” or “opportunity” to exert his influence [8] and create division among God’s people.

Let’s remember that the apostle Paul is writing to Christians at Ephesus whom he calls saints (Ephes. 1:1), who are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephes. 1:3), including their redemption in Christ and their forgiveness (Ephes. 1:7), their salvation from hell (Ephes. 1:13a), and the seal of the Holy Spirit which guarantees their safe and secure delivery to heaven in the future (Ephes. 13b-14). Yet the apostle also teaches that Satan can influence these believers who are destined for heaven.

The key word is “influence.” You may ask, “Can a Christian be demon-possessed?”  There is much debate among Christians about this topic. The word “demon-possessed” itself causes a lot of confusion.

Tim Warner says, “We obtain our English word ‘demon’ by transliterating the Greek word daimon. We should have done the same with the Greek word daimonizomai – a verb form of the same Greek root. It would then come into English as ‘demonize’ and we could then speak of the degree to which a person could be demonized rather than being limited to the either-or options imposed by the possessed-not possessed view.”[9]

Warner concludes, “Spiritual ‘possession’ clearly implies ownership and would seem to include the control of one’s eternal destiny. [It] would be impossible to be owned and controlled by Satan and have a saving relationship with Christ at the same time. So, if the question is, ‘Can a Christian be demon-possessed?’, the answer is clearly no.”[10] [emphasis added]

The apostle Paul already taught that those who “heard” and “believed” the gospel “were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Ephes. 1:13-14). The word “sealed” (sphragizō) was used in the ancient world to refer to a legal signature which guaranteed the promise or contents of what was sealed. It signifies ownership and security caused by the backing of the owner. [11]

“In Ephesians 1:13-14, we are told that the Holy Spirit Himself is the seal. He is impressed upon us, so to speak. His presence in our lives is thus a guarantee of God’s protection and that we are owned by God. A broken seal was an indication that the person had not been protected. The Holy Spirit cannot be broken. He is the seal of ownership. In Ephesians 4:30, we are told that we are sealed unto the day of redemption. This sealing ministry of the Spirit is forever and guarantees that we will arrive safely for the redemption of our bodies and entrance into heaven (Romans 8:23). He is the seal that we are now owned and protected by God until the day of redemption.” [12] [emphasis added]

The word “guarantee” (arrabōn) was a regular feature of the Greek business world. The “arrabōn” was a part of the purchase price of anything paid in advance as a guarantee that the rest of the price should in due time be paid. [13] The seal of the Holy Spirit guarantees that the remainder of our “inheritance” blessings will eventually be given to us. The primary aspect of our inheritance involves life in heaven with the Lord Jesus.

Registered mail is a good example of the seal of the Holy Spirit. When something is registered at the post office it is sealed until delivered. Only two persons can open registered mail – the sender (if it is delivered back to him) and the recipient. When we believe in Christ for eternal life, we are sealed by God the Holy Spirit until we go to heaven. God is the One who sends us on our way to heaven, and God in heaven is the Recipient on our arrival. There is no power greater than God who can break the Holy Spirit’s seal. Only God can break this seal and He promises not to do so “until the redemption of the purchased possession” which is when the Christian is delivered safely and securely to God in heaven.   

I love the way Tony Evans describes this: “When you believe in Christ as your Savior, God puts you inside an envelope called Christ. You are ‘in Christ.’ But God also guarantees delivery. He registers the letter and seals it with the Holy Spirit – indicating that He is its owner and the only One qualified to open it.

“Paul also says the Holy Spirit is God’s pledge to us – the down payment of our inheritance (1:14), the guarantee that God will do for us everything He promised for His children. Like an engagement ring, the Holy Spirit is like a down payment on an eternal commitment. The Spirit is a heavenly first installment given in anticipation of eternal life, a life that is eternally secure. He’s a foretaste of what’s ahead.” [14] [emphasis added]

The Bible clearly tells us Jesus Christ bought or redeemed us at the cost of His own blood (Ephes. 1:7), and therefore, we are forever owned by Jesus (I Cor. 6:19; Ephes. 1:13-14). Nowhere in the Bible are we told that Jesus sold us to the Devil. Satan does not own a Christian nor control his or her eternal destiny. Jesus does.

But to what degree can the Devil and his demonic armies influence believers in Jesus? The kingdom of darkness can only influence Christians “to the extent that we allow them to do so… The act of giving or allowing Satan to take any amount of control in our life is referred to as ‘giving ground.’” [15]

If we hold on to sin in our lives and do not deal with it in the power of the Holy Spirit, we are giving the enemy an entrance into our lives. This is the idea Paul presented in  Ephesians 4:26-27 when he said that unresolved anger gives place or opportunity to the devil. So as believers in Jesus, we can give ground to Satan. He cannot take it in our lives without our cooperation and permission. All he can do is influence us: plant evil thoughts, make suggestions, or place temptations in our path. [16]

Satan wants to gain ground in our Christian lives so he can use it on which to build his “strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4) of lies which will begin to undermine our relationship with and testimony for Jesus. A stronghold can be defined“as a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes me to accept as unchangeable something that we know is contrary to the will of God.”  [17]

This does not mean that every time a Christian sins, he is giving Satan ground on which to build a towering fortress of lies. No, we give the Devil ground when we refuse to let go of our sin, confess it, and forsake it (Prov. 28:13). This is made clear in Ephesians 4:26-27. It is not one moment of anger that gives Satan ground on which to build a stronghold. It is anger that is stored up, nurtured, and allowed to develop into bitterness and the other terrible things the apostle Paul describes in Ephesians 4:31. Hence, Satan can turn an act of sin into a regular practice of sin, and from there it degenerates into a habit which leads down into bondage where the believer is “caught in the cords of his sin” (Prov. 5:22). [18]

Logan explains it this way: “Giving ground is like giving Satan the land and the ‘building permit,’ the permission he needs to erect his stronghold. All he has to do then is start digging the foundation.”

Satan’s strongholds are built upon the foundation of lies. Satan is “a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44). Since the Devil was stripped of his power at the cross of Jesus Christ (Col. 2:13-15; Heb. 2:14-15), his only power now is in the lie. He uses deception to get our eyes off the Lord Jesus and on to our circumstances and problems.

The past several years I had gone down this path of destruction. I gave Satan ground in my life where he built strongholds that nearly destroyed my life. But God in His great mercy and grace intervened and is bringing me out of this spiritual bondage. Next time, Lord willing, I will share with you what I am learning from Jesus through BRM concerning the biblical process for finding freedom in Christ that delivers us from spiritual bondage.

FOOTNOTES: 

[1] Jim Logan, Reclaiming Surrendered Ground (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), pg. 27.

[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics System, Mortality 2018-2021 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2023. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 2018-2021, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10-expanded.html on Jan 11, 2023.

[3] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2022). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP22-07-01-005, NSDUH Series H-57). Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2021-nsduh-annual-national-report.

[4] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics System, Mortality 2018-2021 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2023. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 2018-2021, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10-expanded.html on Jan 11, 2023.

[5] See Corey Widmer’s September 27, 2023, Christianity Today article entitled, “Our Church Lost Three Men to Suicide in Two Years,” at https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/september-web-only/suicide-stats-christian-church-community-pastor-resources.html

[6] Logan, Reclaiming Surrendered Ground, pg. 27.

[7] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature: Third Edition revised and edited by Frederick William Danker (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000 Kindle Edition), pp. 1011-1012.

[8] Ibid., pg. 1012.

[9] Logan, Reclaiming Surrendered Ground, pg. 32 cites Timothy Warner, Spiritual Warfare (Wheaton, ILL: Crossway, 1991), pg. 79.

[10] Ibid., cites Warner, Spiritual Warfare, pg. 80.

[11] Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, pg. 980.

[12] Joseph Dillow, Final Destiny: The Future Reign of The Servant Kings: Fourth Revised Edition (Grace Theology Press, 2018 Kindle Edition), pg. 756.

[13] Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, pg. 134.

[14] Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, 2019 Kindle Edition, pg. 2635.

[15] Logan, Reclaiming Surrendered Ground, pg. 33 cites Scott Moreau, The World of Spirits (Nairobi, Kenya: Evangel Publishers, 1990), pg. 90.

[16] Ibid., pg. 35.

[17] Ibid., pg. 34 cites Ed Silvoso, “How to Reach Our Cities for Christ” videocassette (Oak Brook, ILL: Institute in Basic Life Principles, 1992).

[18] Adapted from Ibid., pg. 36.

A Cosmic Christmas (Video)

This video is about the birth of Christ from heaven’s perspective as described in the book of Revelation. The message of this video will help you learn how to experience the joy and peace you were meant to have.

All Scriptures are from the New King James Version Bible unless otherwise noted. The Revelation Art is used by permission of Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992. To order art prints visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site: http://www.revelationillustrated.com. Other digital images are used with permission from Arabs for Christ / FreeBibleimages.org, Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org, Good News Productions International and College Press Publishing, www.LumoProject.com, GoodSalt / goodsalt.com, or they are creative common licenses.

How can I grow closer to the Good Shepherd? Part 5

“Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.” John 10:19

The final way in this passage that we can also grow closer to the Good Shepherd is when we IMPART A CONSISTENT AND CLEAR WITNESS TO THE LOST ABOUT CHRIST (John 10:19-21). Jesus’ claims to be the Messianic Shepherd of Israel received a mixed response from His Jewish audience (John 10:1-18). “Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.” (John 10:19). Because of what Jesus taught about being Israel’s Messianic Shepherd and yet dying for His sheep, His audience continued to be divided over Him. In the mind of the average Jew this was a contradiction. The Israelites expected a political Messiah to deliver them from political oppression, but Jesus came to be a spiritual Messiah to deliver them from the penalty of sin. The people rejected Christ because He did not live up to their expectations.

Even Christians can succumb to a similar kind of thinking that says if you are following Christ, you will have fewer problems and less suffering. In fact, believers may be quick to reject other believers who are suffering or display weaknesses because of this false expectation.

“And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” (John 10:20). Some of Jesus’ listeners concluded that He “has a demon and is mad” or insane to say such things! They questioned why anyone would “listen” to such a man. His teachings seemed unreasonable and impossible to them.

Yet others were impressed with what Jesus was saying. “Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’ “ (John 10:21). Christ’s gracious teaching did not resemble that of a demon nor did His miraculous healing of the man born blind (John 9:1-41). This group says what Jesus is not but they make no attempt to say who Christ is.

Throughout his gospel, John emphasizes the two opposite conclusions that people draw from Jesus’ teaching, even though Christ’s witness to His identity as God was sufficiently consistent and clear. This should be an encouragement to all Christians who tell others the truth about Christ. Not even Jesus Himself convinced everyone that He was God’s Son. When believers openly identify with Christ by telling others who He is and what He has done for them, they can experience a closer relationship with Him regardless of how others respond to the message. After all, Jesus is our Good Shepherd Who has entrusted us with His Good News (gospel) to share with others. As we proclaim this good news to others, we are also proclaiming it to ourselves. And in a world that is filled with bad news these days, it does our souls good to hear the good news of our Good Shepherd! And let’s remember that as disciples of Christ, our responsibility is to be clear and consistent in our witness for Christ to the lost; however, it is Jesus’ responsibility to save them.

It is also true that the lies of the Devil can keep believers from being a consistent and clear witness to the gospel of Christ. After all, Satan is “the father of lies” (John 8:44). In EvanTell’s Evangelism Study Bible, it reads, “He [Satan] misrepresented what God said to Eve since only one tree was off limits (see Gen. 2:16-17; 3:11). He even cast doubt over God’s character, implying that God would hold back what was best for them (see Gen. 3:4-5).

“Satan still uses lies to hinder believers in evangelism today. Here are five he commonly uses:

“1. ‘Non-Christian aren’t that approachable.’ Some aren’t, but some are. How do we know unless we approach the subject of spiritual things? One person who wasn’t open doesn’t represent everyone. Additionally, a person completely closed yesterday may be open today. God can use a single day’s events to get someone’s attention.” 1

For example, when I was flying back to Manila from a mission trip to the southern Philippines five years ago, I sat next to a Filipino businesswoman and asked her if I may show her from the Bible how she can know for sure she has eternal life and will go to heaven when she dies. She told me she was not interested. I thanked her for her honesty, and then I prayed a silent prayer to the Lord asking Him to open this woman’s heart so she can be saved.

As we approached the Manila Airport, the pilot told us that weather conditions were not favorable but they would still try to land. There was a lot of turbulence as we descended toward the airport. As our plane tried to land, it had to pull up at the last minute because the winds and rain were too strong and the pilot could not see. A wave of panic swept across the passenger area. Our plane circled around to make another attempt at landing. I was praying for the Lord to keep us safe and open the hearts of the people on the plane. As the pilot made another attempt to land in Manila he had to pull up again at the last minute because of poor visibility. There was a nervous hush among the passengers. The pilot then announced that our flight would be diverted to Clark Air Base about a fifteen-minute flight (three-hours’ drive by car) away.

The Lord prompted me to share with the passenger who earlier did not want to talk about how to get to heaven. I now asked her if she would like to know what she must do to get to heaven if she only had five minutes to live. She said, “Yes.”  So I introduced Acts 16:31 to her by telling her the Philippian jailer thought he had a short time to live, so he asked a missionary what he must do to be saved from hell. I then shared Acts 16:31 with her and explained it to her. I asked her, “Do you believe in Jesus now to save you from hell so you can live with Him forever in heaven?” She said, “Yes. Thank you.” I briefly explained to her that she now has everlasting life which cannot be lost. The Lord then enabled me to share the same thing with the passenger across the aisle from me. As I was sharing I noticed the passenger directly behind me was also listening. So when I finished with this passenger, I did the same thing with the one behind me. Praise God for the typhoon which got people to think about life and death and where they will spend eternity.

Continuing with lies that Satan commonly uses in evangelism, is “2. ‘You may end up doing more harm than good.’ That’s not possible. God honors obedience, so you never go wrong by serving Him in evangelism. Suppose you say the ‘wrong things’ in the mind of someone else or were not as tactful as you needed to be. God is more honored by someone who attempts to evangelize and makes mistakes than someone who doesn’t do anything. Ultimately God is in control even if we make a mistake, He is bigger than our mistakes.

“3. ‘You might not be able to answer their questions.’ You may not be able to answer every objection, but who said you have to? That’s certainly not something Jesus ever said. Should the non-Christian ask a question you can’t answer, it’s honoring to God to say ‘I don’t know.’ Then look up the answer and you will be better prepared the next time. New converts tend to lead more people to Christ than anyone else, yet they know very little and often can’t answer most questions an unbeliever would ask. God often uses their zeal and excitement to convince non-Christians of their need for Christ.

“4. ‘Your life isn’t what it ought to be.’ It may not be. But keep in mind two things. First, Satan is a master of intimidation. No believer’s life is a perfect example of Christ. If you wait till your life is everything it ought to be, you will never evangelize. That’s what Satan prefers. Second, God doesn’t use perfect believers. There are none. He uses imperfect believers who are trying to be who God wants them to be. Seek to live the life you should, but don’t wait till you are ‘there’ to evangelize.

“5. ‘There is probably a better time than today.’ Satan doesn’t care what you do as long as you do it tomorrow. Procrastination is one of his tools. How do people know what the best timing is unless they attempt to evangelize today?

“Lies- Satan’s tool. Recognize lies for what they are and don’t allow him to hinder you in your evangelism outreach.” 2

As I traveled on mission trips throughout the Philippines, I experienced various responses to the preaching of the gospel message. The majority have been very responsive to the gospel of Christ and have publicly indicated that they are now trusting in Jesus alone for His gift of eternal life. Some, however, have expressed indifference or even animosity toward the gospel. Regardless of how people respond, God asks me to be a faithful steward of His gospel (I Corinthians 4:1-2; Colossians 4:4; I Thessalonians 2:3-10).

When we are faithful to preach the gospel clearly and consistently in season and out of season, we can experience a closeness to our Good Shepherd whose witness was always consistent and clear during His earthly ministry. Even Jesus, the perfect Messiah-God, could not convince everyone that He was God in human flesh and nor will we. Our responsibility is to be faithful to our Lord’s command to preach the gospel to everyone (Mark 16:15). It is Jesus’ responsibility to give them everlasting life and transform them into His likeness (John 5:21; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, it still amazes me how divided people are concerning Your identity both now and when You walked on the earth. Even though You gave a clear and consistent witness to Your identity as the promised Messiah-God, people formed different conclusions about You. I am realizing more and more that the primary reason for this is because Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44), has deceived people into believing his lies about You to keep them from having life in Your name (John 20:31; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Regardless of how people respond, Lord Jesus, please enable me to preach Your gospel message clearly and consistently to everyone who is perishing without You. You could have chosen angels or billboards to proclaim Your life-giving message. But instead, You entrusted Your precious gospel with imperfect sinners like me to share this life-changing message. Thank You that You are in me and with me through Your Spirit to help me do this in a way that brings You glory and draws me closer to You. In Your name I pray. Amen.

ENDNOTES:

1. The Evangelism Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, copyright 2014 EvanTell, Inc.), p. 1174.

2. Ibid.

How can I trust the Lord Jesus as the True Shepherd? Part 3

“He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” John 10:3c-4

David Johnson writes, “Both Old and New Testaments warn of false prophets and spiritual systems that add the performance of religious behaviors to the performance of Jesus on the cross as a means to find God’s approval. All of us, as Christians, are told to be on our spiritual guard. Are the spiritual relationships you have bringing the rest Jesus promised, or do you find just more toil and weariness?” 1

If your spiritual relationships have brought more toil and weariness than the rest Jesus promised, then you can probably relate to the fact that much of Israel’s history has been tainted by false shepherds who only cared about themselves and neglected to care for the people God had placed in their care (Ezekiel 34:2-6). In view of Israel’s false shepherds, the Lord promised a True Shepherd who would care for His flock. That Shepherd would be God Himself (Ezekiel 34:11-16).

We are learning that Jesus Christ is that True Shepherd Whom God’s people can trust to care for them in a way that the false shepherds never could. Jesus promises rest and nourishment for His sheep, not more toil and weariness. So far we have learned that we can trust Jesus as our True Shepherd because…

– He has prophetic credentials (John 10:1-2)

– He has the doorkeeper’s (John the Baptist’s) confirmation (John 10:3a)

– He has personal concern for each of us (John 10:3b)

Today we discover that we can trust Jesus as our True Shepherd because HE PROVIDES COMPETENT LEADERSHIP (John 10:3c-6). Jesus said concerning the True Shepherd, “3c He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” (John 10:3c-4). The Pharisees cast the healed beggar out of the synagogue, but Jesus led him out of Judaism into His fold.Jesus calls His own sheep by name to “lead them out” of the fold from the other flocks. His sheep follow that familiar voice. They trust that voice.

Christ did not come to work within the Pharisee’s or Sadducee’s religious systems, but rather to separate those who heard His word from those systems because there was no life in them. As He gathered His flock together, “He goes before them”to show them the way in which they ought to go. The shepherd did not drive his sheep from behind with dogs like many shepherds in the Western world do today. Instead, he leads them from the front. The Pharisees tried to drive the people from behind using fear. But Jesus lovingly leads the people to pasture away from danger. Christ did not point people to a way in which He Himself was not walking but rather led His own sheep in the way He intended them to go. Jesus led by example, not by force. Such is the way of the True Shepherd.

You may be facing important decisions and Jesus loves you so much He wants to guide you. Some of you may be saying, “Great! Just what I need! Someone else to push me around or guide me!” Christ enjoys guiding you. He really does. He knows that life is too difficult to be lived on its own and He wants to guide us in our decisions and direction so we can experience His rest and enjoyment, not more toil and weariness. Jesus promised believers, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30).

The words “yoke” and “learn” suggest a discipleship relationship. What does it mean to take Jesus’ yoke? A yoke is a wooden beam  that attaches two farm animals together. By sharing the load, they lighten the load. They can carry more because they are working together. Who has a stronger back – you or Jesus? Jesus is saying to join up with Him, connect with Him in a discipleship relationship and He will carry the load with you. 

But the yoke is also a symbol of control. Farmers used a yoke to control their animals. Oxen yoked together are controlled by their master; when you and I are yoked to Christ we are controlled by Him. When you are yoked together with Christ you move together in the same direction and at the same pace. If you move at the same pace as Christ and in the same direction as Christ, will you have less stress? Absolutely! Who is setting the pace in your life at this time? You? Your boss? Your church? Your pastor? Your culture? That’s why you are overloaded with stress. When we yoke up with Jesus, He determines the pace and direction we are to go and then we will enjoy His promised rest of discipleship.

If you are a Christian, Jesus wants to guide you. He wants to direct you. You can count on His leadings to move you more into His likeness (Romans 8:28-29). He has good plans for you. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Hope-filled plans, as the Scripture says: “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11 – NIV).  Christ is always seeking to lead us. The question that faces us is are we listening?   

Jesus then says, “Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:5). While it is the nature of sheep to follow the voice of their shepherd, they will not follow the voice of a stranger even if he dresses alike or uses the same words because his voice is unfamiliar to them. Instead, the sheep flee to safety. In this context, oppressed people under the legalism of the Pharisees were fleeing to Jesus for safety and rest.

Do we run from unfamiliar voices or to them? When you hear teaching that is contrary to Jesus’ teachings, do you run from it or to it? For example, if you hear teaching that says you must bear fruit or produce good works to get to heaven (see John 3:15-16; 4:10-14; Romans 4:5; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9), do you embrace it or reject it? If someone says that Jesus is just a good moral teacher or a prophet, but not God (see John 1:1-3, 14-17; Titus 2:13; I John 5:20), do you believe it or dismiss it? When you hear an instructor say that the Bible is full of errors and cannot be trusted (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21), do you accept it as true or call it false? How do we discern Jesus’ voice from so many others that fight for our attention? We must know God’s Word so well that false teaching will be obvious to us in contrast to the truth.

“Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.” (John 10:6). Many of the unbelieving Jews who heard these words“did not understand” what Jesus was talking about. They did not respond to the Shepherd’s voice because they did not belong to the Shepherd. Their rejection of Jesus’ word did not mean His word was false, rather it meant that they were not His sheep. They could hardly have failed to understand the relationship between shepherds and sheep, which was so common in their culture.

Nevertheless, they did not grasp Jesus’ analogy of Himself as Israel’s true Shepherd because they were spiritually blind. They were more familiar with the lies of their father, the Devil (John 8:44), and his followers who sought “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” the flock rather than give them life (John 10:10a). The Devil had lied to these Jews about the identity of Jesus and they believed his lies which kept them from believing in Christ as their True Shepherd. This is at the heart of all who reject Jesus Christ. They have been deceived by the father of lies – Satan himself and his followers (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:3-4).

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You so much for leading me out of performance-based religion which focused more on external rules and behaviors than on the heart. Under such systems, I experienced much toil and weariness instead of the rest You promised to Your followers. Instead of trying to drive me or pressure me from behind using fear, You have provided leadership for me to follow through Your humble and loving example. Please help me to be so familiar with Your voice and teachings that false teachings will be obvious to me in contrast to the truth.Thank You for loving me enough to offer Your guidance and direction to me daily. I am very grateful that I do not have to make decisions in isolation, but I can make decisions based on Your counsel from Your Word and the Holy Spirit’s teaching in my life and in the lives of other brothers and sisters in the family of God. Life is so much better with You, my True Shepherd, guiding me every step of the way. In Your precious name I pray. Amen.  

ENDNOTE:  

1. David Johnson, The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, (Baker Publishing Group: Kindle Edition, 2011), p. 28.