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IV. His Methods
1. He is the Deceiver of the World.
By the "World" is meant all those who belong to the "Satanic System." All those who are entangled in Satan's mesh.
"And we know that we are of God, and the whole World
(the Satanic System), lieth in the Wicked One, (Satan)." 1 John 5:19, R.V.
Satan deceives by "blinding" the eyes of the world.
"If our Gospel is hid, it is hid to them that 'are lost'; in whom the 'God
of this World' (Satan), hath blinded the minds of them which believe
not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of
God, should shine unto them." 2 Cor. 4:3,4.
To this end Satan has his preachers who preach "another gospel." Gal. 1: 6-9. That gospel is the "doctrine of devils." 1 Tim. 4:1.
He is the instigator of "The Great Apostasy."
Peter, speaking of the latter times" says -
"There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in 'Damnable Heresies,' even denying the Lord that brought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their 'Pernicious Way.' by reason of whom the 'WAY OF TRUTH' shall be evil spoken of." 2 Pet. 2:1,2.
These "false teachers" are to be seen on every hand. They are those who deny the "Virgin Birth," "Deity," "Bodily Resurrection" and "Personal Premillennial Return" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Satan is very subtle in his methods, and if it were possible he would deceive the very elect. He knows all the great Scripture subjects that are of universal interest to humanity, and he is too wise to attack them openly, so he adulterates them with false doctrine. He has tried to rob the Church of Her "Blessed Hope" of the Lord's return, by mixing with it a lot of false teaching and "time setting" as seen in "Millerism," "Seventh Day Adventism" and "Millennial Dawnism." To prevent mankind from turning to the Lord for healing, he has invented the systems of "Christian Science" and "New Thought."
To satisfy the craving of the human mind to know what is going on in the Spirit World, Satan invented "Spiritualism." And when interest in it began to wane he revived it under the name of "Psychical Research." This system has existed from the earliest ages and has the unqualified condemnation of the Scriptures.
"There shall not be found among you any one that....useth divination,
or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a Consulter With Familiar
Spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are
an abomination unto the Lord." Deu. 18: 10-12.
Spiritualism is only another name for "Demonism," and all professed impersonations are either counterfeit, or demonic. Christian Science teaches that there is such a thing as "Malicious Animal Magnetism" by which one person may afflict another. It is only another name for "Diabolism." Those who dabble in "Spiritualism" or "Psychical Research," are liable to have their "understanding darkened" and come under the power of demons.
Satan seeing that he could not stamp out the Church by violence and persecution, has changed his tactics and is now trying to seduce her into conformity to the world, and to try to better an "Age" that God has doomed to destruction. His present purpose is to build up a "magnificent civilization," and he has deceived the Church into believing that it can bring in the "Millennium," without Christ, by the betterment of Society.
His hope is that the 'Gospel of Social Service" will take the place of the
"Gospel of Grace," and by diverting the attention of Christian people to
"secondary" things, they will neglect the primary work of soul saving, and thus
delay the evangelization of the world, and postpone the return of the Lord, and
his own confinement in the Bottomless Pit.
