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Panic Podcast – Ask the Pastor: What about demons?

Published July 10, 2026 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: Ask the Pastor, demon possession, Demons, Satan

PANIC PODCAST

Series – Ask the Pastor

What about demons?

What the Bible Says About Demons?

Introduction. The Bible takes the reality of demons seriously. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals an invisible spiritual conflict that affects every human being.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12 | TNIV)

Paul also warned believers in 2 Corinthians 2:11 not to be “outwitted by Satan” because “we are not ignorant of his designs.”

We should never become obsessed with demons or demonology, but we all need a proper understanding of them. Jesus confronted demons openly, commissioned His disciples to cast them out, and warned that the last days would see increased demonic activity. This study will follow the Biblical data to examine the nature and activity of demons, the phenomenon of demon possession, and the believer’s defense against demonic power. Every point rests of Scripture, not speculation or sensationalism. I hope that by the end, we will emerge better equipped to “stand firm,” as Paul wrote, in the victory already won by Christ at Calvary.

The nature and activity of demons.

Demons are not omnipresent.

Only God is omnipresent – present everywhere at once in His infinite Being.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? [8] If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. [9] If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, [10] even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. (Psalm 139:7 – 10 | TNIV)

Demons aren’t omnipresent, although they give the appearance they are because of their sheer number and the fact that they are not limited by space or time. Scripture never portrays a single demon as being in all places simultaneously, yet the collective activity of demonic forces creates a pervasive influence across the earth.

In the Old Testament, demonic entities operated behind the idolatry of every nation. Deuteronomy 32:17 tells us that the Israelites “sacrificed to demons that were not gods.” Paul wrote something similar in 1 Corinthians 10:20 –

No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. (1 Corinthians 10:20 | TNIV)

Wherever pagan worship took place – whether in Egypt, Canaan, Greece, or Rome – demonic spirits were actively at work. Jesus encountered demonized people in Galilee, Judea, the Decapolis, and even among the Gentiles. The frequency and geographic spread of these encounters suggest that demonic forces were not confined to one locale.

A single demoniac in Mark 5:9 was possessed by a “legion” of demons – about 6,000! With multiplied thousands of such spirits operating under Satan’s command, their presence can be felt simultaneously in countless locations. We are told that Satan himself “prowls around like a roaring lion” in 1 Peter 5:8, and his servants are doing the same thing.

So, demons aren’t omnipresent, they are effectively ubiquitous in their operations, requiring Christians everywhere to remain vigilant.

They promote a system of doctrine.

Demons are not only active; they are teachers. They systematically propagate false doctrines to lead people away from the truth of God’s Word. The apostle Paul explicitly names this danger in 1 Timothy 4:1 –

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. (1 Timothy 4:1 | TNIV)

These “things taught be demons” form a coherent counterfeit system designed to mimic and pervert Biblical truth.

There are many examples in the Bible. In the Garden of Eden, the serpent – identified as Satan in Revelation 12:9 – promoted the doctrine that God was withholding something good and that humans could become like God by their disobedience, Genesis 3:1 – 5. In the lonesome wilderness, Satan came and twisted Scripture in order to tempt Jesus (Matthew 4:1 – 11). Through false prophets and teachers, demons continue this work today.

For such persons are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. [14] And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. [15] It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. (2 Corinthians 11:13 – 15 | TNIV)

The “doctrines of demons” Paul, John, and the apostles fought against included things like forbidding marriage, demanding abstinence from foods God created to be received with thanksgiving, and any teaching that denied the deity, humanity, or atoning work of Christ.

Idolatry itself is demonic doctrine. 1 Corinthians 10:19 – 21 equates idol feasts with fellowship with demons. Every false religion, every cult, and every new age spirituality that denies the Gospel is part of this satanic curriculum. The goal is always the same: To keep souls from the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

They are agents of destruction, particularly of the bodies and souls of people.

Demons delight in ruin. Their destructive work targets both the physical body and the eternal soul. The Gospels record numerous cases where demons caused physical torment. The man living among the tombs in Mark 5 was driven to self-mutilation, crying out and cutting himself with stones. A father brought his son to Jesus, describing how a demon “seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams and shatters him, and will hardly leave him” (Mark 8:39). Other demons causes muteness, deafness, blindness, and crippling (Matthew 9:32, 33; 12:22; Luke 13:11 – 16). Jesus never once attributed these conditions (the ones noted) to natural causes when demons were involved; He cast the demons out and the symptoms vanished.

Beyond the body, demons seek the destruction of the soul. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us that “the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ.” Satan and his demons actively prevent repentance and faith. They actually snatch away the seed of the Word sown in a person’s heart (Matthew 13:19). Ultimately, their work leads people toward eternal judgment. Revelation 20:10, 14, 15 describe the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels, yet those who follow demonic doctrine will share their fate.

Even believers can suffer physical affliction if permitted by God for His good purposes (Job 1, 2; 2 Corinthians 12:7), but the intent of demons remains destructive. Jesus summarized their mission in John 10:10 –

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10 | TNIV)

They are promoters of delusion.

Demons specialize in deception.

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, [10] and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. [11] For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie. (2 Thessalonians 2:9 – 11 | TNIV)

In Revelation 16:13, 14, we are told of “unclean spirits, like frog” that are “demonic spirits performing signs” to gather the kings of the earth for battle against God.

False miracles, counterfeit spiritual experiences, and deceptive doctrines all serve to delude. The serpent’s question in Genesis 3 – “Did God actually say?” – was the first act of demonic gaslighting. Today, the same spirit works through mediums, psychics, channeled messages, and “signs and wonders” movements that bypass the sufficiency of Scripture.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1 | TNIV)

The phenomenon of demon possession.

Believers can’t be possessed by demons because they belong to God, 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.

The New Testament draws a clear line: A true believer cannot be possessed by a demon. Possession implies ownership and control of the inner sanctuary of a person’s being. That sanctuary belongs exclusively to the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20 asks, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.” The Greek word for “temple,” “naos,” refers to the inner sanctum where the very presence of God dwells. No demon can ever share that space with the Holy Spirit!

2 Corinthians 6:14 – 16 reinforces the impossibility: “What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? For we are the temple of the living God.” Light and darkness can’t coexist in the same space. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. Demons may oppress, harass, or tempt a believer from the outside, but cannot indwell and control a believer from the inside. The blood of Christ has purchased the believer – Satan has no legal claim.

A believer may be delivered to Satan for a time, 1 Corinthians 5:5.

Although possession is impossible, discipline involving satanic activity is sometimes permitted. In the case of the incestuous man in the Corinthian church, Paul gave the specific instructions:

[H]and this man over to Satan for the destruction of the sinful nature so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 5:5 | TNIV)

The same language is found in 1 Timothy 1:20 regarding Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom Paul “handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.”

This is not possession; it’s the removal of the protective umbrella of church fellowship and the deliberate exposure of the offender to the consequences of living in the devil’s domain. The goal is restorative: The destruction of the flesh (sinful behavior) so the spirit may be saved. God sovereignly uses even demonic forces to chasten His children when necessary. The believer remains owned by God; the experience is temporary and redemptive, never permanent or destructive of salvation.

The defense against demon power.

It’s never wise for Christians to dabble in or flirt with the occult on a superficial or entertainment level, Deuteronomy 18:10, 11.

God’s people are forbidden from any involvement with the occult. Deuteronomy 18:10, 11 lists the practices God hates: child sacrifice, divination, fortune telling, sorcery, trafficking with spirits, and seeking the dead (séances). These activities, even when packaged as harmless entertainment – Ouijha boards, tarot cards, astrology apps, horror movies that glorify the demonic, and the like – can actually open the door to demonic influence.

The reason is simple: These practices invite demons to speak and act. 1 Corinthians 10:20 warns that behind every idol is a demon. What begins as curiosity becomes captivity.

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (Ephesians 5:11 | TNIV)

The safest course is total abstinence. Parents should guard their children’s entertainment. Believers should never attend séances, consult horoscopes, or engage in yoga that incorporates Hindu mantras. The line is clear: If it belongs to the occult, it doesn’t belong in the Christian’s life.

Note what Paul said in Ephesians 4:26, 27.

Paul gives a practical, daily defense in Ephesians 4:26, 27 –

“In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, [27] and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26, 27 | TNIV)

“Foothold” or “Opportunity” means “give place to.” Unresolved anger, bitterness, or unforgiveness creates a landing strip for demonic activity. Satan cannot possess a believer, but he can exploit emotional strongholds.

The command is two-fold: (1) Be angry when anger in justified – righteous indignation against sin is not sinful; (2) Deal with it before sunset. Prolonged anger can become a grievance that demons will exploit. Many Christians who struggle with depression, anxiety, or compulsive sin discover that the root was an unforgiving spirit or harbored resentment. The solution is immediate confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. When a believer obeys this command, the devil has no opportunity to cause trouble.

The Christian should always rely on the presence of the Holy Sprit, 1 John 4:4.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4 | TNIV)

Your ultimate defense against evil is not your technique but your relationship with Christ. The indwelling Holy Spirit is infinitely greater than every demonic force combined. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you! (Romans 8:11).

The truth undergirds the full armor of God in Ephesians 6:10 – 18 – truth, righteousness, the Gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer. None of these pieces operate apart from the Spirit’s power. Daily dependence – through prayer, Scripture, obedience, and fellowship – keeps the believer victorious. When the devil attacks, the believer’s response should be same as that of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 4 – “It is written…” The sword of the Spirit is the spoken Word of God in the mouth of the Spirit-filled and Spirit-led Christian.

Conclusion. Demons are real, active, and dangerous. But they are defeated foes.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:15 | TNIV)

The Cross was their Waterloo. You and I don’t fight for victory. By understanding the nature and activity of demons, recognizing the impossibility of possession of a believer, and employing Biblical defenses – avoiding the occult, refusing to give place to the devil through sin, and resting in the greater power of the indwelling Holy Spirit – every Christian can walk in freedom and power.

Panic Podcast: The Unseen World, Part 2

Published November 6, 2020 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: Panic Podcast, Satan, spirit world, Unseen World

Good morning, fellow Bible students and scholars. Today, I wanted to explore that Prince of Darkness, ol’ Slewfoot himself, Satan. So have your Bibles at hand and get ready to learn more than you ever thought you would know about this angel gone bad.

Lies the Devil Told Me

Published October 5, 2015 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: lies, Satan, satanic lies, the Devil

The Devil is a liar. In fact, the Bible teaches us that he is “the father of lies.” The Devil, also known as Satan, is somebody you don’t want to know. But you should know about him; you should know as much about him as you can because he is your enemy and key to winning any battle is knowing your enemy.

The cloven-hoofed one is smart and over the centuries he has been very successful at creating an image of himself that is not even close to reality. He is an expert at branding. So, let’s shine the light on Satan’s lies about himself so you have an accurate picture of just who your enemy really is. It’s no sin to talk about Satan and you shouldn’t be superstitious about it. Jesus once said:

“I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. Be as wary as serpents and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16 TLB)

The very best way to be “as wary as serpents” is to know as much as we can about our enemy, the Devil.

Lie Number One: “I don’t really exist.”

The very first lie the Devil has been successful in peddling is that he isn’t real; that he doesn’t really exist. Over the centuries, he has used superstition, ignorance, and even humor to convince people that he isn’t real; that he is a figment of the imagination. Think about it. We tell jokes about him (“the devil made me do it!”) and blame things he’s responsible for on warped minds or man’s inner impulses. We have found ingenious ways to explain the Devil out of existence. But thinking he isn’t real doesn’t make it so. The Devil is real. He is as real as God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. He is as real as your neighbor. And if you are a Christian, he’s out to get you.

Be careful-watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart. Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too. (1 Peter 5:8, 9 TLB)

The best way for the enemy to gain the upper hand is to convince us that he isn’t real. The Bible, though, speaks of Satan as a real being. It never tries to prove his existence, any more than it tries to prove God’s existence. But like God, the Bible simply assumes its readers are smart enough to know the truth.

For example, the author of the book of Job assumed you’d know that Satan was real. In fact, we get a rare glimpse into the heavenly realms to see how he operates:

One day as the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan, the Accuser, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. And Satan replied, “From earth, where I’ve been watching everything that’s going on.” (Job 1:6, 7 TLB)

Satan, an angelic being, is able to roam the earth and heaven and, like all other angels, is answerable to God. God knows the Devil is real because the Devil “presents” himself to God, apparently, on a regular basis. He’s referred to here as “the Accuser,” and if you read the book of Job, you’ll learn that his chief activity is accusing God’s people before God.

“You have always protected him and his home and his property from all harm. You have prospered everything he does-look how rich he is! No wonder he ‘worships’ you! But just take away his wealth, and you’ll see him curse you to your face!” (Job 1:10, 11 TLB)

Thank God we have a Mediator in heaven who intercedes on our behalf! And speaking of Jesus Christ, He knows Satan is real because He’s seen him!

“Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning!” (Luke 10:18 TLB)

God knows Satan is real. Jesus knows Satan is real. Only man has the arrogance to think he knows more than they do! But, Satan is an expert liar, and he’s convinced a lot of people he isn’t real. Bob Hartman wrote a song back in the 1970’s that puts it all in perspective:

You got the clergy working overtime to widen the narrow way, You’ve got politicians everywhere listening to what you say.

You’ve got false apostles teaching lies perverting the only way, You’ve got principalities and powers waiting to obey.

You’ve got philosophies and vain deceits lying to deceive.

You’ve got hate, and greed, ungodly lusts in the deadly web you weave.

Somehow you’ve got so many thinking you’re not even there. One look is all it takes to get them blinded by your glare!

Indeed. Satan is the “Angel of Light,” blinding all kinds of people to the reality of his existence.

Lie Number Two: “It’s God Versus Satan.”

This is an insidiously clever lie that says simply there is a great, cosmic battle going on between God and Satan; a boxing match in the heavenly realms between the forces of light and dark; between good and evil. The idea behind this lie is that Satan and God and equally matched; that good is at war with evil and maybe – maybe – evil might win.

Now, there is a grain of truth in this lie. There is a war in the heavenlies, but it’s a battle being waged for your soul, not for dominion over the material and immaterial universes. Satan is merely a created being, just like you are, except that he’s a purely spiritual being whereas you’re both physical and spiritual. God and the Devil are not locked in an eternal battle. And the fact is, God has already told us what the final destiny of Satan will be:

Then the devil who had betrayed them will again be thrown into the Lake of Fire burning with sulphur where the Creature and False Prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10 TLB)

The Devil knows this is his fate and that’s why he’s trying to convince people he’s just as powerful as God. He aims to take as many people into the Lake of Fire with him as he can. But Satan isn’t anything like God. He is not omnipotent. He is not omniscient. He is not infinite. He is not omnipresent.

Christians need to stop giving Satan so much credit!

Lie Number Three: “I look like a man in a red suit with a tale, horns, and a pitchfork.”

This is often the way Satan is portrayed in cartoons and on TV shows. Sometimes he comes across as funny little man wearing that kind of costume. Sometimes he’s portrayed as a hideous goat-like creature, not in a funny way at all. But the Bible teaches us something very different. Here’s how it describes Satan:

“Son of dust, weep for the king of Tyre. Tell him, ‘The Lord God says: You were the perfection of wisdom and beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; your clothing was bejeweled with every precious stone-ruby, topaz, diamond, chrysolite, onyx, jasper, sapphire, carbuncle, and emerald-all in beautiful settings of finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. I appointed you to be the anointed Guardian Angel. You had access to the holy mountain of God. You walked among the stones of fire. You were perfect in all you did from the day you were created until that time when wrong was found in you.” (Ezekiel 28:12 – 15 TLB)

That doesn’t sound like a man in a red suit! Or how about this:

God never sent those men at all; they are “phonies” who have fooled you into thinking they are Christ’s apostles. Yet I am not surprised! Satan can change himself into an angel of light, so it is no wonder his servants can do it too, and seem like godly ministers. In the end they will get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve. (2 Corinthians 11:13 – 15 TLB)

The Devil can make himself look like anything you need and anybody you want. That’s why you need to be aware of his tactics and his lies.

Lie Number 4: “I am the ruler of Hell.”

This is such a common belief most people are surprised to find out that it’s not true at all. This myth is common in much of the literature many of us have studied in high school or college. This was Satan’s claim in Paradise Lost, according to Milton:

It is better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven.

Maybe so for him, but that’s not happening now nor will it ever happen. Satan is not the ruler in Hell and he’s not in Hell. When he finally gets there, he won’t be ruling over it.

So where is the Devil at the moment? Revelation 12:12 gives us a clue:

Rejoice, O heavens! You citizens of heaven, rejoice! Be glad! But woe to you people of the world, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time. (TLB)

So he’s here! He’s roaming the earth trying to make as much trouble as he can. That’s what he does, especially in the lives of Christians. He’ll do anything to cause you to doubt and make your faith weak.

When Satan is finally dealt with, he still won’t get into Hell.

Then I will turn to those on my left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.’ (Matthew 25:41 TLB)

But in the end, he still won’t get to be the ruler he aspires to be:

Then the devil who had betrayed them will again be thrown into the Lake of Fire burning with sulphur where the Creature and False Prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10 TLB)

Lie Number 5: “The Devil made me do it.”

Back in the day, this was part of a hilarious Flip Wilson routine. As funny as it was, that’s all it was: a comedic routine without any basis in fact. Satan tempted Jesus to sin, but it’s highly unlikely any of you reading this are so important as to attract His Dark Majesty’s personal attention. In fact, the Bible teaches that, while the Devil is real and he is your enemy, even if there was no personal Devil you’d still have trouble staying on the straight and narrow. It’s not Satan making you do anything, it’s your own sinful nature. James says:

And remember, when someone wants to do wrong it is never God who is tempting him, for God never wants to do wrong and never tempts anyone else to do it. Temptation is the pull of man’s own evil thoughts and wishes. (James 1:13, 14 TLB)

We can blame the Devil for a lot of things, but most of the time, when we sin it’s our own fault.

But, what if you warrant Satan’s attention? Can you resist him? James again:

So give yourselves humbly to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7 TLB)

The Devil can’t make you DO anything you don’t want to. You have it within you to resist him every time. You may still sin, but you can win against the Devil.

Lie Number 6: “I’ll make a deal with you…”

This is another lie: You can make deal with the Devil. Sometimes the deal goes like this: A person is so desperate for something they need but can’t have, that they “sell their soul” to the Devil. He gives them what they need, and when they die, he comes and claims their soul.

It’s a classic Hollywood scenario. It makes for some great drama and lessons in morality. But it isn’t true. It doesn’t happen that way. Nobody is capable of making a bargain with Satan. The sad fact is, if you are unsaved, Satan already owns you. Your only hope of gaining your freedom from him is coming to Jesus and asking Him to save you.

Satan hates God. God is everything Satan wants to be, but can never be. Because you are created in God’s image, Satan hates you almost as much as he hates God. With Satan, it’s not personal. It God’s image in you he hates. Satan won’t strike a bargain you. He hates you. He is incapable of friendship.

Satan wants to lash out and strike at God but he cannot. So he sets his sights on man. He hurts the human race and causes strife and hatred and injustice purely as a way to get back at the God he hates so much.

He hates Christians most of all. We’re privy to Satan’s schemes. We know the truth and that offends him. He will do what he can, when he can to disrupt your relationship with Christ and with each other within the Church.

But understand this: Satan’s power is limited. His hatred is limited. His schemes are imperfect. He can’t read your mind. There’s no guarantee that any of his schemes against you will succeed. He is, in reality, the saddest, most pathetic creature in existence. But it’s the existence he chose for himself. Satan doesn’t deserve your pity. He doesn’t deserve your fear. And he doesn’t deserve a second of your time. If you’ve confessed Christ as Savior and He’s the Lord of your life, then you belong to God. Beyond knowing about Satan, he’s of no concern to you.

The Devil’s time is limited. He knows it. And he’s determined to do as much damage as he can before his time is up. Let’s do what we can, as soldiers in Christ’s army, to disrupt his plans. Let’s turn the tables on him and make life hard for the Devil for a change.

Hell

Published May 26, 2015 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: eternal punishment, Hell, Satan, separation from God

It used to be, not so long ago, that preachers would preach “Hell-fire and brimstone” sermons to convert unsaved listeners. Just the possibility of spending an eternity in a fiery place of eternal torment was enough to get lost souls to the altar, praying the sinner’s prayer. That kind of evangelism certainly used to work well. Some unsaved people respond to sermons on the love of God, others need messages a little more potent. But times have changed. Rarely do you hear about Hell from behind the pulpit.

“Hell” was a word that used to incite fear in people, but now when people hear that word, they roll their eyes in disdain and unbelief.

What happened to Hell? Why don’t we hear more about it? Do you know what the Bible really says about Hell? Or what Jesus said about this place?

The Bible hasn’t changed what it says about Hell, so let’s take a look at some Scriptures that shed some light on Hell and the kind of people that will end up there.

Matthew 5:21, 22

“Under the laws of Moses the rule was, ‘If you murder, you must die.’ But I have added to that rule and tell you that if you are only angry, even in your own home, you are in danger of judgment! If you call your friend an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse him, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”

It’s important to see these two verses within the overall context of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5 in order to understand what our Lord was getting at. “Living by a higher righteousness” is the over arching theme in this chapter. Beginning with verse 21, Jesus gave six examples of His idea of a higher righteousness, each one introduced by the phrase, “You have heard it said…” In all six examples, Jesus adds the phrase, “…but I say to you…” The Greek is very emphatic, with a strong emphasis on the pronoun, “I.” So Jesus was either proving to His listeners that He was the most arrogant egotist that ever lived or He was proving what He claimed to be: the eternal Son of God, speaking and teaching with divine authority. In the end, it was His authority that came through most of all. Vincent Taylor once wrote of our Lord’s effect on people this way:

Jesus will always remain a challenge to be met rather than a problem to be solved.

Jesus begins with the fifth commandment, a prohibition against murder, and adds the punishment demanded by God. The penalty, God’s idea of capital punishment, was not part of the Ten Commandments but was above and beyond them. And the Pharisees acknowledged the severe nature of the punishment, and were somewhat proud of that. By this time in Jewish history, the idea of taking the life of a willful murder had become a wholly civic law, not a religious one.

The people didn’t connect it with their faith. There was no sense that God was involved in the situation at all.

Jesus began setting them straight using the phrase, “I say to you.” It was His way of not only adding to what they already knew to be true, but distinguishing His higher truth; His higher form of righteousness, which involves sins of the heart; attitudes that may or may not lead to a murder being committed. It’s one thing to be dragged before a human court – that’s all the Pharisees were concerned about – but that only happens if you get caught. God sees into your heart; He doesn’t need a human court to judge that. Our Lord was pointing a shortcoming of the Law of Moses.

Jesus’ higher righteousness focuses on our thoughts and attitudes towards other people. He indicates that when we verbally abuse another person, we are putting our very souls in danger of being judged. Our Lord isn’t teaching that calling somebody a “fool” or “idiot” can send you to Hell, by the way. He is using satire to diminish what the Jewish religious-legal system had degenerated into. In other words, the Pharisees were all about the letter of the Law, not the Spirit behind it.

The final judge is able to determine where a human being will spend eternity, not a human judge. The Pharisees were not final authorities, nor where the civic courts. God is the final judge; He will be the last One a human being sees before entering his eternal destination, Hell. Jesus used Gehenna (the valley of Hinnom), a location south of the walls of Jerusalem where Moloch was worshipped during Old Testament times, and a place where child sacrifice took place to illustrate His idea of Hell. It was deemed an “unclean” location for centuries. During the days of Jesus, this was where trash was taken and burned. Little wonder our Lord used this nasty location as an illustration for the destination of the damned.

Matthew 10:28

Don’t be afraid of those who can kill only your bodies—but can’t touch your souls! Fear only God who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Here is another verse that points to God as being the final judge. Christians have nothing to fear. This is the second time in this chapter Jesus makes this statement. Christians ought to be fearless in terms of living out their lives in righteousness in whatever culture they may be. There are really two reasons to be fearless. First, the Gospel message can never be suppressed. Even in modern-day America where Christians are almost routinely fined or worse for living and practicing tenets of their faith in the so-called “public square,” we don’t need to fear that the government or any protected group has the ability to stop God’s Word from being proclaimed. Secondly, a human being may be able to kill your body, but he can’t harm your soul. That is, he can’t take your faith from you. As Lenski observed,

To lose the body is to lose little, to lose the soul is to lose all.

Jesus is no way suggesting we should look forward to martyrdom; hopefully it will never come to that for any of us. But He is saying no man can rob you of your faith; of your salvation. A statement like that shows us what Jesus thinks is important. The state may come and take away all your possessions because you took a stand for righteousness, but it can never touch your greatest possession of all: your faith.

In case you’re thinking that’s cold comfort, Jesus adds that it is good (better) to fear the God who is able to destroy your body and your soul than to fear a man who can just harm your physical being. Just like in the previous example, Jesus wants His followers to learn a truth here. God is the final judge. Nobody controls your fate except God. Neither the devil nor another man holds the keys to Hell, only God. No Christian ever needs to fear death.

Matthew 18:7 – 9

Woe upon the world for all its evils. Temptation to do wrong is inevitable, but woe to the man who does the tempting. So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. Better to enter heaven crippled than to be in hell with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. Better to enter heaven with one eye than to be in hell with two.

The world is a dangerous place for the Christian. It always has been, even though it may not seem like it to you. The world is dangerous because of its “evils.” The Greek word is skandalon, a word students of that language hate. It is very difficult to translate, but it is a very, very strong word. It’s much stronger than it’s English counterpart, “scandal,” suggests. The noun skandalon comes from the verb skandalizo and goes way, way beyond the idea of bad moral conduct or stumbling, but always suggests “spiritual destruction.”

Our Lord is teaching that traps or snares always exist in the world. This, of course, means that believers need to be watching out for them lest we get trapped and fall into sin. But as evil as those skandalon(s) may be, the one who is responsible for “setting the trap,” or the one who causes a believer to sin, is worse. Causing someone to sin is portrayed by Christ as being so bad, it’s better to hack off body parts than it is to cause another believer to sin. It’s preferable to enter Heaven with body parts missing than it is to enter Hell whole. Of course, this is a metaphor. What Jesus is getting at is that any friendship or activity that hinders either your relationship with Christ or another’s relationship with Christ must be “cut off.” Failure to do so could result in an eternity spent in Hell. Hell is so bad, all believers must be careful to control what they do (their hand), where they go (their feet), and what they look at (their eyes).

2 Thessalonians 1:8 – 10

They will be punished in everlasting hell, forever separated from the Lord, never to see the glory of his power… (verse 9 TLB)

Those who have rejected Jesus face a very bleak future when He returns. The eternal suffering of those who reject Jesus and persecute believers is used to illustrate the temporary nature of any suffering believers may endure in the here-and-now.

And so I would say to you who are suffering, God will give you rest along with us when the Lord Jesus appears suddenly from heaven in flaming fire with his mighty angels, bringing judgment on those who do not wish to know God and who refuse to accept his plan to save them through our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:7, 8 TLB)

Some of these Thessalonians Paul wrote to were enduring terrible suffering, or had endured awful persecution. What they went through or were going through was the baseline for the eternal suffering those who were inflicting the persecution would endure for all eternity. The righteousness of God would crush those who harm His followers.

Hell is waiting for those who persecute Christians and those who refuse to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ. Paul wrote about the seriousness of ignoring God elsewhere:

So it was that when they gave God up and would not even acknowledge him, God gave them up to doing everything their evil minds could think of. (Romans 1:28 TLB)

Let me say this, then, speaking for the Lord: Live no longer as the unsaved do, for they are blinded and confused. Their closed hearts are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds against him, and they cannot understand his ways. (Ephesians 4:17, 18 TLB)

Their punishment will be “forever.” Literally, it will be “age-long.” The Greek word, aionion, is also used to describe the eternal life of believer. That word, when used of the duration of the punishment of the unsaved means it will be eternal. The consequences of sin, and especially of unbelief, are dire indeed. Paul describes this punishment as being forever banished from God’s presence; an unending existence away from any goodness. It will be the exact opposite of the eternal life promised believers. The fate of the wicked will be infinitely sad, too terrible to comprehend. But their fate is what they deserve. Salvation is theirs to reject.

One commentator observed:

Obey, and you enter into a light in which there is no darkness at all. Disobey, and you will pass eventually into darkness in which there is no light at all. It is not a question of less or more, of sooner or later, of better or worse; what is at stake in our attitude to the Gospel is life or death, heaven or hell, the outer darkness of the glory of Christ.

Revelation 20:14, 15

And Death and Hell were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the Second Death—the Lake of Fire. And if anyone’s name was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.

These verses take place in Heaven, at the Great White Throne Judgment. The throne is white because it symbolizes the absolute purity of the Judge.

And the Father leaves all judgment of sin to his Son. (John 5:22 TLB)

Given that Jesus also said, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30), most scholars see God sitting on the throne. There is no escaping the Judgement, unless you are Christian. In that case, you have already been judged in Jesus Christ. But every other man will be judged according to his works.

And just as it is destined that men die only once, and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died only once as an offering for the sins of many people; and he will come again, but not to deal again with our sins. (Hebrews 10:27, 28 TLB)

After so many millennia, death and Hades will be dealt with once and for all: they will be cast into the lake of fire. This strange, fiery lake is known as “the second death.” It’s called that because all those who died without Christ will die again in it. But it is “eternal death,” not annihilation, but a “forever” separation from God and anything good.

John’s final statement is so solemn it’s significance can’t be missed. The passport to Heaven is simply having one’s name written in the Book of Life. This means accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. To make sure your name never gets blotted out of this Book requires being an overcomer – a conquerer – one who has overcome his sins and held steadfastly to his faith.

Everyone who conquers will be clothed in white, and I will not erase his name from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that he is mine. (Revelation 3:5 TLB)

What is Hell? It’s the place where the unsaved will spend all eternity. It’s a dark, joyless, hopeless place. It’s a place where lost souls will remain for all eternity, with the full realization that had they made the right decision during their lifetime, they would be spending eternity in Heaven, with God and all the saints. Hell is just one decision away for every human being.

Are there literal flames in Hell? Ultimately all we need to know is the only thing that matters is whether or not our names are written in the Book of Life.

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Posts Tagged 'Satan'

Panic Podcast – Ask the Pastor: What about demons?

Panic Podcast: The Unseen World, Part 2

Lies the Devil Told Me

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