Is evil and entity?

If surveys are correct most people don't really believe in Satan or Hell anymore. You may be surprised that even large numbers of conservative and evangelical believers don't believe in the biblical descriptions of evil as an entity. A recent study by the Barna Institute determined that only 27 percent of all adults, and 46 percent of born again adult Christians, believe Satan is a real force. The same survey said only 34 percent of all adults now believe in absolute truth.

As a pastor I was surprised one Sunday morning when I asked the adult class if they believed in Hell. Only a few did. I contended then, and do now, that the declining view of evil as an entity has had a distorting effect on American Christianity.

Take the death penalty for instance. Most Christians in this country support it. Even though studies continue to question it's usefulness as a deterrent, the death penalty is still considered a necessary evil for justice. But if evil in an entity, can using evil to stop evil bring justice?

Just as confusing is the Christian support for war. How can any thinking believer not know that war brings evil and suffering into existence. The so called just war argument, that wars should be fought in a way that limits the suffering of innocent people, is just not possible today, if it ever was. So if war brings evil, war as a tool uses the same entity, evil, to fight what we are trying to stop, evil

Is this what Jesus was talking about when he said do not return evil for evil?

The Bible clearly sees both evil and morality as absolute. In one of the first sagas God sees Cain's anger over his rejection and wars the brother

“If you do well, surely you will be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door, and it's desire is for you, but you must master it” Genesis 4:7 ASV)

Poor Cain. God rejects his offering for Able's without any explanation. The Bible doesn't say Cain's offering was as good as Able's, only that God accepted Able's and rejected Cain's. What God does say is to be ware of sin which is “crouching” (like a tiger) behind the door to pounce on him

I have experienced the devastation of this kind of sin first hand in the ministry. Not from evil people, but from well meaning Christians who became jealous of other brothers and sisters in the congregation and allowed sin to overtake them. Usually this results in a power struggle that damages the body of Christ. People lose prospective and don't see the evil they are doing. And our ministry in Jesus Christ suffers.

Evil indeed crouches behind the door of every Christian congregation hoping to damage the church. Sometimes jealousy is the weapon of choice, sometimes sex, and of course, money. I once helped counsel a group of deacons in a congregation where the two top leaders, not married to each other, had been caught in an affair. Our first impulse is to blame the people of course. But I reminded the deacons that, though these persons certainly had made bad choices, it was evil trying to damage the congregation and not the persons we needed to attack. A plan for counseling and reconciliation was adopted with the help of outside guidance. One of the leaders later was reinstated back to their previous position. The other quit the program and left the church. Not only did the church body remain in tact during the process, attendance actually increased. About a year and a half later the pastor resigned under fire and left. The issues reported were different, but I saw it as a result of the first problem. The process still had been incredibly stressful for the congregation. The crouching tiger never leaves but waits for another chance to attack.

If the Barna survey had asked if people believed in evil as an entity the affirmative results no doubt would have been higher. Satan is definitely about as popular as congress these days. Biblical scholarship has cast doubt on the accuracy of our present understanding of Satan as King of Evil. For instance the snake in the garden of evil, traditionally considered to be Satan, probably was more a symbol of human wisdom. In the story of Job Satan is the prosecuting attorney, and angel at God's side, and not a demon. The Jewish understanding of Satan seems to have developed during the time of their Persian exile. And the idea that the devil rules in Hell doesn't come from the Bible.

So is there a Satan. Some days I would say no but Jesus did say: “I saw Satan fall from Heaven like lightning.” (Luke 10:18 ASV) It's possible this is not an original saying addition but a later addition. However, I would not be so bold as to suggest this. For myself, I do believe that a force like Satan exists. And I definitely believe in demon possession.

Isaiah 14:12 speaks of the morning star being cast down to earth. The passage has traditionally been thought to refer to Satan. However, it much more likely Isiah was speaking of the ruler of Assyria. For more information on the term Lucifer and this passage see The Voice site.

My belief in demons was not always so. Ironically I came to believe while attending the Church of the Brethern's Bethany Theological Seminary. A Seminary considered by some to be a liberal place of learning. Two events changed my opinion. One was a discussion with a fellow student and friend, who had been a missionary in Africa. When I asked him if he believed in demons he said definitely so. And warned me not to take the topic lightly. For the things he had seen while in Africa convinced him of such evil power.

The second even happened while attending the class of one of Bethany's most liberal, and one of my favorite professors. The professor was speaking about Paul's teaching of principalities and powers. Suggesting that Paul was not speaking of demons and other worldly powers. The professor went on to observe that demons do not exist. One of the students in class as a Baptist who was attending another seminary close by, but taking this Corinthians course at Bethany. He immediately challenged the professor observing that demons do exist. He explained he was converted out of demon worship and had seen things that proved the existence of demons. The professor balked and said only that: “I can't see that.”

During my first pastorate on the eastern plains of Colorado I had the opportunity to visit with an elderly Mennonite couple who had returned from South American where they had ministered as exorcists. Leading all night sessions of prayer and hymn singing to cast out demons. These were people who were quite ordinary and not eccentric in any way. In some parts of South America Catholic symbols are worshiped both as the presence of Christian and pagan religion. Some who worship this way leave themselves open to demon possession.

From what I understand demons don't possess just anyone as in movies. They have to be invited in through ritual or drug use. We never hear much about demon possession in the United States. Which leads me to believe that, like my beloved professor, we just don't see them.

Of course I'm not saying that all evil comes from an evil entity, or demons. We human are perfectly capable of whipping up our own batches of evil. Some of what Christians once thought to be demon possession we know now to be medical illness. And mental illness often displays evil but the person's aren't always responsible for their actions. What's called for is discernment and understanding.

The good news is that the way to deal with evil no matter what the source is always the same. Faith in Jesus Christ, his teaching, and his life example. In other words, hopefully what most Christians are doing already. This requires we always be on guard against sin that's crouching and waiting for us. Many of us need to learn the traditional disciplines of confession and repentance.

Other recent polls and studies have concluded that most Americans believe they are good people, living good lives. Any spiritual teacher from almost any religion will tell us that thinking like that is the first sign we are in real spiritual trouble.

In his book Hope In The Fast Lane, J. Keith Miller writes about the sin disease. For the purpose of our understanding Miller compares sin to a medical illness. An illness, he said, which is under treated by many Christians. The treatment for sin, of course, is confession. Miller notes that the discipline of confession has all but been lost in today's churches. He recommends use of the 12-step program as a method to restore confession and repentance in congregational life. If this suggestion seems unnecessary, or even drastic, consider that the 12-step counseling program is really nothing more than traditional Christian confession made into a usable format. Both Keith and I believe that Christians often hide their sin so well from themselves, that they become unaware of it's existence. Which might explain why well intentioned Christians can sin while thinking they are living good lives.

Taking sin and evil seriously has always been a necessary foundation for living the Christian lifestyle. We may not agree on the existence and form of evil, but it would be foolhardy to doubt it's existence. Even as a hidden force in our own lives.

Monty Keeling
September 26, 2009