DON’T GO BACK FROM SONSHIP TO SLAVERY
Part -1
HOW SATAN ENSLAVES PEOPLE?
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5:1 NIV84.
Yet what I see happening in the world today is the ever-increasing enslavement of people.
What makes this process of enslavement so sinister is that the majority are losing their freedoms by choosing it, supporting it, promoting it, and actively seeking to recruit others to be enslaved—all under the delusion that it is for their good.
Oh, how I long for the kingdom of Heaven, in which all people will be genuinely free, for God’s kingdom is the opposite of Satan’s.
JUDGING TWO KINGDOMS
In Isaiah chapter 14, the Bible describes Satan’s motives, desires, goals, and how he operates, revealing to us how we can identify satanic principles at work.
“You said in your heart, “I will ascend to Heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Highest” vv.13,14 NIV84).
Satan’s motive is self-exaltation; he desires to rule over others; his goal is domination—to exploit the masses for his benefit.
His method of deception and the outcome of applying his principles is death.
“He [Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 8:4 NIV84; see also Hebrews 2:14
This is the exact opposite of Jesus, whose motive is love. John 15:13. He desires to bless others and his goal is the unity of friendship. John 15:15;
2 Corinthians 5: 17-21.
Jesus is the source of truth and life. John 14:16.
The Bible describes Jesus’ motives, desires, and goals:
“Christ Jesus…being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2: 5-8 NIV84.
Greater love has no one than this: that He lay down His life for His friends. John 15:13 NIV84.
Jesus uses His power to bless and uplift the masses, not dominate and exploit them!
Satan uses deception to break our connection of love and trust with God and incite fear. As soon as Adam and Eve sinned, they ran and hid because they were afraid. Genesis 3:10.
Fear is theresultof sin; it turns us away from love and trust. But Jesus’ kingdom is the kingdom of truth and love, and “there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” 1 John 4:18 NIV84.
Satan wants us to be his slaves, pawns serfs—mindless drones controlled by him. On the other hand, Jesus wants us to be free— understanding friends with self-governance who live in harmony with Him and His Father.
John 15:15; Galatians 5:22.
Satan’s kingdom uses lies, power, force, coercion, and other method to destroy individuality and take away freedom. God’s kingdom uses truth, love, and freedom to ennoble and develop individuals to gain ever more autonomy and liberty in harmony with the principles of truth and love.
Understanding these differences gives insight into how Satan manipulates people to collude with evil, to use his methods, and, thereby, to enslave and entrap themselves.
When God’s principles are practiced, people are ennobled—they develop ever-greater abilities to think, reason, and discern and gain greater virtues of Godly character, greater autonomy, greater ability to love, and greater freedom.
When Satan’s methods are in operation, people will eventually lose their ability to be free, independent, and autonomous— they become enslaved.
In the Garden of Eden, Satan promised Adam and Eve that they would advance, develop, and improve themselves to become like God if they would only disobey God and take the fruit. And, of course, they only enslaved themselves and their descendants into fear, selfishness, and sin.
DON’T GO BACK FROM SONSHIP TO SLAVERY
When we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the Universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons and daughters.
And because we are the sons and daughters, God has sent the spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying,” Abba! Father! “So, through God, you are no longer a slave but sons and daughters.
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were in bondage to beings that by nature are no Gods; but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits, whose slaves you want to be once more?
THE WORK OF DEMONS
Of course, not many people today believe that there are such things as demons—evil spirits who oppose God, blind the minds of unbelievers, and do their best to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
There is such a difference between voodoo, witch doctors, black magic, divination, and exorcism, on the one hand, and space technology, micro-surgery, word processors, and psychotherapy, on the other hand, that the emancipated, enlightened, high-tech West finds it hard to believe in demons.
Even though our Lord took demons with deadly seriousness, we find it hard to take them seriously because in our culture we don’t see many of the kinds of strange supernatural manifestations we typically associate with demons.
But if we reject their reality, we reject the counsel of Jesus and all His apostles. “If by the finger of God, I cast out demons, the kingdom of God has come upon you,” Jesus said. Luke 11:20.
Paul said,” We are not contending against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers… against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12.
Peter said, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8.
James said,” Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7.
John said,” Every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already.” 1 John 4:3.
What we need to realize is that already in the pre-scientific first century the apostle Paul, under divine inspiration, exposed a typical demonic scheme that is quite prevalent in twentieth-century Western society and just as destructive as any voodoo or witchcraft or divination.
It is clean, it is moral, it is religious, and it is hellish. Paul lays it out for us in Galatians 4:1-11.
The main point of the passage is, don’t turn back from Christ and become the slaves of demons. Notice verse 8 “Formally when you did not know God, you were in bondage to beings that by nature are no Gods.” Paul wants to reserve the word “GOD” for the one true God.
But he knows that formerly the Galatians were in bondage to beings that they called “Gods.”
And what’s important for us to see is that he does not deny the existence of these beings. He only denies that they have a nature that qualifies them to be called gods.
We see the same thing in 1 Corinthians 8:5,”For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—- as indeed there are many “gods” and many” Lords” – yet for us, there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things.”
In other words, though he doesn’t like the titles they carry, Paul admits that other so-called “Gods” or “Lords” do exist.
1 Corinthians 10:20 he makes it clear that these beings are demons:
“What pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.” So, in Galatians 4:8 Paul is saying that formerly the Gentile Galatians had not known the true God, but had been enslaved to demons, who exercised their power through religious practices.
The danger they were facing now as new Christians was that they might turn back and become enslaved after having tasted the joy and freedom of Christ. Notice verse 9
“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits, whose slaves you want to be one more?”
It is clear in the RSV that the translators regard the” weak and beggarly elemental spirits” (in verse 9) to be the same as the enslaving beings of verse 8:
You once were slaves to these demonic beings. Verse 9: how is it that you want to turn back now to those same enslaving elemental spirits? But other versions don’t use the translation “elemental spirits.”
The KJV has “weak and beggarly elements.” The NIV has “weak and miserable principles.”
And the NASB has “weak and worthless elemental things.” The Greek word behind all this (stoicheia) can have all those meanings: basic principles, elements of the material world, or spiritual beings standing between man and God. Part -2 to be cont.………
