Lesson for May 5, 2024
The Fragmented Life
Lesson 1
When believers in Jesus Christ decide to live in Satan’s world system, their lives become fragmented to the point where they cannot be distinguished from unbelievers. This fragmented life is the life that God wants believers to avoid. To understand this, we must go back into eternity past and see where the conflict between God and Satan began. There are two passages of Scripture that address this conflict clearly: Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-19.
The Angelic Conflict
The Angelic Conflict is the result of Lucifer (Satan), and one-third of the angelic beings, rebelling against God, when all angels made a decision for or against God. The Angelic Conflict refers to two “trials” of Satan and fallen angels, the original trial in prehistoric times and the appeal trial during human history. There are five “I will’s” that caused Lucifer to rebel against God: 1) Pride – when Satan said he would ascend into Heaven. Satan tried to take over the throne of God and replace God. 2) Inappropriate ambition – when Satan said he would exalt his throne above the stars (angels) of God. Satan wanted to rule over all the angels. 3) Power lust -when Satan said he would sit in the mount of the congregation. Satan wanted to rule over earth. 4) Ego lust – when Satan said he would ascend above the heights of the clouds. Satan wanted to displace God as the Sovereign of the universe. Satan wanted to usurp God’s authority. 5) Power madness – when Satan said I will be like the Most-High. Satan wanted to counterfeit God in every aspect.
There are two categories of fallen angels under the command of Satan: 1) the angels of Genesis 6 who were involved in the angelic attack to infiltrate the human race and are imprisoned in Tartarus, a compartment of Hades. (Jude 6) 2) the angels who are demons. The fact that Satan has an organization of fallen angels means that he is prepared to attack the human race. His organization is described in Ephesians 6:12, “Because our warfare is not against flesh and blood but against rulers [ranking officers], against authorities [officer corps], against world rulers of this darkness [ambassadors to world powers], against spirit forces of evil in the heavenlies [his entire army].”
Demon attacks on unbelievers is limited to two categories: 1) demon possession in which a demon enters the body of an unbeliever and 2) demon influence in which demon doctrines enter the soul of an unbeliever. Demon attacks on believers are limited to demon influence, in which the doctrine of demons is allowed to influence the soul. I Timothy 4:1-2, “But the Spirit explicitly teaches that in latter periods of time some believers will withdraw from doctrine, concentrating on deceitful spirits (demons) and the doctrines from demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.”
Negative volition to doctrine creates a vacuum in the soul which draws in all the false concepts that Satan has developed for believers to be distracted from the plan of God. Satan has a strategic plan that counterfeits God’s plan. II Corinthians 2:11, “That no advantage be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his strategies.” The implication is that Satan can very easily take advantage of us unless we understand something of his strategy and unless we understand why we are here. Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the full armor from God so that you might always be able to hold your ground against the strategies of the devil.” These verses indicate that Satan has planned offensive action against the human race, especially against believers. Satan’s offensive action demands dependence on the filling of the Holy Spirit and Bible doctrine. The mandates for defensive action against the power of Satan are very important. Ephesians 4:27, “Do not give place to the devil.”
Believers are commanded to defend against Satan’s strategy. Defensive action is a grace function of learning Bible doctrine as a line of defense mechanism in your soul. Ephesians 6:13, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” The Roman soldier pictured in Ephesians 6 was able to get dressed for battle in a few minutes and be ready to defend himself, as every believer should be as well. James 4:7, “Hold your ground against the devil and he will flee from you.” You can hold your ground only by means of Bible doctrine and the filling of the Holy Spirit.
I Peter 5:8-9 in corrected translation, “Attain spiritual self-esteem, be alert. Your enemy the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some believer to devour. Therefore, hold your ground against him standing firm in doctrine….” What God has provided in grace for our defensive action has no weaknesses. When we use our human strengths and abilities against Satan, we will be defeated. Encouragement for defensive action against Satan is found in I John 4:4, where we are told, “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”
When Satan revolted against God with the thought “I will be like the Most-High God,” the Angelic Conflict began. All rebellion begins with a thought. The result of Satan’s thought indicated that he had great angelic power when he succeeded in persuading one-third of all angelic beings to revolt with him. (Revelation 12:4) The result of the conflict was a great trial in which Satan and all fallen angels were condemned to the eternal Lake of Fire. Matthew 25:41, “…depart from Me, you who have been condemned, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.”
Satan obviously appealed this judgment (or he would already be in the Lake of Fire). Therefore, mankind was created to resolve the conflict. Satan’s offensive strategy is directed entirely toward the free will of mankind, and specially toward believers. Revelation 12:9, “And the great dragon was thrown down out of heaven, the serpent of ancient times who is called the devil and Satan, who deceived the entire inhabited earth; he was cast down to the earth and his angels were cast out with him.”
Satan’s strategy is designed to attack the human race and corrupt human volition. At the point of Gospel-hearing, Satan seeks to obscure the content of the Gospel with human works. Satan’s objective is to establish systems of religion in which the human works of mankind replace the grace of God. The obscurity that Satan places over the Gospel through religion is lifted by faith by Christ. Satan also seeks to obscure the importance of doctrine to believers. This is accomplished through false doctrine, legalism, details of life distraction, false scales of values, and many other evil ways. (II Corinthians 4:3-4; Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:28; Ephesians 2:8-9)
By neutralizing the importance of Bible doctrine in the life of a believer, they are hindered from executing the plan of God. Satan attacks a believer’s thinking with false satanic doctrine. And he has done a masterful job in getting people to think his false doctrine and human viewpoint.
Satan is constantly bringing accusations against believers in Heaven. (Zechariah 3:1; Revelation 12:10) Demons provide the information for the accusations of Satan against believers. The name “Satan” means an adversary and a slanderer. Fortunately, we have Jesus Christ to defend us, as our defense attorney. I John 2:1-2, “And if any believer sins, we have a “defense attorney” (advocate) with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the entire world.”
Let’s not forget that God has a much larger army of elect angels who minister to believers during this age. God’s Word gives us quite a lot about angels. When we examine the original languages of Hebrew and Greek and the meaning for various words used to describe angels, we get a very good picture of the nature and function of angels.
Angels are created spirit beings. (Ephesians 3:9-10; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:7,14) Nowhere in the Bible are angels said to be human beings that have died and become angels. Angels are individuals. (Ezekiel 1:5) Angels were created in eternity past. (Job 38:4-7) Angels are not born and they do not die. (Matthew 25:41) Angels are countless in number. (Revelation 5:11; Hebrews 12:22; Luke 2:13) Angels are generally invisible to man (except on certain occasions). (Colossians 1:16; Genesis 6) Angels are not to be worshipped. (Colossians 2:18) Angels render intelligent worship to God. (Psalms 148:2) Angels have limited knowledge. (Matthew 24:36) Angels are now inferior to Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 1:4-14) Angels are superior to man (this included the humanity of Christ while He was on earth). (Luke 4:33-34; Psalms 103:20; Hebrews 2:6-7; Daniel 9:21) Angels observe mankind. (Ephesians 3:10; I Peter 1:12) Angels are always referred to as males and the word angel is always used in the masculine form. (Genesis 19:1-22; Matthew 28:3) Two elect angels are named in the Bible – Michael in Daniel 10:13, 12:1, Jude 9, Revelation 12:7-8 and Gabriel in Daniel 8:12, 9:21; Luke 1:19. Satan is a fallen angel originally named Lucifer. (Isaiah 14:12)
The words used for angels give insight to their functions. Let’s examine some of these words from Scripture and their meanings.
- Principalities – Greek: “arche” – rule or authority. This tells us that angels are organized by rank under authority. (Romans 8:38)
- Powers – Greek: “exousia” – authorities. This is a reference to those that execute the authority. (I Peter 3:22)
- Might – Greek: “dunamis” – power, strength. Supernatural power of an individual angel. (Ephesians 1:21)
- Dominion – Greek: “kuriotes” – lordship. A special class of angels. (Colossians 1:16)
- Thrones – Greek: “thronos” – seat of authority. Name of a class of angels. (Colossians 1:16)
- Ruler – Greek: “kosmoskrator” – world ruler. Angels that have authority in Satan’s world system. (Ephesians 6:12)
- Angel – Greek: “angelos” – messenger. Angels that carry messages. (Hebrews 1:13-14)
Elect or holy angels are categorized as Michael the Archangel, (Chief Angel), Cherub, the highest order (cherubim, plural) and Seraph, the second highest in order (seraphim, plural). Michael is the head of God’s army, guards the nation of Israel and directly opposes Satan. (Revelation 12:7; Daniel 12:1; Jude 9) Gabriel is the only other elect angel named in Scripture. Gabriel announced the birth of Christ, brought the message of John the Baptist’s birth, and will announce the Rapture. (Luke 1:11-33; I Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Elect angels have a specific relation to believers. They are observers of our lives and they rejoice in the salvation of a person. They are said to be ministering spirits to believers. Elect angels are given to every believer as guardians, and they guard children. (Galatians 3:19; Acts 7:53; Luke 15:7, 10; I Corinthians 4:9; I Peter 1:12; Psalms 34:7; Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:14)