Striking the Root, Part 6

Understanding Jesus' Victory

Live from Salt Lake City, Utah, this is Heart of the Matter ESPRESSO! where we do all we can to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. I’m Shawn McCraney, your host.

Let's jump to the board and reiterate that Jesus has had the victory. What does this mean relative to Satan and Hell? Now, I have to admit that I have up until the past month clung to the idea that Satan is still in operation, that he is tempting but powerless – like he was in the garden of Eden before the fall. I was pretty sure of it. I was also once convinced that hell remained an after-life destination for some which would give up its dead to be judged at the Great White Throne judgement. But this too changed a while back. What caused the change? The scripture, that’s what.

Before I get into proving my present view on Satan and hell, here on the board we discover yet another bastion of religious bondage making in and through the subjects of Satan and hell. Again, I too have been guilty of this. But what about Jesus victory? If we believe He actually had the victory, in and through His life, death, resurrection and ascension, what’s up with Satan? Was he defeated or not? Today I implore you to see that yes, Satan is done with. He’s over. He got nothing but life in the Lake of Fire. And one reason I promote this is because if this is not the case, then Jesus victory is still failing.

The Role of Fear in Religious Doctrine

And we ought to fear Satan. And where there is fear there cannot be love. See that is what religions do – they keep us on high alert of the “enemy” – Satan. They keep us talking about him, reading books about him, watching teens worship him, and all of this keeps our eyes on the roaring lion instead of on the King. And when this is the case FEAR and Trepidation is the result – again the antithesis to freedom, fearlessness, liberation and a direct walk and talk with Him alone. So let me explain how all of this change in me came about this past month.

I was teaching from the book of Acts in Milk about a demon that inhabited a man which causing the man to thrash the heck out of seven brothers who pretended to be exorcists. I taught this from a biblical perspective and from the best of my ability and experience not realizing that some of my biblical prejudices and view were about to be confronted. This is how God seems to work in my life. A subject will come up and I will have a certain view that I teach or prepare to teach from and then all sorts of things coalesce during that certain window of time that push me in an entirely new and unexpected direction and prove my original assessment incorrect.

A Shift in Perspective

Sometimes this happens before presenting things publicly and sometimes it occurs after. I obviously prefer the former because the latter forces me to recant – and that is what today is – a public recantation of last week's presentation. Now, I don’t recant things unless there is a major amount of evidence at hand. In other words, because someone is unhappy with a position is never enough for me to recant. But when I experience an avalanche of views that prove my former position wrong I will repent – or change my mind.

The first rumblings of the avalanche hit last week right after Milk. Because of this story of the demons thrashing the seven sons we entered into a teaching on demons, exorcisms, possession, and it was here I made some statements that I believed represented the biblical view. Some of those statements included the fact that demons certainly continue to inhabit people – and I said “just come and visit our home some night if you don’t believe this.” I also said that all who are not of Christ are in some sense or fashion demon possessed – as Satan is the God of this fallen world so it would be natural for people who are of this world having demonic influence. I also said, and I quote: “Of course we call this psychosis, mental illness, epilepsy, etc. – but in the New Testament it was all just called demonic – one and the same to me.” Immediately after the service I was met with the first of several confrontations that lead to…

Exploring Demons, Satan, and Possession

It was from a sister – a devout Christian sister who loves the Lord – who was VERY upset. See, this sister is a confirmed schizophrenic and has suffered greatly from this ailment. And automatically I was faced with a problem – here was a woman who has come to Jesus, loves the Lord, but I was saying from the pulpit that her ailment was demon possession because this was how the Bible seems to have presented it. Hmmmm. One of the painful things about this woman’s experience was once when she was in a psychiatric hospital a well-meaning religious person visited her then unfairly reported back to interested parties that upon seeing her in the hospital she witnessed, “Satan in a business suit.” Our sister later confronted the woman with her assessment and told her, “I am a schizophrenic, I am not possessed by Satan.”

Of course, I tried to justify my views by saying that all sickness was demon possession due to the fact that Satan brought suffering into this world (by and through the fall) and this is why such episodes are authored by Him – just as it was Him who authors cancer, and sickness and death. I apologized profusely, admitting to some mental illness of my own (therefore some direct understanding) and we parted ways. But this situation opened my heart up to the topic of demons, Satan, and possession – and the standards we use from the Bible today – to justify our views.

Reevaluating the Influence of Satan

A few days later a brother from Arizona who follows the ministry – Carlos – texted me and said: “Alright Shawn, I’m feeling my oats. Don’t smack down on me too hard but I’ve just sent you a on Satan and the preterist view.” With the door opened into my heart by my suffering sister I was intrigued. I have long taught that while Satan has been rendered powerless He was still allowed to roam about tempting and trying people, just like he did in the garden of Eden before he had any power. I reviewed Carlos’s email and the passages therein and I was forced to reconsider what I had thought and taught – if or since Jesus' words and the apostles are correct and what they said about the end of the age occurred over 2000 years ago – then I had to reconsider my teachings on the whereabouts of Satan.

After re-reading the email and the biblical references therein, I sent Carlos a text that simply said: “I think you are right. And I can see my resistance to the notion coming out of my religious mindset established over the years. These thoughts have come at an interesting intersection of thoughts and circumstances for me. Thank you, brother, for sharing. It has opened my eyes even more.” This was me expressing what I believed was correct at the time – but I had yet to more fully investigate the matter through the word on my own. This was requisite to move me from my previous views and my new opinion on the subject, “to new belief.”

Biblical Interpretations and Views on Hell

Three weeks earlier we arranged to have a guest on our weekly Tuesday night show. His name is Glenn Hill and besides being a Bible teaching pastor for 47 years and loving the word, he was the one who introduced me to what he calls Christianity’s Greatest dilemma – the fact that the New Testament clearly taught that Jesus was coming back in their age but the Churches today clearly teach He has yet to come. Well, in driving with him a bit and hearing him on the show, the subject of hell came up and while I disagree with him on the afterlife future for unbelievers, I do agree with his position on hell – it’s a disputable topic that has been greatly manipulated (even in the King James) and in the end is over. Since demons and devils and Satan are associated with hell, I was more set to investigate the matter when someone mentioned from across the room an article on Satan relative to preterism.

I took a mental note and on Wednesday morning I read it, then began my biblical investigation to see how my schizophrenic sister's views, met with Carlos’s views, met with my preterist views, which met with Pastor Glenn Hill's views, which met with the article I read views, which met with my own biblical understanding. And I stand before you to not only recant what I postulated just last week from this very same.

Understanding the Role of Satan in Christian Theology

We have talked a lot about the second coming of Jesus being spoken of by Him in the New Testament as happening within forty years of His death and Resurrection, that all the apostles concurred (in their writings) with this view, and that the Book of Revelation plainly says to the seven churches in Asia minor (at least ten times) that he was about to “come quickly.” But what else is associated with His coming besides the destruction of Jerusalem and the wrapping up of that age? Whatever they are, they all SHOULD affect the way we read and see the New Testament today and the way we live our Christian faith. Well, a big subject that is directly addressed in scripture is the subject of Satan. It’s a difficult one because built right into the fabric of the faith of Good and God is the topic of Evil (and therefore Satan).

In other words, to most of us – including me last week – where or if there is a God of Light, there has to be a Demon of Dark – and as God is the author of our salvation, then Satan must be the author of our destruction. We cling to this and quite frankly letting it go – even if the Bible suggests we should – is really, really hard to do – especially in the face of our fallen evil world and all that goes on here. Satan is not only hugely important to most Christian denoms he has a thriving presence in the imaginations of the secular world to the point that people are said to worship him, and sell their souls to him, and are possessed by him or his minions. Isn’t it interesting that he is so embedded in our thinking that people give him as much attention and time as they give to God? I am one of those people – till now.

Biblical Insights on Satan's Role

So we have to appeal to what the Good Book says about Satan and believe it – WHAT IT SAYS – and not our traditions, our views or our opinions – no matter how convenient and obvious they appear to be. Is the devil/Satan/Lucifer (wrongly named) still in powerful or even operation today? What does the Bible say? Way back in Genesis 3:15 we read God saying to Satan (in the KJV): “And I will put enmity (hatred, hostility) between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Two bruises here – which sounds like an equal exchange of blows. But in another translation, the writers chose to put Genesis 3:15 this way: “And there will be war between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed: by him will your head be crushed and by you his foot will be wounded.”

Interpretations of Scripture on Satan

What gave the translators of the BBE Bible the right to change the two bruises to crushed and wounded? First of all, let’s decide who is being discussed here. Satan is being addressed and so we know he is one of the characters but here God says TO Satan – “By Him will your head be crushed and by you (Satan) his foot will be wounded.” All bible scholars admit that the “by Him” is speaking of Jesus. And see, Romans 16:20 and Hebrews 2:14 support this sound interpretation as Romans 16:20 says: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” Then Hebrews 2:14 says: “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is the devil.” 1 John 3:8 says “he who is doing the sin, of the devil he is, because from the beginning the devil doth sin; for this was the Son of God manifested, that he may DESTROY the works of the devil; The writer of Hebrews says Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through His death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; Colossians 2:15, written post death and resurrections of Jesus says in the past tense that Jesus . . .having spoiled principalities and powers, he made

The Victory Over Satan

Taking these New Testament descriptions of what Jesus would do to Satan, the BBE translators felt bruise (to describe the results of both Satan and Jesus) to be incorrect – to they altered Genesis 3:15 to read that He would crush Satan’s head while Satan would only wound His heel. So, the question is, has Jesus crushed His head, has he spoiled principalities and powers and triumphed over them – as the scripture says He has OR, is that warfare still going on?

Now we know that Satan introduced death, disease, and sin into the world. When did he accomplish this? When He got the first Adam to disobey God. So the first federal head of the human race – Adam – suffered a catastrophic loss to ha Satan (the Satan, as the Jews called Him). But all the way back in Genesis, in the face of this loss and all that it would entail, God promised that through the seed of Eve one (Jesus) would come and through His death and resurrection would crush his head (even though he would in the process, have his heel bruised).

The Role of Jesus Christ

Now remember this – its important – we might say that Satan authored / introduced sin and death to the world of Man through Adam. But we know that the second Adam Jesus Christ, by His death and taking on the Law and Sin, had – had- had the VICTORY over Satan. So there is that.

Now lets move on to Paul we read the following about the relationship between the first Adam and who he calls the Second Adam. Speaking of resurrection Paul writes: 1st Corinthians 15:21 For since by man (Adam and his following Satan) came death, by man (Jesus) came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (which scripture clearly establishes the time of when that would be) 24 Then cometh the end, when he (Jesus) shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. (All – and not just including Satan but ESPECIALLY Satan) 25 For he (Jesus) must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Revelations and the End Times

Has this happened? Has both physical death (authored by Satan) been overcome along with spiritual death because of Jesus? 1st Corinthians 15:24 says, “Then the end will come…”

Now turn with me to 2 Timothy 2:10: “…but it has now been revealed that through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” So, there is that. Then we turn to the Book of Revelation which was written to the Seven churches in Asia Minor, actual places, with actual believers reading the actual words of the Revelation and believing they had purpose in their walk and Christian faith. In Revelation 12:12 says to them “But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”

What does “his time is short” mean? Could it mean that Satan knew his time was running out? His number was being called up. Or could it mean in a futuristic sense that “soon” meant over 2000 years later? The phrase the time is short CAN NOT mean long in any way. Since time is an earthly construct with revolutions around the sun then short time means short time – and the Greek word used means that in every case it is used in scripture. So Revelation tells us that back then Satan knew His time was short.

What would occur at the end of his time here on earth and when would this happen? First, it would happen when Jesus came and wrapped up that age with His coming, and what would happen? Revelation 20:10 tells us, saying And the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where [are] the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night — to the ages of the ages. Add in the fact that Revelation 20:14 says that “death and Hades” were also thrown into what is called the “lake of fire” and we are left with

Challenges to Modern Christianity and Satan's Role

Some serious challenges to modern Christianity and its uses and views of Satan have arisen. But at this point, some will ask two main questions: First, who and what purpose did Satan play in biblical times – from the Garden of Eden to the end of the age (and then of course) and what about now? And then, if Satan was cast into the Lake of Fire, how does all this evil continue to exist on earth.

Let's talk about these two questions and begin with the first: What was the purpose of Satan in biblical times and why and how is this purpose over? Remember, we called Satan the author of sin and death. Scripture also calls Satan the accuser – that is the meaning of His name. Right off the bat, without ANY explanation, if or since Jesus overcame sin and death and the LAW, there is no place for accusation! Whoa, whoa, and freaking whoa.

Biblical Evidence of Satan's Purpose

This is huge. But let's use the Bible to see if what I have said holds water. And we will start in the Old Testament book of Daniel 9:24 which, speaking of what Jesus would do in and through His life and ministry, says: “Seventy “sevens” (these are symbolic weeks) are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.”

The Hebrew word for, “…to put an end to sin…” is “Taman” and here it means to COMPLETELY destroy it. Now some say that this is talking about animal sacrifices – not so, because in verse 27 of the same chapter it speaks of sacrifices and offerings that says that there “will put an end to sacrifices and offerings…” too. But this is a different word than TAMAN – its SABAT, which means to rest or cease – which did happen according to Josephus, around February of 67 AD. (“Works of Josephus”, volume 1, and page 430).

So again, Daniel prophesied that in the Seventy weeks “Seventy “sevens” are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.” Got that in place. So we move out to the New Testament book of Hebrews where it says: “…But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by sacrifice of himself.”

Sin and Law in the New Testament

To do AWAY with sin? How is this possible? We see sin all around us? Did He really accomplish this? Turn to 1 John 3:4-9. I want to put this into context so we will read the whole text. It says: “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away (or remove) our sins. And in him is no sin.

Here we realize some things – Sin is to break the law – sin is lawlessness. But He APPEARED so that He might take away our sin. And in Him is no sin. How did he take away our sin? Not those that we HAVE committed but the future committing of them? He took them away by removing the law. Remember, everyone who sins breaks the law.

Doing this on our behalf, having the Law nailed to His cross, John now says: No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seen remains in him, he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

Now, hang with me and look at Romans 7:7-11 where Paul says: “Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ”Do not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the Law, produced in me…

The Relationship Between Law and Sin

Every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. What does the phase, “apart from law, sin is dead,” mean? He means that when the Law is gone so is sin. No law, no sin. Romans 4:15 puts it plainly, saying: “.. because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.” Now hand with me here. Satan’s name means, the accuser. If there is no law, what can Satan accuse people of? Certainly NOT sin! So when the law was fulfilled by Jesus, Satan’s role as accuser was over. Get it?

The “law” is no more which supports the fact that Satan is no more and that with the end of the age He was tossed into the Lake of Fire. Remember what I asked you to remember? I said: “we might say that Satan, whose name means accuser, authored / introduced sin and death to the world.” Is there a relationship to Law and Sin? I just proved there is. So in essence, Satan was needed when the Law was in place – to accuse and tempt and try. Remove the Law, we remove the ability to accuse!

The Accuser's Role and the Law

Is there a relationship between Law and death (which Satan is author of but Jesus overcame?) Paul says it this way: Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Who was the accuser under the time when the Law of sin and death was in place? Ha Satan. Remove the law, Satan’s power is gone. We might go so far as to say that whenever the Law is reintroduced the dead ways of Satan are revived being sin and death to the Spirit.

So there is that. Paul makes it clear that we are dead to the Law as it was nailed to the cross, that the presence of the law is equivalent to the presence of sin and the wages of sin is death. But with Jesus destroying the last enemy (which was death) the wages of sin are proven destroyed, and therefore the presence of the Law and therefore the place and position of the Accuser before the throne of God.

The End of Law, Sin, and Death

For Paul, death is abolished when the state of sin and the law are abolished. The state of sin, the law, and consequently death are abolished when the old Covenant aeon is consummated, giving place to the New Covenant aeon of life and righteousness. Did the Second Coming affect everyone, both the save and unsaved? Did the Kingdom only come for a certain group of people or everyone? Was the judgement for everyone? Did the passing of the law and the destruction of death affect everyone? If we are living in the results of promises made to the first century Christians, then the law, sin, death, Satan (the devil) no longer exist. Can’t.

And this plays directly into the way we approach living the faith in this day and age – which we will cover in a minute – but first, our second question: “If Satan was cast into the Lake of Fire how does all this evil continue to exist on earth.”

Let’s go back to the Garden of Eden when there was no fall. Adam and Eve had direct and open communication with God – and yet they had IN THEM the ability, of their own free will and out of their own human make-up and flesh, the ability to do wrong. In my estimation, their ability to do wrong was enhanced after the fall by and through the acquisition of knowledge – the greater knowledge they had (and the human race acquired, having eaten of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil) the greater their propensity to sin – all on their own accord.

Remember, they may have been tempted and enticed by Satan in the Garden, but they had within them the ability to desire, and lust, and to then choose. James says something really interesting in his epistle. In speaking of sin he doesn’t even mention Satan and temptation. All he says is: James 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth.

Personal Responsibility and Spiritual Understanding

Adam and Eve had their own desires and pursued them. James concludes this is the case with us – excluding the person of Satan. I believe strongly in the reality of personal responsibility before God. Satan had his purpose and place but we cannot kid ourselves as a people – we are very capable, using and appealing to our own imaginations, to take the knowledge we have of life in this carnal world, and live by the desires and enticements of our own flesh. As the ages have rolled forward we have proven ourselves capable of all manner of evil – which is essentially defined by the absence of God or light in our lives. Satan was a being that promoted the vacuity of the absence of God – but he was not the darkness itself. That is present wherever and whenever God is not present.

We are a creature that always want to blame someone or something else for our problems. It’s why we want to hang on to the existence of Satan. We do not want to have personal responsibility for our actions. In fact, the continued promotion of Satan serves to give the other team a leader under which to rally and speak. The reality is we all get to choose life or death – embodied in the reality of God or world, not God or Satan. They are not in the same universe.

Embracing God-Given Treatments

Final point. All of these conclusions will go a long long long way in Christians today taking responsibility in the care and consideration of others. If we choose to appeal and apply to scripture, and believe what it says, then we cannot make the mistake last week that I made, and place human suffering in the hands of demons and devils. It is the result of genetics, nurture, disease, and deficiencies. This understanding will open us up to embracing viable God given treatments to physical ailments and remove them from spiritual realms. This is not to say prayers, and Christian love, and sharing Christ do not go a long way in the treatment of the suffering. It is to say that there is strong biblical evidence that demons are not part of the problem any longer. We are.

Understanding the Good News

The Good News “Come, buy without money free of price” “all the world.” Gratitude, freedom, love, and joy conform to us by joining us. Always Bad News, somehow, in the end. Unburdening of Cares. Come unto me and I will give you rest. Yoke is easy, His burden light. Joy, assignments, and demands of man. Support our causes. Burdens. True Humility. “Become as Little Children” “Weak things of the World.” Humility and the Spirit, intellectualism, fleshly wisdom, endless debates, power plays, politicking. Arrogance, dogma, worldly strategies. Hell and afterlife punishment. He has had the Victory. End of “all things Satan” is OVER. Hope and Peace. No FEAR. No focus on demons. Hell and Lake of Fire! Satan! Demons! FEAR.

Authority and Spiritual Living

He has all Authority. Christ is our direct Head by the Spirit. He is IN us. Faith, trust, and growth in the Spirit. “We have the Authority” “We represent Him on earth.” Pleasing Man, trusting Man and fearing man more than God. We Live by the Spirit. Laws written on hearts. Freedom to Love. Misappropriating the Bible Content to their advantage. Manipulation. All things lawful and legal. Walk in the Spirit. Freedom to be led internally by God through Faith. “Legalisms.” Material, doctrinal, practical, moral, financial. Law = Sin. Hamster wheel. Measuring up. REPENTANCE.

Saw all through to the End. End of all things. All will happen within a Generation. Bible all about that day and age materially. Reasonable context provides freedom & rest. Second Coming is eminent. This end is still coming! Uncertainty, compulsion, fear. He ended Material Religion. “Son of Man has no place to rest His head” and “he will shake everything until the only thing left will be unshakeable.” “A Kingdom Not of this World.” “It’s a Spiritual Kingdom.” “The Kingdom of God is within you.” We are living temples offering up living sacrifices to God. Materialism, strategy, market share, brick and mortar, worship.

The Concept of Worldly Kingdoms

A Worldly Kingdom that reassures itself that it is not of this world.

• Emotionalism
• Materialism
• Consumerism
• Participationism

He is the Living Word. The Bible is a map not a manual. It is spiritually discerned not materially mandated. A living witness to assist us in all we believe.

Subjectivity in Faith

Because of the above, the Faith is ENTIRELY Subjective. All “go alone” to God after this life. Mark 9. No man judges another. Free by the Spirit. Liberty in Christ. Law written on hearts. Freedom to seek a DIRECT relationship with God in whatever ways we are lead.

Objective Faith and Its Challenges

An Oppressive Objective Faith

• Ontology of God
• Baptisms
• Holy Spirit
• Authority
• Rites/Observances
• Lifestyles
• Bible Trans
• Judging

Dogma, Denominationalism, In-fighting, “Us verses them.” And in the end, those who have embraced all of the above become so ensconced in the system, so zealous, so committed to it, they have little time or inclination to question what the few are doing to them.

LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
DIVISION
ANGER/INFIGHTING