Doctrines of Demons, Part 1

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…" 1 Timothy 4:1

Do you realize demons have doctrines? But where God’s doctrine strengthens and sanctifies, demonic doctrine divides and weakens. God’s doctrine builds up. Demonic doctrine tears down. God’s doctrine leads to life. Demonic doctrine, to a spiritual death. However, at first glance, demonic doctrine can appear strikingly similar to God’s. Today, it is preached from many pulpits. Why? Because like a counterfeit currency, Satan’s doctrine is too easy to unknowingly accept.

Christians are engaged in a battle against the kingdom of darkness. This kingdom’s actors are not physical, but spiritual in nature. In Ephesians 6:12 Paul writes, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Further, according to Revelation 12, when Satan fell, he took one-third of heaven’s angels with him. Though they are a defeated enemy, they stubbornly resist giving up what God has called his church to possess (reference The True Work of the Church). The kingdom of darkness is skilled, highly experienced, and quite real.

And it operates on doctrine.

What are Doctrines?

Doctrines describe how something works. For example, one of the foundations of an economy is the law of (doctrine of) supply and demand. Similarly, spiritual doctrines describe how God’s economy works. Remember the beatitudes? God’s economy runs on different stuff than we typically value here on earth. The Beatitudes present doctrines which are unexpected and downright non-human. Meekness? Poverty of spirit? Mourning? The kingdom of heaven runs on these things? Yes, and Scripture describes other doctrines of the kingdom of heaven as well, such as forgiveness, salvation, sanctification, justification, and more.

Likewise, demonic doctrines are spiritual principles which describe how the kingdom of darkness operates. This kingdom is not to be underestimated. Consider the various ways evil has infiltrated politics, schools, and even church denominations. This is not the work of a disorganized, ignorant enemy. On the contrary, Satan’s craft evidences a patient, thorough, and relentless adversary. One of which we should be aware.

Doctrine of Demons

Demonic doctrines can be difficult to discern. However, they contain similarities which, with practice, one can quickly identify. Consider what Jesus said when defending himself against accusations that he cast out demons by using Satan’s power. "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad" (Matthew 12:30). He makes clear that only two sides exist upon which doctrine can be based. To solidify this point, Paul wrote, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons” (1 Corinthians 10:21). Though speaking of eating food sacrificed to idols, his exhortation is applicable to other aspects of our faith. Either we are for Jesus or against him.

Doctrines are either heavenly or demonic.

Commonalities

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies…" 1 Timothy 4:1-2

"But know this, that in the last days…men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power….But you have carefully followed my doctrine…" 2 Timothy 3:1-10

Doctrines of demons oppose those of God. As the Serpent twisted God’s words when he tempted Eve, they too twist Scripture to support that which God never intended. They hyperfocus on certain verses and add to them until the result opposes the broader council of God’s word. Though it may be easy to identify pride, boasting, and blasphemy as doctrines of demons (see scriptures above), others are difficult to discern and equally damaging.

Commonality #1: Doctrines of demons oppose Scripture and the doctrines of God.

Another means to identify demonic doctrine is to look where it leads. Does it cause oneness or division? Jesus, while praying for those who would believe in him, asks God, “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21). The reason for this oneness is so that the world may believe in Jesus. Yes, oneness benefits you and I, but its deeper purpose is for the glory of God.

Here I should mention that oneness is not overlooking sin. The New Testament is filled with exhortations to correct and rebuke those in the church who are engaged in sin. Oneness is, “speaking the truth in love,” so that the church, “may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). Again, it’s about God, not us.

In the verses above from 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy, not only do doctrines of demons oppose scripture, they:

• lead to division

• lead believers away from the faith

• perpetuate lies

Commonality #2: Doctrines of demons lead to division, lead believers away from the faith, and perpetuate lies.

Example

“God is love, and love wouldn’t condemn a believer just because they ______.”

This is a doctrine of “tolerance”, and is often espoused as virtuous by those within the church. It has infiltrated denominations to the highest levels and is as damaging as allowing a family member to drink poisoned water and never alerting them. Both lead to death. An entire article could be devoted to the doctrine of tolerance, but consider the main characteristics that mark it as demonic:

1. It leads to division and perpetuates lies. As Scripture says, “you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons” (1 Corinthians 10:21). This “table of demons” can represent sin, and believers cannot tolerate sin among themselves. The lie is that God overlooks sin among his elect. Division is a natural result of unrepentant believers trying to enjoy oneness with repentant ones.
   Note: Christians are exhorted to police sin within the church, bearing all mercy and grace. However, outside the church we aren’t to judge. Outside the church, sin is the native language and natural state.

2. It opposes Scripture. It hyperfocuses on “love”, adds to it, and ignores other admonitions of Scripture. Instead of defining love as God does, it ascribes human characteristics to God and effectively says, “If God is love, he will act like this…” No, we define love by God, not the other way around.

3. It twists truth. Jesus never rejected anyone who was truly repentant, but also didn’t leave them in the same state as when found. He healed the paralytic and forgave him of his sins at the same time. He did not say, “It’s OK. I love you as a cripple.” No, he loved the cripple, but also made him stand up and walk home.

For clarity, opposing Scripture or twisting truth is not a difference of interpretation. For example, when it comes to the rapture, I generally fall into the pre-wrath camp, but also see support for pre-tribulation and post-tribulation interpretations. In the end, it makes little difference and certainly is not an issue of sin or rebellion. Opposition to Scripture and twisting its truth, however, is.

Jesus loved the cripple, but also made him stand up and walk home.

Our True Struggle

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. It is not against people, but the spirits operating behind them. It is tempting to direct our struggle against the politician, the church member, or the family member deceived by the kingdom of darkness and perpetuating its doctrine. However, God says to love even our enemies. Jesus Christ gave his life for that person. Loving them can be difficult. Know when to show mercy, and when to speak truth. Jesus, too, spoke plain truth when the Pharisees persisted in prideful disbelief and called them sons of Satan (reference John 8:44). This was one of the most loving things they could ever hear, an invitation to repent from their demonic doctrines. In all, love others while keeping in mind the true enemy.

To illustrate how easy it is to be unwittingly influenced by the kingdom of darkness, consider the disciples James and John. When a certain village did not accept Jesus’s teaching, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” Maybe their question was in jest, yet still Jesus rebuked them by saying, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.” Luke 9:54-55. These two disciples who attended Jesus Christ daily were somehow deceived by the kingdom of darkness and spoke from an improper spirit. If them, how much easier can I.

How to Defend

Paul exhorts the church that we should no longer, “be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Ephesians 4:14). In other words, identify and reject doctrines of demons. How? Study the surrounding context of that passage for the answer. However, I summarize it this way: Grow up. Become mature. Know the Scriptures.

Don’t blindly accept every pastor’s teaching (or mine) as truth, but be like the Bereans who, “were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). You go to church? Good. So can demons. Compare any teaching to God’s word. Ingest it yourself every day. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and ask him for discernment. Then, if something doesn’t feel right, figure out why.

Finally, ask God to open your eyes to any false doctrines to which you may already subscribe. "And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (2 Kings 6:17). Just as God opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to see the divine battle all about, God can open our spiritual eyes to discern demonic doctrine among truth. Just ask him!

Future articles will discuss specific demonic doctrines, such as cessation, Jesus abolishing the law, and the church replacing Israel. Stay tuned and subscribe!