The Supreme Ruler ordained the church, as He ordained civil government. He gave churches—as He has given individual, family and civil governments—His Word wherein they can learn God’s guidelines which He desires that they choose to follow. Most churches have followed Satan’s, not God’s, principles. He has used false teachers from the beginning. As a result, apostasy crept into the church shortly after its inception. That apostasy has accelerated in America as the tribulation approaches.
Many American churches today are heretical or apostate. They say, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. As to them, God says, you “knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Re. 3.17). They follow the principles of the god of this world, not God’s principles. They are of this world and follow the principles of the god of this world. Christ is not of this world, nor are his followers. [i]
Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression (1 Ti. 2.14, Ro. 5.14, Ge. 3.1-6). Christ was not deceived, but His bride was. “As the first Adam had to give up a perfect existence in order to be with his wife, so the last Adam, Christ (1 Co. 15.22, 45), stepped down from heaven to save his bride. While the first Adam ‘blew it,’ the last Adam would make everything right! (Ro. 5:12-21) Charles Wesley set this doctrine to music with the words, ‘Second Adam from above, reinstate us with thy love.’ … “The all-important verse that connects this typology to the present Laodicean apostasy is Ec. 1:9a: ‘The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done….’ Thus, the history of mankind will undoubtedly end the same way it began—with a bride being deceived!” (William P. Grady, How Satan Turned America Against God (Knoxville, Tennessee: Grady Publications, Inc., 2005), p. vii.).
Regardless of this inevitable apostasy and the events that are to follow, things are looking good for you and me—that is, if you are a Christian! Christians can have the ultimate hope: the hope that they will reign with the Lord. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Ro. 8.16-17) [Bold emphasis added]. This should be a cause for great rejoicing as well as incentive to be responsible members of a local autonomous New Testament church and to make sure that every effort is made to glorify God and assure that a church remains totally under Christ in every way. The Holy Spirit is now calling out, not the subjects, but the co-heirs and co-rulers of the kingdom.[ii]
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (Jn. 3.16-19).
“[Jesus], being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Ph. 2.6-8).
[ii] “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Ti. 2.11-12).
“And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Re. 1.6).
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne” (Re. 3.21).
“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Re. 5.10).
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.’ The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Ro. 8.15-18).
“Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life” (1 Co. 6.2-3)?
The Adamic Covenant, the covenant God made with Adam at the fall, promised the ultimate destruction of Satan through the “Seed of the woman.” Then began his long warfare against the work of God in behalf of humanity, which still continues.
Satan is a murderer and a liar, the father of lies (Jn. 8.44). He blinds people to the truth. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Co. 4.3-4).
At the same time Satan is blinding people to truth, he indoctrinates people into his world principles. The world system is Satan’s work. The “order,” “arrangement” under which Satan has organized the world of unbelieving mankind upon his principles of force, greed, selfishness, ambition, and sinful pleasure is imposing and powerful with armies and fleets; is often outwardly religious, scientific, cultured, and elegant; but, seething with national and commercial rivalries and ambitions, is upheld in any real crisis only by armed force, and is dominated by satanic principles.
The world system was the bribe which he offered to Christ (Mt. 4:8-9). Of that world-system he is prince (Jn. 14:30; 16:11) and god (2 Cor. 4:4).
As ‘prince of the power of the air’ (Ep. 2:2) Satan is at the head of vast host of demons.
Demons are not to be confounded with the angels mentioned in 2 Peter 2.4 and Jude 6:
Demons are spirits (Mt. 12.43, 45); and Satan’s emissaries ((Mt. 12.26, 27; 25.41).
They are so numerous as to make Satan’s power practically ubiquitous (Mk. 5.9).
They are capable of entering and controlling both men and beasts and earnestly seek embodiment, without which, apparently, they are powerless for evil (Mt. 12.43-44; Mk. 5.10-12).
Demon influence and demon possession are discriminated in the New Testament. Instances of the latter are Matthew 4.24; 8.16, 28, 33; 9.32; 12.22; Mark 1.32; 5.15, 16, 18; Luke 8.36; Acts 8.7; 16.16.
Demons are unclean, sullen, violent, and malicious (Mt. 8.28; 9.33; 10.1; 12.43; Mk. 1.23; 5.3-5; 9.17-20; Lk. 6.18; 9.39).
They know Jesus Christ as Most High God and recognize His supreme authority (Mt. 8.31-32; Mk. 1.24; Ac. 19.15; Ja. 2.19).
They know their eternal fate to be one of torment (Mt. 8.29; Lk. 8.31).
They inflict physical maladies (Mt. 12.22; 17.15-18; Lk. 13.16). But mental disease it to be distinguished from the disorder of mind due to demonical control.
Demon influence may manifest itself in religious asceticism and formalism (1 Ti. 4.1-3), degenerating in uncleanness (2 Pe. 2.10-12). The sign of demon influence in religion is departing from the faith, that is the body of revealed truth in scriptures (1 Ti. 4.1). That demons maintain especially a conflict with believers who would be spiritual (Ep. 6.12; 1 Ti. 4.1-3).
All unbelievers are open to demon possession (Ep. 2.2). The resources of the believer are prayer and bodily control (Mt. 17.21), “the whole armour of God” (Ep. 6.13-18). Exorcism in the name of Jesus Christ (Ac. 16.18) was practiced for demon possession. One of the awful features of the apocalyptic judgements in which this age will end is an irruption of demons out of the abyss (Re. 9.1-11).
Sermon series on Satan by Pastor Jason Cooley of Old Paths Baptist Church:
The language in Ezekiel 28.1-19 goes beyond the king of Tyre to Satan, once Lucifer, inspirer and unseen ruler of all such pomp and pride as that of Tyre.[i] In Ezekiel 28, the vision is not of Satan in his own person, but of Satan fulfilling himself in and through an earthly king who arrogates to himself divine honors so that the Prince of Tyrus foreshadows the combining of all national governments with the religion of Satan (establishments which combine Satan’s tactics and goals through combinations of church (religion) and state); and the beast system which will be established in the end times (Da. 7.9; Re. 19.20).
The order of world events is:
The continuous working of the mystery of lawlessness under divine restraint which had already begun in the apostle’s time and will continue until the last days (v. 7). Satan, the devil, goes about on this earth, “as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pe. 5.8).
The apostasy of the professing church ( 2 Th. 1:3; 18:8; 2 Ti. 3:1-8).
the removal of that which restrains the mystery of lawlessness (vs. 6-7). The restrainer is a person–“he,” and since a “mystery”[ii] always implies a supernatural element. this Person can be none other than the Holy Spirit in the church, to be “taken out of the way” (v. 7).
The manifestation of the lawless one (vs. 8-10; 7:8; 9:27; Mt. 24:15; Re. 13:2-10).
The coming of Christ in glory and the destruction of the lawless one (v. 8; 19:11-21).
The beast will establish the final and ultimate ecclesiastical and governmental tyranny described in Daniel 7.9, 11 and Revelation 13. To the beast Satan will give the power which he offered to Christ (Mt. 4.8, 9; Re. 13.4).
All but the remnant will worship the dragon (Satan) which gave power unto and the beast; and they will worship the beast. The beast will continue forty-two months. During that time, he will speak great things and blasphemies against God, his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. He will be given power to make war with the saints and to overthrow them. Everyone “whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” will worship him. (Re. 13.3-9).
The false prophet in Revelation 13.11-18, antichrist, with “all the power of the first beast before him,” will cause “the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast….” He will deceive those on the earth by miracles. He will tell those on the earth to make an image to the beast. “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (vs. 16-17).
Political Babylon will destroy ecclesiastical Babylon, which is apostate Christendom, headed up under the Papacy (Re. 18). Finally, “the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies” will gather “together to make war” against Christ and his army. “And the beast [will be] taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both [will be] cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Re. 19.20). Christ will cast that old serpent, Satan, “into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled” (Re. 20.2-3). Finally, after Christ’s millennial reign, Satan will be loosed for a little season to go out and deceive the nations and gather them to battle (Re. 20.3, 7-9). Fire will come “down from God out of heaven and devour them.” Satan will then be “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Re. 20.9-10).
For our purposes in this study, keep in mind that the spirit of antichrist is working within the world today, against individuals, families, churches and civil governments (nations). Never forget that Satan is the God of this world.[iv] When a church, for example, combines the things of Satan, the temporal and earthly, with the spiritual, eternal, and heavenly that church has combined the things of Satan with the things of God thereby polluting the body of Christ and starting down the road to apostasy.
Dear believers, please continue studying these lessons as they put in place all the pieces of a puzzle, a complete picture of God’s desired relationship of church and state and Satan’s counterfeit of that relationship.
Sermon series on Satan by Pastor Jason Cooley of Old Paths Baptist Church:
[i] Other instances of God indirectly addressing Satan are seen in Ge. 3.14, 15 and Mt. 16.23.
[ii] A “mystery” in Scripture is a previously hidden truth, now divinely revealed; but in which a supernatural element still remains despite the revelation.
[iii] “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.”
[iv] The Bible makes clear that Satan is the god of this present world, the prince of this world:
John 12.31: [[Jesus said] ‘Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”
John 14.30 “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.”
John 18.36: “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”
2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
Ephesians 2.2: “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”
Ephesians 4.3 goes on to say, “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
Ephesians 6.12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Sometime long ago, even before God created the heavens and the earth, God created Lucifer. God gave Ezekiel a vision of Lucifer, before his fall and in his God-ordained place.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” (Ez. 28.11-15).
Lucifer’s pride took hold and he placed his will above God’s will. He rebelled against God, thereby introducing sin into the universe.
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners” (Is. 14.12-17)?
Notice Lucifer’s five “I wills” in the verses quoted above. His “I will” (Is. 14:13) marks the introduction of sin into the universe. Cast out of heaven (Lk. 10:18) he makes earth and air the scene of his tireless activity (Eph. 2:2; 1 Pet. 5:8). After the creation of man he entered into the serpent. (Ge. 3:1) and, beguiling Eve by his subtlety, secured the downfall of Adam and through him of the race, and the entrance of sin into the world of men (Ro. 5:12-14).
Satan began to war against God through God’s highest creation, man. His assault on God began in the Garden of Eden. His tactics succeeded, so he thought. Satan seduced Eve with the same temptation whereby he was tempted: “I will be like the most High.” He said to Eve:” “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Ge. 3.5).
At the fall, Satan became the God of this world. From that moment on, Satan has carried on a relentless attack against God through God’s highest creation, man, and against all those institutions ordained by God—the individual, the family, the nations (civil governments), and the church.
God has never hidden his plans from Satan. God let Satan know about the coming Messiah. God said to Satan, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Ge. 3:15)(By “her seed” and “his heel” God was referring to the Lord Jesus Christ). Throughout the Old Testament, we see Satan’s attempts to destroy the line leading to the Lord Jesus. He never succeeded, but he continues to war against God. Satan knows that if he can prove God wrong about his plans at any point before he is cast into the lake of fire, he will have defeated God.
In the next lesson, we will look at the Satanic Beast System and the Fate of the Beast. The system was already at work in the beginning days of the New Testament church.
Sermon series on Satan by Pastor Jason Cooley of Old Paths Baptist Church:
On Wednesday night, April 30, 2014, Pastor Jason Cooley preached a monumental sermon dealing with the issue of the relationship of church and state and specifically with church corporate-501(c)(3) status and the seducers who have led churches to compromise their love for the Lord Jesus Christ by working hand in hand with, over, or under the state: “501c3 Series-Seducers for the State-Christians Law Firms and 501(c)(3).” Normally, all Pastor Jason’s sermons have, for a long time, been streamed live and then archived over Youtube (Skype before that, which sermons were not archived in video form). I have listened to almost all his live sermons on Skype and Youtube; not a one that I can remember was not successfully broadcast (then archived on Youtube) although there have been a few temporary problems. Youtube never recorded this sermon.
Pastor Jason was talking over the phone with me as he and another church member were driving to the April 30 church meeting. He was telling me about his upcoming sermon. I became excited as he told me about it because the Lord has called me, as a member of Old Paths Baptist Church, to lead under the headship of Pastor Jason Cooley, the “Separation of Church and State Law Ministry” out of Old Paths Baptist Church. As he was talking, he excitedly stated, “The car in front of me has a license plate which says, ‘666-CLA.'” I was amazed. He told me he was going to take a picture of the license plate. That picture is at left. Pastor Jason had a witness riding with him in the car. When he got to the meeting place, the services were delayed 45 minutes (See Pastor Cooley’s description of what happened below). He finally began the Wednesday night meeting. After his preliminary remarks, and just as he said that he was going to begin the sermon, Youtube went blank. I called several times to see why the broadcast was interrupted. Attempts to get it going were futile, and it was not recorded by Youtube.
The good thing is that God provided a backup which has preserved the sermon for all to hear: an audio recorder from which the sermon was transferred to sermonaudio.com.
Satan is fighting hard to prevent the truths concerning the relationship between church and state and about his tactics and emissaries. I say to you Lucifer: “This time it backfired on you.” I also say to you, “You have already lost.” Believing students of the word of God know the story of mankind from beginning to end. They know that Christ, by force, will establish and rule his earthly kingdom. They know that you will be cast into the lake of fire. Halleluiah.
The following is a comment from a person who listened to the above sermon on sermonaudio.com.
“ Excellent! ”
If anyone is on the fence on the 501C3 issue…this teaching will settle the issue once and for all. I pray all pastors will repent and renounce their 501C3 status and become biblical churches with Jesus Christ as Lord (not Ceasar). David Gibbs (Nahum 1:11)and the CLA are powerful tools of satan to silence the churches in this age of increasing wickedness and corruption. I praise God for Old Paths Baptist church and Pastor Cooley for speaking the truth no matter what.
Jason wrote: “The devil is what happened I had a spiritual war to get this thing out , want to know what I saw when I pulled up to the meeting house right before I was going to preach . This was right in front of me . CLA IS THE LETTERS FOR THE CHRISTIAN LAW ASSOCIATION. I WALKED INTO THE MEETING HOUSE . OUR ROOM WAS TAKEN , OUR EQUIPMENT TWOUDL NOT WORK PROPERLY ….AND THE SPIRITUALLY THE DEVIL WAS FIGHTING ME”
For links to many sermons on Satan, click the following link and scroll down to “11. Satan“: Sermons by Pastor Jason Cooley
Sometime long ago, Satan rebelled against God, thereby introducing sin to the universe. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, andconsider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners” (Is. 14.12-17)?
Notice Satan’s five “I wills” in the verses quoted above. His “I will” (Isa. 14:13) marks the introduction of sin into the universe. Cast out of heaven (Lk. 10:18) he makes earth and air the scene of his tireless activity (Eph. 2:2; 1 Pet. 5:8). After the creation of man he entered into the serpent. (Gen. 3:1,note) and, beguiling Eve by his subtlety, secured the downfall of Adam and through him of the race, and the entrance of sin into the world of men (Rom. 5:12-14).
Satan seduced Eve with the same temptation whereby he was tempted: “I will be like the most High.” He said to Eve:” “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Ge. 3.5). Since that day, Satan has been the god of this world. After the fall, God said to Satan, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15)(By “her seed” and “his heel” God was referring to the Lord Jesus Christ).
“The Adamic Covenant (Gen 3:14, note) promised the ultimate destruction of Satan through the ‘Seed of the woman.’ Then began his long warfare against the work of God in behalf of humanity, which still continues. The present world-system (Rev. 13:8) organized upon the principles of force, greed, selfishness, ambition, and sinful pleasure, is his work and was the bribe which he offered to Christ (Mt. 4:8-9). Of that world-system he is prince (John 14:30; 16:11) and god (2 Cor. 4:4). As ‘prince of the power of the air’ (Eph. 2:2) he is at the head of vast host of demons. (Mt. 7:22, note). To him, under God, was committed upon earth the power of death (Heb. 2:14). Cast out of heaven as his proper sphere and ‘first estate,’ he still has access to God as the ‘accuser of the brethren’ (Rev. 12:10) and is permitted a certain power of sifting or testing the self-confident and carnal among believers (Job 1:6-11; Lk. 22:31-32; 1 Cor. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:20) but this is strictly permissive and limited power, and believers so sifted are kept in faith through the advocacy of Christ (Lk. 22:31-32; 1 John 2:1, note). At the beginning of the great tribulation Satan’s privilege of access to God as accuser will be withdrawn (Rev. 12:7-12). At the return of Christ in glory Satan will be bound for one thousand years (Rev. 20:2) after which he will be ‘loosed for a little season’ (Rev. 20:3, 7-8) and will become the head of final effort to overthrow the kingdom. Defeated in this, he will be finally cast into the lake of fire, his final doom. The notion that he reigns in hell is Miltonic, not biblical. He is prince of this present world-system, but will be tormented in the lake of fire” (1917 Scofield Reference Edition, n. 2 to Re. 20.10, p. 1350).
Men, families, churches (except for a remnant), and nations always choose the principles of Satan over the principles of God and will always suffer the consequences. “Kosmos[translated ‘world’ in Revelation 13.8] in the sense of the present world-system, the ethically bad sense of the word, refers to the ‘order,’ ‘arrangement,’ under which Satan has organized the world of unbelieving mankind upon his cosmic principles of force, greed, selfishness, ambition, and pleasure:
“Mt. 4.8, 9 [‘Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.’];
“John 12.31 [[Jesus said] ‘Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.’]; 14.30 [[Jesus said] ‘Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.’];
“John 14.30 [‘Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.’]
“John 18.36 [‘Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.’]
“Eph. 2.2 [‘Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.’ Ephesians 4.3 goes on to say, ‘Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.’];
“Eph. 6.12 [‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’];
“I John 2.15-17 [‘Love not the world, neither the things that arein the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that isin the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’]
“This world-system is imposing and powerful with armies and fleets; is often outwardly religious, scientific, cultured, and elegant; but, seething with national and commercial rivalries and ambitions, is upheld in any real crisis only by armed force, and is dominated by satanic principles” (1917 Scofield Reference Edition, n. 2 to Re. 13.8, p 1342).
The god of this world blinds people to the truth. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Co. 4.3-4). At the same time Satan is blinding people to truth, he indoctrinates people into his world principles.
A specific instance of God directly addressing Satan is recounted in Ezekiel 28. Although speaking to the king of Tyre, “as in Isaiah 14.12, the language goes beyond the King of Tyre to Satan, inspirer and unseen ruler of such pomp and pride as that of Tyre…. The unfallen state of Satan is here described; his fall in Isa. 14.12-14 [supra]. (See Rev. 20.10, note). But there is more. The vision is not of Satan in his own person, but of Satan fulfilling himself in and through an earthly king who arrogates to himself divine honours, so that the prince of Tyrus foreshadows the beast (Dan. 7.8; Rev. 19.20)” (1917 Scofield Reference Edition, n. 1 to Ez. 28.12, p. 871).
Does God desire that a government be under Satan? No! Pursuant to the Word of God, God desires every government—self-government, family government, civil government, and church government—to be under Him. But He gives every government a choice. To verify this, look at the verses cited above and then read through the Bible looking at how God deals with governments. Even a nation (civil government) can repent and turn to God at any time. God through Jeremiah said:
“At whatinstant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them” (Je. 18.7-10).
Just as the doom of self, family, and churches (except for a remnant) is directed by Satan, so will the downfall of all nations be orchestrated by Satan. It is important to remember, however, that God gives every individual, every family, every church, and every nation a choice between going by His or Satan’s principles. All individuals and institutions are doomed if they let Satan’s principles of force, greed, selfishness, ambition, and/or pleasure influence them to give in to their lusts and follow Satan. Ultimately, as the Bible reveals, one’s only hope is to come to God with a humble and contrite spirit, repent of sins, and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as his/her personal savior. This will be the beginning of a new life in which one who continues in His Word will become His disciple and will know the truth which will set him free (See Jn. 8.31-32).
The way to the God of this world: to death, hopelessness, hate, destruction, and eternal tormentThe way to God: to faith, hope, love, edification, eternity with God
En1 Why should believers, and especially pastors, be concerned about the area of church and state law? Because only through knowledge can they avoid dishonoring the Husband/Bridegroom/Head of their local church body and thereby failing to achieve their God-given goal—glorifying God and pleasing Him.
These articles systematically examine the biblical doctrines of church, state, separation of church and state and the application of those doctrines in America. For believers and churches, the information presented is—according to God’s Word—of great importance to our Lord. By reading and studying each article using the Bible as the standard, a believer will discover that the biblical principles are correct as presented. By studying the historical and legal facts presented—without bias, prejudice, illicit motive, or an overriding opposing agenda which has a vested interest in maintaining a status quo due to loss of finances, support or something else—and examining those facts in light of biblical principle, a qualified believer (a believer who has the necessary biblical, historical, and legal qualifications and education) can understand that the conclusions are correct.
That said, understanding the biblical principles, relevant history, and legal principles and facts is, first, impossible for one who is not a born again believer who is walking in the Spirit, and, second, daunting for even the spirit filled follower of Christ. Years of honest, open minded study is required to achieve the correct knowledge and understanding of all facets of church and state law. First, one must interpret Scripture correctly (See 2 Ti. 2:15) as to the relevant topics. After mastering the biblical principles, one must then labor through the annals of history, and the intricacies of law. In order to be qualified to comment upon the law, one must have an extensive legal education. He must understand how to do legal research and how to reach correct legal conclusions. Legal commentary by a pseudo lawyer can sound good to the untrained, while he may be correctly understood as frivolous and unlearned and probably heretical by the educated believer.
This is not to say that a non-lawyer cannot understand the legal and historical aspects of spiritual matters. In fact, the author knows some pastors and other believers who, having already correctly divided the Word of Truth and determined to seek to please God in all matters, have open minds and who have eagerly sought truth in the historical and legal church and state law arena. He is working with such a young pastor at this very moment. He is a brilliant young man who had mastered the Scriptures and Baptist history before the author met him. He excels the author in those matters, as do some other pastors and believers known by the author. Unlike most pastors, he does not have the disadvantages of having gone to either a secular or ecclesiastical (Baptist or otherwise) institution of higher learning. Secular colleges and universities usually corrupt even the most devout child of God; and religious colleges, institutions, and seminaries generally (with few exceptions, one of which the author has personal knowledge of)—by either mixing an ample dose of humanism with whatever biblically correct teaching they dose out; or by having totally having abandoned truth—likewise usually corrupt their students to one degree or another.
On the other hand, I am vexed by what I read in some books and websites concerning church and state law; particularly by some vicious, unfounded attacks upon the Biblical Law Center Declaration of Trust by unqualified, biased assailants who are attempting to mislead believers and churches through incorrect biblical and legal analyses and personal attacks upon and outright lies about those with whom they disagree in such matters.
Being a believer alone, even a pastor, does not by itself qualify one to teach on church and state law. The author has been a believer and faithful member of independent Baptist churches since his salvation. He was called by God to go to law school for His glory and to please Him. As a result of that calling, he obtained a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from one of the best law schools in the country and has practiced law for seventeen years. He has no motive for dishonesty. By design, he has never made a dime above expenses in his work in the church and state law arena. In fact, he has spent tens of thousands of dollars with total income of at most three to four thousand dollars in all the years he has worked in this area of law. Because of this he is beholden to no one and nothing but the truth and his Lord and Savior. Since becoming a lawyer, he has devoted untold thousands of hours in biblical, historical, and legal study and analysis of church and state law.
As always, he declares that if anyone can show him where he is in error, he will recant. Honest, loving believers have taught him much and caused him to modify some of his positions. He has also, in his continued studies, modified some of his conclusions and positions. However, he maintains his primary positions because neither he, through his continued studies, or others have shown him to be wrong about his basic church and state law principles and conclusions.
One cannot understand the biblical principle of separation of church and state without first understanding the biblical principles of government and the biblical doctrine of the church. Below are links to Jerald Finney’s teachings on the biblical principles of government using the information in Section I of the book God Betrayed/Separation of Church and State: The Biblical Principles and the American Application. All of Jerald Finney’s writings are now on this website. These broadcasts were prepared for radio broadcasts 6 or 8 years ago. The website, churchandstatelaw.com mentioned in the broadcasts is no longer available.
To play, just click the link. To download, right click link and then left click “Save link as.”
For His Glory,
Jerald Finney
Christian and practicing attorney
Churches under Christ Ministry Website: Understanding and Applying God's Principles for Church Headship "Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:1-3). ————————————This Ministry is under the authority of Charity Baptist Tabernacle of Amarillo, Texas. Jerald Finney, a Christian Lawyer and member of Charity Baptist Tabernacle, having received this ministry in the Lord, explains how a church in America can remain under the Lord Jesus Christ and Him only. "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:10-11; See also, Ephesians 4::1-16 and 1 Corinthians 12:1-25). "Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it" (Colossians 4:17). "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church" (Ephesians 1.22; See also, e.g. Colossians 1:18).
The Supreme Ruler ordained the church, as He ordained civil government. He gave churches—as He has given individual, family and civil governments—His Word wherein they can learn God’s guidelines which He desires that they choose to follow. Most churches have followed Satan’s, not God’s, principles. He has used false teachers from the beginning. As a result, apostasy crept into the church shortly after its inception. That apostasy has accelerated in America as the tribulation approaches.
Many American churches today are heretical or apostate. They say, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. As to them, God says, you “knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Re. 3.17). They follow the principles of the god of this world, not God’s principles. They are of this world and follow the principles of the god of this world. Christ is not of this world, nor are his followers. [i]
Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression (1 Ti. 2.14, Ro. 5.14, Ge. 3.1-6). Christ was not deceived, but His bride was. “As the first Adam had to give up a perfect existence in order to be with his wife, so the last Adam, Christ (1 Co. 15.22, 45), stepped down from heaven to save his bride. While the first Adam ‘blew it,’ the last Adam would make everything right! (Ro. 5:12-21) Charles Wesley set this doctrine to music with the words, ‘Second Adam from above, reinstate us with thy love.’ … “The all-important verse that connects this typology to the present Laodicean apostasy is Ec. 1:9a: ‘The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done….’ Thus, the history of mankind will undoubtedly end the same way it began—with a bride being deceived!” (William P. Grady, How Satan Turned America Against God (Knoxville, Tennessee: Grady Publications, Inc., 2005), p. vii.).
The Adamic Covenant, the covenant God made with Adam at the fall, promised the ultimate destruction of Satan through the “Seed of the woman.” Then began his long warfare against the work of God in behalf of humanity, which still continues.
The language in Ezekiel 28.1-19 goes beyond the king of Tyre to Satan, once Lucifer, inspirer and unseen ruler of all such pomp and pride as that of Tyre.
For our purposes in this study, keep in mind that the spirit of antichrist is working within the world today, against individuals, families, churches and civil governments (nations). Never forget that Satan is the God of this world.
Sometime long ago, even before God created the heavens and the earth, God created Lucifer. God gave Ezekiel a vision of Lucifer, before his fall and in his God-ordained place.
The god of this world blinds people to the truth. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Co. 4.3-4). At the same time Satan is blinding people to truth, he indoctrinates people into his world principles.
Simply Church: God's Prescribed Relationship Between Church and State 