“CHRISTIAN SCIENCE:” ARE ITS DOCTRINES TRUTH OR ERROR?
By George I. Butler
Are There Evil Angels? What Does the Word Say (Continued)?
The previous article on the subject above mentioned was somewhat general in its treatment of the theme. In this I will come more directly to the teaching of the Scriptures. Rev. 12: 7-9 was quoted, which plainly states the fact that Satan and his host of rebel angels were cast out of heaven. We quote further, as additional proof of the same fact: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [“Tartarus,” R. V., margin], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” In Jude’s epistle, verse 6, the same fact is stated in similar language: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Notice the following facts: (1) there were angels that sinned. Therefore there had been sinless, or holy, angels before; (2) the place where they sinned was in heaven, God’s holy habitation, for when they sinned, they were “cast out” of heaven, “neither was their place found any more in heaven.” This holy place was their “first estate,” or “principality” (margin); (3) they were cast down to “hell,” as our English version translates the word “Tartarus.” And let the reader note the fact that this word is used only once in all the Bible. The word “hell” in our English version in every other instance is translated from the Greek word “Gehenna” or from “Hades.” Greek lexicographers define “Tartarus” as the dark region surrounding the habitable universe. The Englishman’s Greek word-for-word translation defines it “deepest abyss.” When we consider the fact that God had made no place for the abode of wicked, rebellious intelligences, as that was foreign to His great designs, these texts seem to prove that Satan and his host were cast out into the dark regions of space, where they had no abiding place, until Satan, by deceiving our first parents, obtained a foothold in our earth, then newly created. Thus sin and rebellion were transferred to man’s abode. Again we quote: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8: 44. Here the great generalissimo of evil is again brought to view by Christ himself, who was perfectly acquainted with him for ages before this. He no doubt knew fully as much about his reality as Mrs. Eddy does. He abode not in the truth. Then he was once in the truth, but left it, fell from it, and was cast out of the society of the truthful and faithful angels. He was not a lie, as Mrs. Eddy tells us, but a liar, one who tells lies. A lie has no personality, but a liar has. It is right at this point where Mrs. Eddy and all those who teach that there are no such real, personal beings as Satan and his angels, throw their dust to confuse unwary souls. They teach that the terms “Satan,” “devil,” “demons,” etc., are merely abstract principles, and not real personalities. They might as well teach that God and Christ are abstract goodness or love, and that no such real beings as Christ and God exist. The Bible, beyond all question, teaches the real personality of both classes of spiritual beings, the good and the bad. The Bible everywhere represents Satan as a being of very great power, though by no means equal to Christ or the Almighty. He is represented as the commander of the great host of dark spirits, or angels, connected with the ruin of the human family. “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in heavenly places.” Eph. 6: 11-13, margin. Here are the real foes the true Christian has to contend with. This fact Satan and his host greatly desire we shall never realize. Hence he has his agents teach us that there are no such personalities in existence, even as a celebrated robber in English history, who, just before making an intended haul, advertised his own death, so men would not be on the watch for him. This would greatly improve his chances of success. Multitudes, because of this pleasant fable that there is no devil, will be deceived and ruined by him. Surely the Bible will not be responsible for this deception, but those who are contradicting the Bible and teaching such doctrine will be held responsible in the day of judgment. Satan is spoken of as “the prince of this world,” or “the prince of the power of the air.” “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” Eph. 2: 2. This language clearly presents the fact that Satan is a leading actor in human history. He stands as the great perverter of God’s truth, the leader in every false religion, the persecutor of the true Church, the head center of every apostate movement. He has his power in the corruption of the great cities of the globe. The Revelator speaks of a great city as the place “where Satan’s seat is.” Rev. 2: 13. In such a place of influence he delights to dwell, leading, directing, corrupting, enslaving, and ruining the greater portion of earth’s inhabitants. In no other way could he be properly called the prince of this world—the leading potentate in human affairs. The large masses have ever followed him, as Christ teaches: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matt. 7: 13, 14. The true child of God will never expect, if intelligent in what the Bible teaches, that the great masses in this world will follow in the self-denying way of the Prince of peace. The prince of this world has too much influence. Fashion, love of the world, covetousness, extortion, and every form of evil are too prevalent, and too highly loved by the masses for them ever to follow the humble Galilean. When our Saviour was about to die, and Satan’s agents were hunting Him for His life, the Lord said, “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” He had lived on the higher, nobler plane. This title is repeated several times by our Saviour. It sets before us truthfully the real position Satan occupies in human affairs in all history. The blood-stained track of poor, weak humanity through all human history, is a sad commentary on the power and influence of the prince of this world in its affairs. The true child of God worships another—Prince Emmanuel, the Prince of peace.