THE CHRISTIAN'S FOE by A. Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 30, 1879

THE CHRISTIAN'S FOE.

By A. Smith

Of all created beings, the most beautiful, the most glorious, the most exalted in power, was Lucifer, bearing the distinctive title, “Son of the Morning.”

Of his wisdom and beauty God thus testifies by his prophet: “Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. . . . 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.” See Eze. 28:11–19.

Clad in the habiliments of high authority, glittering in jewels, possessing a voice as penetrative as the thunders of heaven, commanding angels in their missions to fulfill the behests of God in the utmost bounds of the universe, under God the divine King, being next in rank to the Son of God; what mind can conceive of a more perfect or exalted being? Strange that such a being should ever have merited the asseverations: “Thou hast sinned. . . . Iniquity was found in thee. . . . Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness. . . . Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities.”

That angel, once so glorious, but now fallen, is the Christian’s foe. The titles that now distinguish him are, “Dragon,” “Satan,” “devil,” “prince of the power of the air,” “god of this world,” etc. He is not an ideal being of hoofs and horns and barbed tail, emitting brimstone fumes and flames of hell; though, to deceive the unwary, his power of transformation enables him at will to assume these phases of character as well as the opposite attributes of an exalted angel of light.

Having made the human mind and heart his study through the long period of six thousand years, he has learned the art of molding every trait of character either good or evil, to suit his hellish purposes, so far as the behests of God have not overruled and held him in abeyance.

He is able to take the lives of men (Heb. 2:14; Job 1:12, 19; 2:6); or to destroy their property or health (Job 1:12–17; 2:7; Luke 13:16).

This foe of the human race is especially angry with those who constitute the remnant seed of the woman, or the church that keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus. See Rev. 12:17. Reader, is it your happy privilege to be numbered with those who suffer the wrath of this mighty foe? Then, as a faithful soldier of Jesus Christ, how important that, clad in the panoply of Heaven, you should understand your place, and push the conquest till you are a crowned victor.

Never, until God shall have sealed you, should you be worthy, as an heir of immortality, will you be secure against the attacks of this artful foe, to the fullest extent of your ability in Christ to endure. God has never provided superfluous armor for the soldiers of the cross. If only one article of the Christian’s panoply be wanting, no one will more quickly discover the defect than this arch-enemy. But, fully clad in this armor (see Eph. 6:14–18), the weakest saint may successfully resist and overcome.

In this warfare, Christ is our exemplar: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev. 3:21. How important that, in these days of special peril, our loins should be girt about with truth, the truth of God for our times. Without this, even professed Christians are liable to be deceived by Satan, and made to “believe a lie;” a mesmeric influence, mistaken by some for conversion, being thrown over the mind and heart.

So great is the power of the devil that it is impossible to correctly measure our standing in Christ by emotional exercises of the mind and heart alone. Our only safety consists in appealing to the word of God on every disputed question of faith or practice, and in fervent prayer. Though the war is almost over, the last contest will be close and severe. Many, in the grime and smoke and terror of battle, will cast away their shield (Eph. 6:16), and fall, never to rise again. But some will endure every hardship on the tented field, assured of a day of triumph near at hand. Oh! who can estimate the triumphant joy of the return from the war? They will return “with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head; they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” Isa. 51:11.

“Thrice happy morn for those Who love the ways of peace: No night of sorrow e’er shall close, Or shade their perfect bliss.” A. SMITH.