LYING WONDERS by A. F. Ballenger

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 8, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 32.

LYING WONDERS.

By A. F. Ballenger

IT is the plan of the enemy of all truth to counterfeit every manifestation of the power of God, and through that counterfeit to deceive the world and lead it to destruction.

According to the Scriptures of truth, this counterfeiting of the work of God is to reach its climax of power to deceive and destroy in the closing events of the last days. That Satan, through his agents, will work miracles and signs and wonders to deceive, and that this work of deception is to be especially manifest in the last days, is plainly proved by the following scriptures:—

"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 receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." 2 Thess. 2:9, 10. "And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do." Rev. 13:14. "For they are spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Rev. 16:13, 14. "There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before." Matt. 24:24, 25.

From these startling statements of divine truth, it is clear that a correct understanding of the scriptures concerning miracles is of vital

importance. First of all, it is all-important that he who would not be deceived, must believe that the agents of Satan have power to "show great signs and wonders" and "miracles," as the above scriptures plainly declare. And here is the reason: When Satan does perform great signs and wonders and miracles, the man who does not believe the declaration of our Lord that Satan has power to do so, will attribute the miracles to the power of God. How could he be worse deceived than to believe that the power and work of Satan is the power and work of God?

A correct understanding of what is meant by the term "miracle" in this connection is essential. From our standpoint, a miracle, or sign, or wonder, is any manifestation of power which we can not explain as the working of what we call natural law. It may be wrought in harmony with the laws of nature, but if it is in a field of nature beyond our knowledge of the natural, it is to us supernatural, i. e., above our knowledge of the natural.

Satan, under the symbol of the "king of Tyrus," is described by the prophet as sealing "up the sum, full of wisdom," and, as having once held the position of "the anointed cherub that covereth." This position, according to Exodus 28 and Ps. 80:1, is one of two positions nearest the throne of God. Is it not reasonable to conclude that the one who is now called "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4), and "the prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2:2), should be acquainted with forces of nature not known to man? Christ and His apostles made use of "miracles, and wonders, and signs" to show the power of God and advance His kingdom; then it is not to be wondered at that Satan and his followers should use their power and knowledge to "do great signs and wonders" to deceive the world and advance "the kingdom of darkness."

It is not contended that Satan is able to do the same miracles which our Lord and His disciples performed, but only that he performs similar miracles. While they are not the same, they are nevertheless miracles, the manifestation of supernatural power, and so far as men are able to judge will appear to be the same miracles.

Inasmuch as the Word plainly declares that Satan will work miracles to deceive, and since all miracles are, so far as men are concerned, supernatural, and therefore beyond our power to explain, it follows that it is unwise to investigate miracles for the purpose of ascertaining their author. No one who is instructed in the Scriptures will ever attempt to determine the author of a miracle by investigating the miracle. All that the miracle shows, standing alone, is the presence of supernatural power.

While the authorship of miracles can not be determined by examining the miracles, there is a way by which it can be determined. Our Lord, who has warned us against the miracles, has furnished an infallible test by which their authorship may be determined. Here is the test:—

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree can not bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. . . . Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matt. 7:15-20.

It will be noticed that the Lord does not say, Ye shall know them by their "great signs and wonders," but, "Ye shall know them by their fruits." We are therefore to discern the author of miracles by the fruits, and not by the miracles. This important truth was first taught by our Lord to the Israelites, thus:—

"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death." Deut. 13:1-5.

It will be noted again that the Lord does not instruct us to investigate the miracle. He Himself admits the fact that a miracle has been wrought, but instructs us to investigate the teaching and the fruits which accompany the miracle.

Just as there is a distinction in the Gospel system between the "gifts of the Spirit" and the "fruits of the Spirit," so there is a distinction between the miraculous powers of the "spirits of devils" and the fruits of their teaching. While the miracles are beyond our power to judge, the fruits are not. While Satan will successfully counterfeit miracles as he did at the court of Pharaoh, he can not counterfeit the fruits of the Spirit. Reader, remember this truth, if you would be delivered from the delusions of the last days. Don't investigate the miracle. Admit the miracle, and challenge the fruits.

Those who finally escape deception "by those miracles which he had power to do" will be men and women who are so fortified by what the Lord has told them before in the Scriptures, that they will stand unmoved in the presence of "great signs and wonders," in the presence of the "working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders," and will refuse to accept that teaching to support which the great signs and wonders are wrought.

Let it be here understood that the miracles of Satan are but a means to an end. Just as the signs and wonders of Christ were wrought to confirm the Word of truth, the Gospel of salvation, so the signs and wonders of Satan are wrought to confirm the teaching of error, the doctrines of destruction.

Not only must those who escape the deceptions of Satan refuse to accept error tho it be supported by great signs and wonders, but they must reject the error even when the signs and wonders that appear in support of it are wrought by those professing to be Christians, and whose outward appearance can not be distinguished from that of the genuine Christian. Our Saviour says, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." The term "sheep" stands in the scripture for true Christians. "Sheep's clothing," therefore, in this connection, must mean that the deceivers will bear the outward appearance of genuine Christians. This the apostle Paul plainly teaches in the following scripture:—

"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness." 2 Cor. 11:13-15, R.V.

But not only will the ministers of Satan fashion themselves into ministers of righteousness in all their outward appearance while working great signs and wonders, but these signs and wonders will be wrought in the name of Christ. "For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Matt. 24:5. "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." Matt. 7:22, 23.

If these workers had not believed that they had really cast out devils and done many wonderful works in the name of Christ, they would not have presumed to face Him with such self-justifying questions. The startling truth is now clearly before us, that the ministers of Satan will not only work miracles, but they will perform them with all the outward appearance of ministers of righteousness,—perform them in the sincere belief that they are really casting out devils, and really doing wonderful works with the power and approval of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, he who would escape being deceived by the overmastering deceptions of the last days, must be prepared to stand unmoved in the presence of one who lays his hands on the sick, and, with the firm belief in himself that he is a minister of righteousness, a disciple of Christ, but is not, calls on the God of heaven in the name of Christ to manifest His Holy Spirit and heal. He must be unmoved by that which to all appearances is a wonderful miracle of healing, which the professed minister believes to be a miracle, and which the patient believes to be a miracle wrought by the mighty power of God. "Who shall be able to stand?"

There are several searching questions which arise at this point. One of them is, How is it that a man can be so deceived as to really believe that he is a minister of righteousness when he is the minister of Satan? This and other related questions will be answered in the next article.

A. F. BALLENGER.