2 Corinthians 11:14, commentary and pictures

Satan hides his identity and evil purpose behind a holy, heavenly appearance, so an appearance of goodness, light, or spirituality does not prove that a person, teaching, or influence comes from God. He is able to assume this disguise because he was once a highly exalted angel and retains heavenly knowledge, intelligence, manners, and beauty, and he does not come as a hideous monster. He mingles truth with error and beautiful language with deadly error, quotes Scripture to make temptation seem right, and presents himself as humanity's friend and as a gentle lamb rather than a roaring lion. So he came to Christ in the wilderness not as a repulsive fiend but as a beautiful young man clothed in light like a heavenly seraph, claiming to be an angel from God's throne sent to relieve His suffering. In the last days this seducing power under appearance of light will increase to deceiving if possible even the elect, by impersonating Christ come the second time, by impersonating the dead in Spiritualism, and by transforming his ministers into apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousness. Safety requires putting on the whole armor of God, studying Scripture with prayer which exposes his disguise, and looking steadfastly to Jesus whose victory in the wilderness and on the cross annihilates Satan's power over every loyal believer.

Meaning of Transformation

Satan hides his identity and evil purpose behind a holy, heavenly appearance, so an appearance of goodness, light, or spirituality does not prove that a person, teaching, or influence comes from God. He works in that disguise through people who profess godliness, and his influence may come in an appealing or apparently godly form rather than through open temptation. His deception can appear humble and self-denying, promise great good to the church, and conceal corrupt principles beneath an appearance of righteousness, mixing truth with claims to do good for humanity while leading to eternal ruin. He uses this method in every age, and his purpose is so skillfully hidden that only God can fully see it, so the danger present in worldly compromise and conformity that obscures the path of duty calls for deep, practical godliness, wholehearted consecration, recognition of his schemes, and reliance on Christ for strength to resist him and avoid his snares.

Part of that disguise is persuading people that no personal devil exists, telling them he is an angel from heaven doing a good work for humanity and presenting himself as man's friend, benefactor, and savior who clothes sin with pleasing attractions to secure their ruin. While deceived souls claim he does not exist he takes them captive and works powerfully through them, gathering thousands under his control, and because the masses are blinded by sin they cannot discern his devices but honor him as a heavenly angel while he is working their eternal ruin. He used this same deception in trying to deceive Christ.

He knows better than God's people how much power they can have over him when their strength is in Christ, and God alone limits his power. Fallen man is his lawful captive and is naturally inclined to follow his suggestions, and no one can resist him alone unless Christ dwells within guiding desires and giving strength. Yet even the weakest believer who humbly relies on Christ the mighty Conqueror and firmly entreats Him for help can repulse Satan and all his host.

He is able to assume this disguise because he was once a highly exalted angel and retains heavenly knowledge, manners, intelligence, and beauty. He was educated and disciplined in the heavenly courts and retains a knowledge of good as well as evil, has not forgotten his manners in the heavenly courts which he assumes, and still possesses the beautiful knowledge he had then, which he is gathering to deceive the very elect while telling them he will have the whole world as his subjects under his banner. He does not come as a hideous monster with bat's wings and cloven feet, and grotesque pictures of him with horns and hoofs please him because they hide what he really is, for he appears beautiful and as though he came from God. He has stolen the livery of heaven to exercise influence in his usurped dominions by mingling the precious with the vile, and that mixture gives him his power to deceive the sons of men, working through agents educated after his methods, inspired by his spirit and adapted to his work, including pagan and infidel books that contain bright gems of stolen thought amid error. Sometimes he walks about as a roaring lion to terrify and devour, but when it serves his purpose best he appears as a man and links his arm with people, using the sweet voice of an angel of light and speaking of heavenly things. In this form he beguiles and allures many whose life is not hid with Christ in God, leading ministers and others to become excited over political questions like the currency, to take sides, to defend principles that originated in the councils of Satan and demons, to connect with evil workers, and to bring division among those of the same faith while not knowing what spirit they are of. This disguise helps explain how he persuaded a third of the heavenly angels to join him and how he approached Christ in the wilderness to draw Him away from loyalty to God and by overcoming Him secure his false claims to rule the world. He watches to find the mind in an unguarded moment and get possession of it, and toward those who trust in their own intelligence he comes as an intelligent deceiver to make them believe they can correct the Scriptures. To meet this deception God's people must stand higher, fashion character to the divine likeness, be Christians in every sense, lay all on Jesus Christ, and work intelligently in faith to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth, and those who have sat in darkness and seen a great light and known the oracles of God must not turn from light to darkness by recommending such darkness as valuable and even essential to education.

He is too cunning to come openly and boldly with temptation, because open attack would arouse the drowsy energies of the Christian in distress and agony to flee to the strong Deliverer and Redeemer who would drive him away. Instead he comes unperceived in disguise, never leaves his watch, goes to and fro seeking opportunity to destroy souls, and works upon the mind and imagination to allure from the only safe and right path and lead away from Christ and genuine faith in His miracles and works. He does not generally work openly and boldly but artfully through subtle insinuations and devices, exploiting the human mind, working through the children of disobedience who profess godliness to the full extent of his power to harass, tempt, mislead, and corrupt God's work. His constant ambition is to counterfeit the work of Christ and establish his own power and claims, leading deceived mortals to explain Christ's works and miracles upon general principles and to appear merely human. His most effective method, especially as the close of time nears when the human mind is more readily affected by his devices, has in this generation come more directly through the sciences of phrenology, psychology, and mesmerism, working with the power that was to characterize his work near the close of probation. He does not sleep and does not come as a repelling fiend but as an angel of light putting forth untiring efforts to bring in heresies that turn people from whole-hearted worship of God, and those who are not watchful and grounded in present truth will be overcome by his wiles. He came to Christ in the wilderness of temptation as an angel from the courts of God, recognized not by appearance but by words, and his first words, If thou be the Son of God, betray his character as an insinuation of distrust.

A person can be clothed in pretentious light that hides what he really is until God anoints his eyes so he sees himself as he is, is converted, and comes to repentance that needs not to be repented of. His apparent conversion and angelic appearance make him more dangerous because they conceal his deception, and his deceptive work grows deeper, more earnest, and more determined as he knows his time is short, so believers must stay watchful.

Ways Satan Disguises

Satan mingles what is precious with what is vile, mixing good with evil and truth with error so that apparent wisdom, bright ideas, or a heavenly brightness does not make a teaching trustworthy. False theories are put in pleasing, flattering, attractive forms to deceive even God's people and draw them from real connection with God, sometimes affirming part of the truth while urging rejection of the rest. In an age of great light much that is called light opens the way for his wisdom and arts, and many things presented as true are specious devices flooding the world with pleasing fables to keep men from the saving knowledge of God, as in Eden and as with Adam and Eve. The path of error lies so close beside the path of truth and holiness and heaven as to be hardly distinguishable at first, though after a while the two are seen widely separated, so things that appear true must be weighed with much prayer and only the mind enlightened by the Holy Spirit discerns divergence from the right way.

He conceals his evil character and purpose by presenting himself as humanity's friend, benefactor, and savior, even as an angel from heaven doing good, clothing sin with pleasing attractions to secure ruin. He flatters men with the fable that there is no rebellious foe and that a personal devil is fiction, and while hiding his existence he gathers thousands under his control whom sin has blinded so they honor him as a heavenly angel while he works their eternal ruin. He gives soul-destroying errors the appearance of truth and goodness, and that counterfeit gives power to spiritualism, theosophy and like deceptions over minds, catching by strong delusion all who do not abide in the truth and turn their ears to fables. In this masterful working he pretends to be the Saviour and benefactor of the race and to personify the god in humanity sought by those rejecting truth, so multitudes accept the counterfeit and hail humanity as God, lured more readily to destruction. With dissimulation as a fine art he devises numberless plans, contaminates the world with false ruinous principles bearing appearance of genuine goodness, works to restrict religious liberty and bring slavery into the religious world, leads organizations and institutions to bring men under men's control, and hides fraud and guile under semblance of zeal for truth and advancement of the kingdom, which only God's eye discerns, so whatever in practice is not as open as day belongs to his methods and safety requires sleepless vigilance in the straight path.

He makes temptations appear good and right by noble-sounding, elevating thoughts and even by quotations of Scripture, presenting himself as friend rather than enemy. He came thus to Christ in the wilderness and still comes clad in angel robes to souls, quoting Scripture in the most trying times, so that unless life is hid with Christ in God the soul will surely be bound in unbelief. He uses plausible temptations to conceal harmful plans and lead away from trust in God, misusing Scripture to make a reckless course seem justified and to justify indulgence of appetite and worldly pleasures that suit the carnal heart. He adapts his temptations to circumstances and presents some bribe, some apparent good to be gained, succeeding especially with professed followers weak in moral power and fascinated by the bribe, even leading churches to sustain themselves by appeals to appetite and amusement whose offerings Christ cannot accept because given from idolatry of self rather than love and devotion to Him. Christ's conflict in the desolate wilderness through forty days and nights of real hunger, refusing scenes of gaiety and feasting, teaches by example how to resist, and in His name complete victory may be had over a foe no less vigilant now.

He throws a covering of light over sin to make it attractive, especially intemperance and indulgence of appetite and passion, holding even the Christian world under tyranny of custom like the heathen and letting appetite govern. He comes with temptation as a holy messenger, as he came to Christ, to bring men into physical and moral weakness so they are easily overcome and he can triumph over their ruin, tempting them to indulge appetite regardless of result. It is impossible to discharge obligations to God and to others while impairing the faculties God gave, for the brain is the capital of the body and when perceptive faculties are benumbed by intemperance of any kind eternal things are not discerned. By yielding, man brings higher faculties into subjection to animal appetites and passions, becomes easy for Satan to control and use as a plaything, and sacrifices physical, mental and moral power. Discerning his devices requires a clear mind kept by holding physical appetites under control of reason and conscience, since vigorous action of the higher powers of mind is essential to perfection of Christian character, usefulness in this world, and final salvation, and he also uses refined spiritual claims that sin is not sin or that men can live above sin to draw them into indulgence while making it appear harmless.

He does not always come as a roaring lion but when deception serves his purpose comes as a lamb with soft whisper, gentle, attractive, and pleasing, using persuasive arguments, flattering deception, and attractive worldly pleasures to keep men from Christ and draw them farther into sin while outward appearance conceals destructive purpose. He can appear as an angel of light promoting human good deeds and impressive experiences rather than the meekness and humility of Christian faith, and safety lies only in clinging unwaveringly to God's word and promptly rejecting whatever it condemns. He can disguise himself as a righteous, friendly being rather than appear openly evil, drawing the inexperienced into temptation and undermining faith, sometimes posing as an innocent victim unjustly persecuted to win sympathy. His flattering words make the deceptive appearance pleasing so men accept him, and those persisting in their own course under powers of darkness become shaped by the archdeceiver, speak deceitfully, and remain caught in his snares.

He skillfully adapts temptations to men of all classes and conditions, concealing his earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom when concealment suits, and presenting his work in refined intellectual forms to persons of culture and refinement. He appeals to reason by elevating themes, delights fancy with enrapturing scenes, enlists affections by eloquent portrayals of love and charity, and excites imagination to lofty flights, leading men to pride in their own wisdom till in heart they despise the Eternal One. As he appeared with heavenly brightness when tempting Christ in the wilderness and could take the Redeemer to an exceedingly high mountain to show all kingdoms of earth and their glory, he still makes temptations pleasing and persuasive to pervert the senses of all not shielded by divine power. He especially seeks to divert educated and capable people by tempting them to pride in attainments, trust in self, use of abilities in apostasy rather than God's service, and following their own ideas, thus separating them from God the source of light and knowledge to join the originator of sin. His deception may even take Christian form, professing faith in Christ and the Bible with attractive interpretation of Scripture and performing miracles and healings while hiding God's justice, the seriousness of sin, and the claims of law, so outward signs and professions appear as evidence of divine power while serving deception.

He disguises his voice so it is accepted as the voice of God, making his suggestions appear as God's direction in providential workings, recognized only by staying close to God. Walking in one's own ways, doing one's own will, trusting one's own impressions and feelings, and following promptings of an unsanctified heart separates the soul from Him until senses are confused, eternal things are not discerned, and his voice is mistaken for God's while he gains control of thoughts and actions under belief of divine favor. He puts his own counsel into minds of men handling sacred responsibilities so it is presented and accepted in councils as wisdom of God, while blindfolded, unsanctified, self-confident men reject God-given light and treat human wisdom and clever devising as higher good, as he set a higher good before Adam and Eve. The mystery of iniquity works dressed in righteous clothing so the wrong course does not look evil until it takes firm hold, is acted out, grows large, controls everything possible and crushes what will not be controlled, exposed only by fruits borne in practice. He first gains place in the mind through self and selfishness, then strives to keep every advantage and obtain full possession, using the controlled person to influence and deceive others, inflating him with thoughts of importance and zeal for some work regarded great, leading him by pleasing flattering suggestions in union with worldly associates not wise unto salvation, drawing even an unsettled mind toward strange ideas suiting its condition to promote plans contrary to God's will. So unconsecrated managers and heads of departments are in danger of accepting his suggestions as from God, and unless those in responsible positions consecrate themselves daily and hourly they are unsafe to lead others, unfit to distinguish with anointed eyes the pure from the corrupt and sacred from the common, with no God-given power ever to be used to hurt God's children or deceive others.

He can disguise his influence as good and godly to lead astray, as after Israel's victory he suggested plausible plans to Gideon that diverted the people from God's direction. Transgression of God's law can come in whatever guise, even as an angel in garments of light, and that attractive disguise is his device. Cutting loose from God binds a person to Satan, and with impure heart and unsanctified desires he molds the mind and leads farther and farther from truth and righteousness to places never intended. Yielding causes sorrow among angels of light, grieves the Holy Spirit, dishonors the Saviour who died, and crucifies the Son of God afresh putting Him to open shame, so it must be turned from and hated with intense hatred and unutterable loathing.

Christ's Wilderness Temptation

In the barren wilderness after forty days without food, when Christ in humbled humanity was left alone and His human nature endured hunger's pangs while emaciated and suffering, Satan came to Him not as a repulsive fiend but as a beautiful young man, more like a monarch than a fallen angel, clothed in light with the brightness of a heavenly seraph. He did not appear in the frightening form often imagined in grotesque pictures, but with all the appearance of a most beautiful being and one of the bright angels from glory, hoping when the long fast was about over to deceive and ensnare the Son of God whom he regarded as his rival. Christ had taken the nature of man and passed over the ground where Adam fell, to be tested and tried as all human beings are tested and tried, and Satan appeared to Him as an angel of light to induce Him if possible to commit sin, so that the human race would be placed entirely under the dominion of evil. His disguise was part of his effort to imitate Christ, using an attractive and seemingly heavenly appearance and even Scripture to advance his counterfeit claims and to test and prove those he approaches.

Enshrouded in light he claimed to be one of the angels from the throne of God sent on an errand of mercy to sympathize with Christ, comfort Him, and relieve His suffering. He claimed a commission from God to declare the fast at an end, that God did not require Him to pass through the anticipated self-denial and sufferings but only designed to prove His willingness to endure, and that the Father was satisfied and had sent an angel to deliver Him. He told Christ He was to set His feet in the blood-stained path but not travel it, that like Abraham He was tested only to show perfect obedience, and that as the angel who stayed Abraham's hand when the knife was raised to slay Isaac he had now come to save Christ's life from painful hunger and death by starvation and to help Him bear the work in the plan of salvation. Faint with hunger, Jesus was urged to command the desert stones that looked like loaves to be made bread, as if in answer to prayer, while Satan flattered himself that his assumed character as a heavenly angel could not be discerned because Christ had humbled Himself as a man.

He reasoned with Christ to prove His Sonship by turning stones to bread and later by casting Himself from the pinnacle of the temple, and he offered Him the dominion of the world in exchange for worship, presenting an easier way to reach His goal than the path of trial and suffering. At the pinnacle he met Jesus on His own ground and still appeared as an angel of light, himself presenting words that proceeded from the mouth of God to make it evident that he was acquainted with the Scriptures and understood their import. As Jesus had used the word of God to sustain faith, Satan used it to support deception and urge presumption as further evidence of faith, claiming he had only been testing the fidelity of Jesus and commending His steadfastness. Despite the heavenly appearance, his first words, If Thou be the Son of God, betrayed his character as insinuation of distrust, covert doubt of God's truthfulness, bitterness and utter incredulity, questioning whether God would leave His own Son hungry among wild beasts without comfort. His purpose was to make Christ disbelieve the voice from heaven declaring His Sonship, to shake His confidence in the Father, to lead Him to work a miracle for Himself and thus break the plan of salvation, while feigning to doubt Christ's divinity because of His emaciated appearance and unpleasant surroundings.

Jesus recognized Satan from the beginning, would not parley with temptation or prove His divinity, but rested in His Father's love and met him with It is written. He turned from these artful temptations and stood steadfast to carry out in spirit and letter every particular of the plan devised for redemption, resisting through self-denial and submission to His Father's will and sending Satan away defeated. Satan had manifold temptations ready and thought he would succeed, and his apparent advantage came through lies and deception, while Christ exposed his true character. By that victory over manifold temptations devised against men, man was placed on vantage ground with God, and every son and daughter of Adam may overcome, return to allegiance to God, and obey God's law, for though people are weak, degraded, and sinful, Christ provides moral power and through faith in Him they are made complete because He gave His life to rescue them from Satan's power.

Last-Day Deceptions Foretold

His seducing power under the appearance of light will increase in the last days to such proportions that if possible even the very elect would be deceived. Against that deception faith and works are needed now in clear distinct lines, every ray of light given amid moral darkness must be gathered to substantiate the truth and bear aloft the banner for the last days, the third angel's message, the churches must be set in order and the door of unbelief closed, and straight paths must be made lest the weak be turned out of the way. He will use supernatural power to perform actual miracles and not only pretended ones, as when he made the serpent his medium to cause the fall in Eden, and he will work still greater wonders, though his power has a limit he cannot pass so where he lacks power to truly act he counterfeits the work by deception. He has not stayed stupid and careless since his fall but has been learning and has grown more artful, laying his plans deeper and covering them with a religious garment to hide their deformity, so that his power to tempt and deceive is now tenfold greater than in the days of the apostles, has increased, and will keep increasing until it is taken away, while his wrath and hate grow stronger as his time to work draws near its close.

In the very last state of this earth's history he appears as an angel of light to take souls in his snare, working as he worked in heaven to divide God's people, seeking to create dissension and arouse contention and discussion, to remove if possible the old landmarks of truth, and to make it appear as if the Lord contradicts Himself. He is introduced as an angel of light through men who pretend to have been taught of God, who adopt fallacious theories and adorn them in teaching so as to bring in satanic delusions and present pleasing fables. These false prophets misapply many scriptures so deceptive theories will apparently be based on God's words, appropriating precious truth and taking beautiful scriptures given to adorn the truth and using them as a robe of righteousness to cover false and dangerous theories, leading many to accept false theories so specious that if possible even the elect standing faithful to the truth specified in Revelation would be deceived.

Before the close of time he will disguise himself to make men believe he is Christ come the second time into the world, taking Christ's bright holy appearance in every particular so far as mere appearance goes, while he is not Christ. In the last days he will come with great power and heavenly glory, claim to be lord of the earth, assert that the Sabbath has been changed from the seventh day to the first, and present Sunday observance as the test of loyalty to him. That disguise will deceive none but those who, like Pharaoh, are seeking to resist the truth, and his triumph will be brief. He is the true leader of rebellion against God and will appear clothed as Christ, deceiving people into exalting and worshiping him as God, appearing in this age as antichrist in the place of the true Christ, with fallen angels on earth forming confederacies with evil men to carry out this deception, making the law of God fully void in the nations and bringing rebellion against God's holy law to full ripeness, until apostate churches unite in that exaltation and Omnipotence interposes with judgment upon them.

A masterpiece of his deception is modern Spiritualism, in which he and his evil angels disguise themselves as bright heavenly messengers to hide the deformity of character and receive from a blinded people the worship that belongs to God alone. Evil angels impersonate the dead, imitate their words and actions, appear as deceased loved ones in familiar forms and robes of light, relate incidents of their lives, and speak and teach the living, whispering low corrupt teachings that please men and gratify carnal minds, with each angel assigned a sly artful part, even acting apostles, saints, and wicked men alike so all teach the same lie. People are thus made to believe that what comes from Satan and hell comes from the spirits of the dead, until consciences are seared, Christ is despised and trampled under foot, and virtue and holiness are rejected, and this lays the foundation by the pulpit falsehood that the dead are conscious. His power to deceive in this way is great, but it is not greater than Christ's.

Adapting himself to the modern order he works through a Spiritualism that closely imitates nominal Christianity, giving him greater power to deceive and ensnare. He appears in the character of an angel of light, as a benefactor and healer, working miracles, healing the sick, and performing many undeniable wonders, while the spirits profess faith in the Bible and respect for church institutions so their work is accepted as a manifestation of divine power. His deception may take a Christian form that professes faith in Christ and the Bible, uses an attractive interpretation of Scripture, and performs miracles and healings while hiding God's justice, the seriousness of sin, and the claims of His law. By this disguise he erases the distinction between professed Christians and the ungodly and unites them in one body, sweeping Papists who trust miracles as proof of the true church, Protestants who have cast away the shield of truth, and worldlings alike into the ranks of Spiritualism under a form of godliness without the power, which they mistake for a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the millennium. He presents Spiritualism to cultured people in refined intellectual forms, appealing to reason with elevating themes, delighting the imagination with beautiful scenes, and stirring the affections with eloquent portrayals of love and charity, and as he appeared with heavenly brightness when tempting Christ in the wilderness he makes his temptations pleasing and persuasive, leading people to pride in their own wisdom and contempt for God, so that only divine power shields them and only studying the Book of God with earnest prayer keeps men from being left in darkness to receive false doctrines.

He appears as a stately fair person whom all revere and look up to, acting as conductor of a train carrying the whole world with lightning speed to perdition, having taken the world captive and binding people in bundles ready to burn, giving them over to strong delusions to believe a lie that they may be damned. In the opposite direction only a little care-worn company travels a narrow pathway firmly united and bound together by truth and sealed in bundles for the heavenly garner toward triumph. After the Father and Jesus left the first apartment for the Holy of Holies at the end of the 2300 days he stays by that throne appearing to carry on the work of God, and those who do not know Jesus has left keep looking to the throne and praying for the Spirit, so that he breathes on them an unholy influence with light and much power but no sweet love, joy and peace, to hold the deceived and to draw back and deceive God's children. He takes a religious character to fasten professed Christians in his snare when they reject the messages that show the way into the Most Holy place and keep offering useless prayers where Jesus no longer ministers, drawing their minds to himself and working with his power, signs and lying wonders, preparing different delusions for different minds so some reject one deception while readily receiving another, deceiving some with Spiritualism and others by spreading his religious influence over the land in holy disguise, producing false reformations everywhere in which the churches are elated and think God is marvelously working for them when it is another spirit, and these movements will die away and leave the world and the church in worse condition than before. In the time of trouble when God's people are in great distress, small in number, poor and stricken, and cut off so they cannot buy or sell, he personates those who have died and are claimed to have gone to heaven, presenting them as messengers from heaven who talk and walk with the wicked, claiming to bring truth, miracles, great power and signs and wonders to prove that the whole world is converted, that the temporal millennium long expected has come, and that all are in harmony with the Sunday law, while charging Sabbath keepers with taking an independent position from all the rest of the world and from God, ridiculing their feebleness, declaring they are dependent on the world and must concede to its customs, practices and laws or go out of it, and mocking and threatening to destroy them.

His angels can appear in human form with attractive promises and glowing representations of what men will be able to do if they will only heed their suggestions, turning penitence into defiance. Those who would have eternal life must break every yoke and cease to trust in human beings, and the enlightening of the understanding must become part of the experience, because sin has darkened the reasoning powers, so that men may discern the excellency of the perfect rule of righteousness that God has given.

False Teachers and Agents

As the serpent beguiled Eve through subtlety, so his ministers transform themselves into apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousness to corrupt minds from the simplicity that is in Christ and assail the faith of the church. They preach another Jesus, impart another spirit, and present another gospel while working to destroy true influence, and believers meet this last-days deception only by putting on the armor of righteousness, looking steadfastly to Jesus, refusing to be turned from His gospel, and living wholly on the Lord's side. He clothes evil spirits in the appearance of heavenly purity and makes the path to destruction look safe and attractive, using people as agents and making false teachers appear righteous to lead others from humble obedience, so each person remains accountable and cannot excuse neglect of duty by another's disobedience. His deception can work through those claiming divine authority and special revelations, and through pious pretenders appearing to have deep experience in God, so claims of spiritual guidance must be tested rather than accepted at face value, lest those persuaded become even more corrupt than their teachers.

He sets false reformers professing new light and reform upon the track of honest, inquiring souls who are convinced of present heresies, dissatisfied with the spiritual condition of the churches, and desiring a higher standard and improvement, to gain influence and draw them still farther from the path of right. By first appearing holy and self-sacrificing with pretensions to godliness they gain sympathy, confidence and trust, then use deceptive reasoning, heresy and persuasive deception to confuse the mind and draw people from purity and obedience to God's law. He assumes a religious character and uses spiritualism, false reformations, signs and lying wonders to make people think God is at work while fastening them in his snare. Their garments of righteousness can cover a soul leprous with sin, and the same influence that professes reform can draw virtuous women into impurity, fornication and adultery under the cloak of godliness, which brings the heaviest retribution because it is iniquity practiced under profession of holiness.

He walks in every church and in every assembly of Christian workers trying to win members to his side, and therefore all must be on guard and be not deceived, for God is not mocked. He most assiduously seeks to ensnare those who have had the most light, using attractive, seemingly spiritual forms to conceal deadly error from those who turn from God's plain Word. If he can deceive them they will under his control clothe sin with garments of righteousness and lead many astray. This warning to stay on guard applies especially among Christian workers and in churches where even the enlightened are targeted to make sin appear righteous.

Whoever entices others to sin is his agent, and a sinner appearing righteous and claiming to bring religious truth can win trust and then deceive and corrupt others. Professed Christians can serve him especially effectively, for influence, position, or claimed knowledge of God increases their power to disguise sin and make it attractive. A professed follower of Christ who seduces others into impurity may wear the outward appearance of a servant of heaven while serving Satan. An impure proposal does not become righteous because it comes from a minister or from one whose profession appears exalted and sacred; ministerial office does not sanctify violation of God's command against adultery, and such conduct is evil disguised as light to be rejected. Religious leaders who claimed to represent Christ while misleading people, keeping them from the Bible, and using authority to make their words accepted as God's, even to persecuting those who followed conviction, acted as his representatives.

He carries on earnest warfare to the end through rebellious ones, laying gins and snares and using them to worry, confuse and perplex those who would stand as bold, faithful soldiers for Jesus. Because these foes wear the same dress as the soldiers of Christ they are not easy to meet and withstand. Meeting them calls for spiritual discernment, wisdom from God, divine enlightenment and consecration to His service, showing itself in care with whom to connect and whom to admit into confidence, in standing united as a church, and in seeking God with faith in earnest, humble prayer so He guides, controls and works with human effort. He adapts his temptations to circumstances to carry forward the work he began in heaven, working upon feelings wholly originated in self such as displeasure and jealousy toward God's appointed leader, professing great interest in the prosperity of God's people while making minds one in murmuring and questioning God's speaking through His chosen servant. He cannot touch the head, the reasoning faculties or the eyes of the mind, but he makes things the outward eye looks upon appear in accordance with his subtle working, producing the same effect as if the eyes were blinded, and when responsible workers neglect spiritual watchfulness he gains advantage to harm God's work while understanding is blinded and to open the door to false impressions and untruths.

He avoids open, bold attack because that would bring the Christian in distress to the Redeemer and the strong Deliverer would drive the adversary away, so instead he works artfully upon the mind to allure from the only safe path, knowing that coming as an angel of light best accomplishes his work. In this generation he has come more directly through phrenology, psychology and mesmerism, working with the power to characterize his work near the close of probation when the human mind is more readily affected by his devices. His constant ambition is to counterfeit the work of Christ and establish his own power and claims, even leading deceived mortals to explain Christ's works and miracles upon general principles and to weaken true faith by making them seem human works. He puts before minds for study subjects that look very interesting and full of scientific mystery, and through research of learned men wrong conclusions of satanic origin are reached that lead men to accept error and unite with seducing spirits in new theories leading away from truth. Through sciences of satanic origin he works to make God and Christ into nothing, and there is danger that ministers, teachers and editors will weave these false ideas into arguments, discourses and publications while believing they agree with the Spirit of truth, as illustrated by the book Living Temple. At the resurrection he likewise worked on the priests' minds under religious, logical and philosophical guise to deny that Jesus had risen and accuse the disciples of taking His body, leading away from God's law.

He clothes himself in angel robes in love stories and frivolous, exciting tales to deceive and allure more effectually, even when a good moral is attached and religious sentiments and statements are woven through the work. Such books are a curse to all who read them, for the mind is greatly affected by that upon which it feeds. Readers become unfitted for the duties lying before them, live an unreal life with no desire for useful employment and no desire to search the Scriptures to feed upon the heavenly manna. The mind that needs strengthening is enfeebled and loses power to contemplate the great problems of duty and destiny, the mission and work of Christ, and the plan of salvation. Their religious appearance does not make religious novels safe from temptation, but serves as a covering that makes the stories more effective in drawing in the unsuspecting.

He obscures the distinction between right and wrong and uses promises of pleasure to draw inexperienced youth into forbidden paths, especially when they have learned to follow inclination rather than duty. He appears as a good heavenly messenger and holy angel, as the arch-deceiver, accuser, liar, tormentor and murderer, bringing deceptive temptations to win youth step by step away from duty, redoubling temptations when they try to break away and taking advantage of ignorance and inexperience. He knows just what elements he has to deal with, displays infernal wisdom in various devices, watches every step, makes many suggestions often followed rather than God's Word, and skillfully prepares a finely woven dangerous net often disguised under a covering of light, so that victims pierce themselves with many sorrows and become wrecks of humanity. He hates every effort to influence youth rightly and everything giving correct views of God and Christ, aims especially at those placed where they can receive light from heaven because connection with God gives resisting power, and plans to secure youth in sin while young to secure the grown man. One chief trap is a worldly marriage alliance and courtship for pleasure that closes religious experience and usefulness, weaving skepticism around the believer until faith in precious truth dies, while his suggestions stir every remaining evil tendency and even cherished impure thoughts discerned by God bring condemnation and provoke divine displeasure.

His skill lies in devising plans without number and hiding lies under the appearance of genuine goodness, zeal for truth and advancement of the kingdom, so that only God's eye fully discerns his schemes. By subtlety he gives soul-destroying errors the appearance of truth, and that counterfeit gives spiritualism, theosophy and like deceptions their power over minds, catching through strong delusion all who abide not in truth and turn ears from truth to fables. Pretending to be the Saviour and benefactor of the race and personifying the god in humanity sought by those rejecting truth, he lures victims to destruction until multitudes accept the counterfeit and hail humanity as God. His disguised work contaminates the world with false and ruinous principles, restricts religious liberty, brings a species of slavery into the religious world, and, unless kept by God's power, leads organizations and institutions under his dictation to bring men under control of men. Whatever in practice is not as open as day belongs to his methods, and those methods are practiced even among Seventh-day Adventists claiming advanced truth, in a solemn time when divine enlightenment is needed daily, the Spirit is being withdrawn, plagues and judgments fall, evil elements combine for vigorous resistance, and the children of the world rush into every opening while God's people act as if blindfolded; only sleepless vigilance in the straight path of truth and righteousness escapes his power. Error requires disguise and clothes itself in angel robes because every manifestation of its real character lessens success, while truth's excellence appears more clearly from every viewpoint so that efforts retarding it extend it.

He is always ready to encourage anything leading to loss of confidence in denominational literature God has blessed, and is pleased to keep many minds employed picking flaws and searching criticism in publications that did a good work. As a busy agent he presents the thought that many books in print need general revision, glad for brethren to receive the impression many changes must be made according to their own ideas, delighting to insinuate questioning and doubt and implant distrust and unbelief. He absorbs minds in further search for possible errors and wide publicity of imperfections, creating uncertainty as to the value of publications and leaving minds running in channels that harvest doubt. The result is great weakness, with time passing rapidly while the great work needed in cities remains undone, for he and all his hosts are on the battlefield as the enemy of all truth and souls, so the proposal to make many changes in books already published is not from the Lord. He and his angels come clothed in garments of light through every room of the publishing office, looking with eager interest on every branch, urging workers to present false principles and cheapness to destroy sacred, elevating principles, while false teachings dressed in angel robes and presented with confidence, and plans undermining confidence in God's warnings, mislead aside to fables.

He hides a heart of darkness under a bright, caring disguise, and his human agents do the same, saying and doing anything to gain their object whether calling themselves spiritualist, electric physician or magnetic healer. By specious pretenses they win confidence of the unwary, pretending to read life-history and understand all difficulties and afflictions, showing great interest especially in women seeking counsel. They tell them troubles come from unhappy marriage and need of love and sympathy, and while pretending great interest cast a spell over unsuspecting victims and charm them as the serpent charms the trembling bird until completely in their power, with sin, disgrace and ruin following. Angels of God preserve His people walking in duty's path, but there is no assurance of protection for those deliberately venturing on his ground.

He can work among God's people in ways appearing good while diverting workers and resources into efforts failing to represent sacred truth properly. He clothes fanaticism in garments of truth and righteousness as an imperfect mimicry and counterfeit of God's work bearing on the carnal mind, coming infinitely short of high Heaven though blinding eyes so men cannot discern the difference. When fanaticism ripens into terrible bitter fruit the contrast is as wide as Christ from Beelzebub and the glories of God's kingdom from perdition's terror and black despair, for the road to life and the road to death lie not side by side but in opposite directions. The pure work of God and his counterfeit must not be mixed into one compound called all from heaven, nor the whole movement denounced as of men or Satan because fanaticism appears in some connected with it; making God author of confusion insults God, attributing God's work marred by Satan to satanic power pleases the devil, and erasing the difference is the spur of his ambition. He may work through religious worship and many followers while remaining hostile to God, promoting behind high professions unbelief and opposition to God's word, requirements, institutions and the Holy Spirit.

Fallen angels appear as teachers to instruct souls, especially every soul separating from brethren striving for heaven. They work through defects of character, commercialism, and unconverted professed teachers and money speculators bringing traits into the church, leading others into temptation and false paths and directing unwary feet until cases seem hopeless. Ministers, physicians and all in office must look well to themselves and wake up, meeting this deception with patience, tenderness and reconversion presented line upon line, precept upon precept under the Holy Spirit's sanctification, following step by step in humility and meekness to be prepared as overcomers for the kingdom. He goes ahead of those departing from the faith disguised as a holy angel, working with intensity from beneath to unsettle those once established, and those giving up truth they once advocated do greatest harm to God's cause. Many take this path because truth once believed was not brought into life practice, and leaving the faith to refuse the last warning message walks where the Lord does not lead, following false paths until learning what is in the Lamb's wrath; truth for this time from God's Word must be passed on to save souls and prepare them for what opens before them, in unity and harmony with everything done divinely.

Safeguards and Victory

Safety against this disguise requires putting on the whole armor of God to stand against the devil's wiles, putting on the armor of righteousness, looking steadfastly to Jesus Christ, refusing to be turned away from the gospel of Christ, and living an undivided life wholly on the Lord's side. The warning concerns deceptions to come in the last days, when Satan disguises himself as an angel of light and his human ministers do the same, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousness while working to destroy true influence, preaching another Jesus, imparting another spirit, and presenting another gospel, and by that subtlety corrupting minds from simplicity in Christ just as the serpent beguiled Eve. He can assume this shining appearance whenever it serves his purpose, yet the appearance is deceptive because he promotes human good deeds and impressive experiences rather than the meekness and humility of Christian faith, and God's word is the safeguard against these temptations. His deceptions may appear religious and appealing, as in false doctrines and wonders that can reach even those who reject truth, but earnest prayer and study of God's word guard against being misled and keep men from being left in darkness to receive false doctrines, while rejecting truth leaves them to fall prey to deception. He comes clad in angel robes to souls with temptations just as he came to Christ in the wilderness quoting Scripture, and this deception belongs to the most trying times ahead; unless a person's life is hid with Christ in God, Satan will surely bind the soul in unbelief, for he presses his plans on every side by hiding his motives and the true character of his temptations under an appearance of light like pure angel robes so he is not recognized, which calls for great caution and close examination of his devices.

Drawing close to Christ and to God protects believers from being overcome by him, for as they draw near to God He draws near to them and raises a standard against the enemy, even when Satan works in unexpected ways and is welcomed as good. Linking closely with Christ leaves Satan no power to overcome, and this nearness is the safeguard when he puts on robes of light so that many receive him as such a being. The deception is active in the last days, when evil spirits work miracles and create false healings while Satan presents attractive images to those blinded to their spiritual condition, so Christians must stay watchful and resist by holding to Christ and the simple truths of the gospel, remaining unmoved by delusions, rejecting every temptation to depart from holy principles, and holding firmly to the faith. He watches in angel garments with most plausible presentations for a favorable opportunity to dissolve unity among brethren, and those not firmly united with their brethren accept his powerful temptations and confederate in a party leading out upon theories they call truth; pure clean hearts and sanctified thought with every thought brought into captivity to Jesus Christ and firm, prayerful, habitual resistance to closely besetting sin are necessary so his oppressing power does not obtain victory over the soul. He is overcome when God's power and grace bring people into a condition where eternal principles live in their hearts and indelible impressions are made on their souls, requiring thorough awakening from spiritual paralysis, keeping first love, and loving the brethren rather than breathing the malaria of the world, while he works constantly by sophistry, deceptions and policy to subvert souls, obliterate the marks of discipleship, and draw them into confederacy with the enemies of Christ and the truth.

Because foes wear the same dress as the soldiers of Christ they are not easy to meet and withstand, and meeting them calls for spiritual discernment, wisdom from God, divine enlightenment, and consecration to His service. Safety requires understanding personal danger, standing united as a church, being careful with whom to connect and whom to admit into confidence, and seeking God with faith in earnest, humble prayer, with the Lord working with human effort to guide and control and keep the church a unit. He can disguise himself as a friend and work beside people for a time before they recognize him, and when responsible workers neglect spiritual watchfulness he gains an advantage and can harm God's work while their understanding is blinded. He may work through people who appear to be serving Christ but instead spread confusion, suspicion, and division through rebellious ones used to worry, confuse, and perplex those who would stand as bold, faithful soldiers for Jesus, carrying on earnest warfare to the end; therefore spiritual discernment and caution are needed, refusing willing association with tramplers of law and separating from them, watching and praying, and testing every claim, miracle, and spirit by the Bible rather than appearance. In the present time he will bring in his deceptive working so subtly that he looks like a bright angel from heaven, so all must beware and obey God's orders without consulting man or following own will after warnings and counsels, needing not men who catch up new fanciful ideas but men who catch what sounds from the heavenly courts. Without the guiding and teaching of the Holy Spirit, who alone guides into all truth, people are led by deceptive spirits claiming to be angels of light away from truth into error on the acceptance of a sinner with God; protection and healthful growth require humble recognition that humans are not sufficient of themselves in combat with darkness and cannot justify themselves by works, but must depend continually on supernatural teaching and divine agencies, since good and evil angels constantly act upon people by secret but most efficient power.

Christ has conquered on humanity's behalf, but He forces no one to obey nor saves anyone against choice; people may overcome through Christ's name and receive His imputed righteousness, while Satan hides the dangers of the path he urges and shows only its attractions, appearing holy and friendly to deceive and destroy. In that disguise Satan works on the mind to draw people from the safe and right path, counterfeits Christ's work, and makes Christ's works and miracles seem to result from human skill and scientific principles, rather than usually attacking Christianity openly, and this deception can destroy faith in Christ as Messiah, the Son of God. He uses deception by appearing pious, pure, and holy while concealing his real purpose, distorting God's law to make God seem unjust and tyrannical in order to separate people from God, a method continued from Eden through every age, which none can withstand without accepting Christ's atoning sacrifice. He came to Christ in the wilderness representing himself as an angel of light, but Christ defeated him, making it possible for every son and daughter of Adam to overcome, return to allegiance, and obey God's law; though people are weak, degraded, and sinful, Christ provides moral power and through faith in Him they are made complete, because He gave His life to rescue them from Satan's power. He works through deception presenting himself as religious and persuasive, even logical or philosophical, falsely claiming that Christ's death abolished God's law and leading professed Christians to break the commandments while claiming devotion to Christ. The enemies of Christ are many who while claiming to be righteous do not have His righteousness, disguising themselves as angels of light but being ministers of sin, and this should stir every soul to faithful stewardship of grace, unfolding truth to those in darkness of error and holding forth the words of life.