No one accidentally serves God. On the other side, many
people are unwittingly working alongside the devil. Jesus said, “The hour is
coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God” (John
16:2). He asked Saul of Tarsus—who was sure he was serving God by killing
Christians—“Why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4).
How do you work alongside Satan? The first thing to note is
that no one is wittingly doing his will. No one is that foolish or in control
of themselves. Some would claim they are, but if they knew the true danger to
their soul and the evil that he is working in and through them, they would quickly
admit that service to the prince of darkness has been foisted upon them and
they are in bondage to the thief who promised life but has delivered death. He
continues to deceive the whole world (Revelation 12:9), despite the fact that if
our eyes were opened to his schemes, we would not serve him and we would not
have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8).
To serve Satan is to be ignorant of the truth of God’s Word
(Ephesians 6:11–12). If you don’t know God’s truth, righteousness, readiness or
peace, and if you’re not protected by his faith, salvation, or Spirit, then you’re
in a prime spot to be overwhelmed by Satan’s craftiness. His power and false
signs and wonders are magnified in the world because people refuse to love the
truth and so be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:9–10). In rejecting God’s truth, they
are condemned to believe what is false (2 Thessalonians 2:11–12).
It’s no surprise then that so many are in “the snare of the
devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:26). And it’s
no surprise that so many are following a way that promises life but ends in
death. There are many ways to serve Satan in your pride, backbiting, gossip,
approval of sin, and spreading doubt, but I’d like to speak of a clear
statement Paul made to the church in Corinth, since today too many have been
convinced that they need to protect themselves and to seek their safety and
wellbeing and to be afraid of everyone who could hurt them.
Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I
have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so
that we would not be [exploited] by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his
designs. ~ 2 Corinthians 2:11 (ESV translation with one clarification: the ESV
uses “outwitted”; the KJV uses “Lest Satan should get an advantage”)
Forgiveness is a way to shut the door of our hearts to Satan’s
wiles. He loves to use your hurt to his advantage when you refuse to forgive
and live in the bitterness that ensues. Forgiveness is humility and acting like
Christ. It says, “You hurt me, but I hurt God more, and he has forgiven me, so
I forgive you.” Pride says, “You hurt me way more than I ever hurt anyone so I’m
going to hurt you back by refusing to forgive.” A whole group of Satan
supporters are making the rounds right now encouraging everyone to build walls of
protection, to withhold forgiveness until repentance is perfect, and to bow to
invented words like “church hurt” to magnify their anger and hatred exponentially.
Instead of shutting the door of our hearts to Satan, we
welcome him in and so are rebuked by Jesus,
Woe to you! Hypocrites! You shut
the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces! For you neither enter yourselves nor
allow those who would enter to go in! ~ Matthew 23:13
A believer in the Lord Jesus Christ will love much because
they have been forgiven much! But there remains a temptation to hold others to
a different standard, and to refuse to forgive them. But in heaven there is
perfect forgiveness and reconciliation, so we do our best to bring heaven to
earth.
But evil men and slanderers will tell you that withholding
forgiveness is good for you and for the kingdom. Do not be deceived. Vengeance
belongs to God, and as Christ has forgiven you, so must you forgive. If you
think your forgiveness was earned because you’ve repented so well, and that you
don’t have to restore someone else in a spirit of gentleness, Paul gives you
another warning that it’s not even Satan working in you, “Keep watch on
yourself, lest you too be tempted…For if anyone thinks he is something, when he
is nothing, he deceives himself” (Galatians 6:1,3).
Satan uses a two-pronged strategy
in the church: First, he tempts a believer into sin. But if that person repents,
Satan immediately shifts his tactic to the rest of the congregation—tempting them
toward self-righteousness, bitterness, and an unforgiving spirit. In both
cases, Satan wins if grace does not prevail. ~ Erwin Lutzer
Beloved, consider the outcome of the way of life of those
who run away from conflict and who live in bitterness. What is the present
state of their soul? What will be their end? We must—if we love them—confront
them with the fact that they are full well under the control of the evil one,
being exploited by him to do his will. Bitterness has taken root in their soul
and is in the process of destroying them, and is defiling many. A past hurt, a
pastor who abused them, a long record of wrongs they have engraved in their
souls; each of these can only be dealt with by opening their heart to Christ
who stands ready to save them, and closing their heart to Satan by giving forgiveness
freely and without measure.
And let’s close with this, you might say, “I have forgiven
them, but I’ll never talk to them again or let them into the church again.” Read
back a little bit, Paul called them to “forgive and comfort” and to “reaffirm
your love”. Forgiveness is for the offender, and it’s also for the offended; it’s
a benefit for the church, but it’s ultimately a benefit for Christ. Forgiveness
brings love and obedience into Christ’s church, and it will restore the errant
sinner. It will warn others of severe dire consequence, but it will remind all
that Christ is in the business of restoration.
So beloved, you have the choice today, leave the door wide
open for Satan to wreak havoc on your soul, or walk in compassion and
forgiveness as Christ has called you to.
