The Devil The Deceiver

 Summary: What Christians rarely understand is that the Devil deceives the church by building a system. The Devil comes as a ravenous wolf, causing church leaders to draw the Lord’s disciples after themselves, and subsequently teaching the false doctrines of Jezebel, the Nicolaitans, and Balaam. Through all these things, a system of Christianity is established, in which human authority, hierarchy, and the “seat of Moses” enter into the church, causing the church to split into tens of thousands of denominations.

Call to action: We must return to the simplicity of the early church, which met from house to house, where there was no human authority or hierarchy, and all church members were led directly by the Holy Spirit.

At first, I was not interested in writing about this theme, because it has often been mentioned in previous writings. However, it seems there are several important matters related to this theme that make me want to write about it again. Concerning the “titles” of the Devil, actually Jesus gave him two “titles,” namely liar and murderer (John 8:44). If these “titles” are combined, then the Devil deceives humans in order to kill them. But we will focus on his work in deceiving mankind.

Several important matters related to this theme are as follows. First, the view held by the majority of Christians is that the Devil originally came from a good and glorious angel named Lucifer, but because he became proud and wanted to be equal with Elohim, he rebelled and then became the exceedingly evil Devil. It is even said that he drew one-third of the good angels to join him in rebelling against Elohim. In my opinion, this story gives “glory” to the Devil, because he is portrayed as a being so daring as to oppose Elohim, and so great that he could influence and draw one-third of the good angels to also rebel against Elohim.

Second, perhaps some may argue that we should simply focus on preaching and speaking about the Gospel. However, the problem is that there are quite many “gospels” being preached in the Christian world. Why is this so? In my opinion, the many different gospels preached in Christianity are because the Devil has deceived “the preachers of the Gospel,” so that they preach a gospel different from the one preached by Jesus and His apostles. Meanwhile, Paul responded very seriously to the preaching of “another gospel” by declaring, “let him be accursed” who preaches a different gospel (Galatians 1:8). Therefore, we need to discuss the Devil the Deceiver, so that we ourselves may not be deceived by him and believe a false gospel.

Third, Paul advised the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of Elohim so that they would be able to stand against the “schemes” of the Devil (Ephesians 6:11). The schemes of the Devil are a danger we face in spiritual warfare; therefore, we need to correctly identify this deceiving Devil.

At least these three matters compel us to once again study who the Devil really is, where he is, and how he deceives us, and so forth. Thus, we discuss the Devil not because he is such an important being in himself, but because his deception has corrupted the pure Gospel, damaged the church so that it has split into tens of thousands of denominations, and ultimately killed Christians, for indeed he lies with the purpose of killing, in accordance with the “title” Jesus gave him.

Let us begin by quickly discussing who this Devil really is. Genesis 3:1 states, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made...” Notice that the serpent in the Garden of Eden could speak to Eve, and when he was cursed by God, his food became the dust of the ground. The difficulty many Christians have in understanding the story in the Garden of Eden is that they regard Eden as a literal physical garden somewhere around present-day Iraq, because the Euphrates and Tigris rivers flowed through it.

It is this “literal” understanding that causes Christians to fail to understand the story of the Garden of Eden. Let us consider: where is there a literal tree called the Tree of Life or the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? Even after Adam and Eve fell into sin, there was a cherub with a flaming sword guarding the way to the Tree of Life. Where on earth is there such a cherub guarding a place so humans cannot enter and take the fruit of the Tree of Life? And where is there a literal serpent that can speak and eat dust? In reality, all the stories in the Garden of Eden are SYMBOLIC stories describing the REALITY or CONDITION of humanity before the fall into sin.

Therefore, the serpent that could speak and eat dust was not a physical serpent like those we see in zoos. The serpent in the Garden of Eden is a symbol of a reality. What reality does the serpent symbolize? Notice the Book of Revelation, which is the revelation of Jesus Christ communicated in symbolic language (Revelation 1:1, ‘semaino’, from the root ‘sema’, meaning symbol). Revelation 12:9 states, “And the great dragon was cast out, that ancient serpent, called the Devil and Satan...” The phrase ‘ancient serpent’ here does not refer to old age. The Greek term translated ‘ancient’ is ‘archaios’, meaning ‘ancient’ or ‘early’. Thus, the meaning is that this ancient serpent is the original serpent, namely the serpent in the Garden of Eden story. Therefore, the ancient serpent, or the serpent described in the Garden of Eden, is the Devil or Satan. And Genesis 3:1 affirms that this serpent (the Devil) was created by Elohim.

It was Elohim who created the Devil and his evil spirits for certain purposes. The Devil was not originally a good being who later made himself evil. John 8:44 states, “The Devil… was a murderer from the beginning.” 1 John 3:8 says, “...the Devil has been sinning from the beginning.” Therefore, the Devil is a created being of Elohim who from the very beginning was already evil, not originally a good angel who later became evil.

We have seen that the Devil is a created being of Elohim, and Elohim created the Devil as His instrument for His own purposes and plans. We should briefly mention why theologians created the story of the fall of the angel Lucifer into the evil Devil. Usually these theologians quote Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 to support their view, even though the context of those chapters speaks about the king of Babylon and the king of Tyre. These theologians try to “defend” Elohim by finding a “scapegoat” for the existence of sin, sickness, suffering, disasters, and so forth.

However, we see that Elohim does not attempt to shift responsibility for suffering, sickness, disasters, and so on. Notice Isaiah 45:6–7: “I am the LORD, and there is no other, forming light and creating darkness, making peace and creating calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.” Amos 3:6 also states, “Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it?”

Romans 11:36 states, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever”. Everything clearly comes from Elohim, but Elohim requires INSTRUMENTS to fulfill His plans, and one of those instruments is the Devil. We know that the fall of Adam and Eve was part of Elohim’s design (Romans 8:20), but Elohim used an instrument to tempt Adam and Eve, and the Devil became that instrument. Elohim does not evade responsibility for everything that happens in the universe; even a bird does not fall apart from His will. Therefore, the efforts of theologians to “defend” Elohim are strange and unusual. Let us leave behind the theologians’ attempts to “defend” Elohim by creating stories about the Devil’s fall, even though these stories are believed by the majority of Christians.

Let us return to our theme, the Devil the Deceiver. An important question in resisting the Devil’s deception is recognizing where the Devil is. If the story about the fall of the angel Lucifer becoming the Devil were true, then clearly the Devil would be outside of us. But is it true that the Devil is outside of us and tempts us from outside?

Consider Genesis 3:14: “...cursed are you above all livestock and above every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.” The first being cursed by Elohim after Adam’s fall was the Devil. Elohim’s curse upon the Devil had two aspects: “on your belly you shall go,” and “dust shall be your food.” We know the serpent in the Garden of Eden is the Devil, and the expression “on your belly you shall go” is God’s curse limiting the Devil’s movement. This means that originally he could move in a higher dimension, but now he has been “brought down,” so that he can only “crawl on his belly.” Furthermore, God cursed the Devil so that his food became dust. The dust referred to here is certainly not literal dust, but humanity, because humanity is dust (Genesis 3:19).

Consider the following verses which show that the Devil “crawls on his belly” within fallen humanity. The Bible calls fallen humanity ‘flesh’ (Greek: sarx). Mark 7:21 states, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder...” 2 Corinthians 10:4–5 states, “...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Spiritual warfare takes place within the human mind that opposes the knowledge of Elohim. We cannot distinguish between human carnality and the Devil, because the two have become so united in opposing Elohim. Therefore, the Devil exists within our fleshly nature, and he “crawls on his belly” to consume fleshly humanity, namely all descendants of Adam who have fallen into sin.

Let us continue our discussion regarding the sphere in which the Devil works. We have emphasized that the Devil “crawls on his belly” and devours fleshly humanity. Let us now look at several cases so we may understand more clearly how the Devil “crawls on his belly” and devours fleshly humanity, namely Adam’s descendants who have fallen into sin.

First, the case of Peter in Matthew 16:21–23: “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord! This shall never happen to You.’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.’”

Let us try to understand Peter’s intention in rebuking Jesus so that the suffering about to come upon Him might be prevented by Elohim. Clearly, Peter loved Jesus and did not want anything evil to happen to his Teacher. Peter merely expressed what he felt and thought, and from a human perspective this was entirely normal and even good. Yet Jesus rebuked Peter and called him Satan, a stumbling block to Him. Certainly, Jesus did not mean that Peter literally was Satan, but by thinking human thoughts, Peter had “become” Satan, a stumbling block for Jesus.

Here we see a truth: HUMAN THINKING (FLESHLY THINKING) AND THE DEVIL ARE SO UNITED THAT THEY CANNOT BE SEPARATED. Whoever thinks according to human reasoning rather than according to Elohim’s thinking has already “united” himself with the Devil. Even though Peter’s human thinking was good, it was not the mind of Christ. Here we see how the Devil “crawls on his belly,” uniting himself with human thought and devouring fleshly humanity.

Second, the case of Amnon and Tamar in 2 Samuel 13. The background of the Amnon and Tamar incident was David’s adultery with Bathsheba. David received discipline from Elohim because of his adultery, and one aspect of that discipline was calamity arising from his own household. Here we see Elohim handing over David’s family to the Devil for discipline.

At that time, Amnon fell deeply in love with Tamar, who was also David’s child, though by a different mother. Amnon became so consumed with love that he became sick, and through deception he succeeded in raping Tamar. But afterward, Amnon suddenly changed and hated Tamar intensely after violating her. This is very strange, that someone could so quickly change from intense love to intense hatred. This matter can only be explained if we see that the Devil gave Amnon a powerful feeling of love for Tamar, and then after Amnon raped her, the Devil planted an overwhelming hatred toward Tamar.

In the Amnon-Tamar case, we see that the Devil can give feelings of love to someone, so that a person may commit acts that violate moral standards. Thus, the Devil “crawls on his belly” and can give both feelings of love and hatred to the emotions of fleshly humanity, which is his food.

Third, the case where John the Baptist called the Pharisees and Sadducees a “brood of vipers” (Matthew 3:7), and the case where Jesus told the Pharisees and teachers of the law that the Devil was their father (John 8:44). Jesus spoke this way because they wanted to carry out the desires of their father, namely the desire to kill Jesus. Once again we see here the Devil “crawling on his belly,” giving the Pharisees and teachers of the law the desire to kill Jesus.

The Devil is so united with the desires, thoughts, and feelings of fleshly humanity that we can no longer distinguish them. If we live according to the flesh, we unite ourselves with the Devil, but if we live the life of Christ, we unite ourselves with Elohim.

Now we enter into the discussion of the Devil the Deceiver in relation to the church. When we speak of the church (the Body of Christ), what we mean are born-again Christians who are being built together into the Body of Christ. We are not yet discussing how the Devil the Deceiver attacks Christians individually, although these matters are certainly related.

Let us consider Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the Devil.” In one particular sense, putting on the WHOLE armor of Elohim cannot be done by Christians individually. For if we examine the armor Paul describes, some parts are worn on the waist (the belt of truth), some on the chest (the breastplate of righteousness), some on the feet (the shoes of readiness to proclaim the Gospel), some are held in the hands (the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit), and one is worn on the head (the helmet of salvation).

This means that for the WHOLE armor of Elohim to be fully used, the Body of Christ must be united and not fragmented as we see in the Christian world today. Again, do not misunderstand as though individually we cannot use the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit because, as members of the Body of Christ, we are not the “hands” but perhaps the “feet.” Rather, the point being emphasized is that in resisting the Devil’s schemes to the fullest extent and in wearing the WHOLE armor of Elohim, the Body of Christ must be one and not divided.

Now let us observe how the Devil the Deceiver attacks the Body of Christ. The Greek term translated as ‘schemes’ in the verse above is ‘methodeia’, meaning ‘a method’. A method is an orderly and systematic way of carrying out an activity—in this case, the Devil’s activity in deceiving the Body of Christ.

From the writings of the apostle John, we find the Greek term ‘kosmos’, one meaning of which is ‘system’. Who is the ruler of this ‘system’? If we consider John 12:31: “Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the ruler of this world will be cast out.” Also, Revelation 12:9 says, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, was cast down….” Therefore, we can understand that the devil is the ruler of the world, in the sense of its system. Because of this, Satan’s method of deceiving the Body of Christ AS A WHOLE is by building A SYSTEM.

What is the meaning of a system? In the dictionary, a system is a group of things working together according to certain rules or values. A system is like several wheels of different diameters tied together by a belt. If one wheel moves, the other wheels also move. Economics, politics, society, and even religion have become systems.

Has Christianity also become a system? This question is very important for us, because if Christianity has become a ‘system’, then Christianity has actually fallen into Satan’s method of deceiving the Body of Christ. In reality, it is not too difficult to understand that Christianity has become a ‘system’. We do not need to receive some “extraordinary revelation” to know that Christianity has become a ‘system’. The thing that most hinders a born-again Christian from understanding that Christianity has become a ‘system’ IS IF HE HIMSELF HAS BECOME PART OF THAT SYSTEM.

A born-again Christian who is inside the ‘system’ and has become part of the Christian ‘system’ seems unable to see the Christian system that is controlled by Satan. Or even if he does see it, within the Christian ‘system’ there are offers of money, positions, and human honor that did not exist in the early church when the Body of Christ had not yet become a ‘system’. And to “come out” of such a system certainly requires His grace and calling.

Let us continue our discussion about the Christian ‘system’, where money (salary), positions, and human honor are offered—things that did not exist in the early church when the Body of Christ had not yet become a ‘system’. In truth, both Jesus and His apostles had already explained that Satan the deceiver would build a ‘system’ to deceive the church (the Body of Christ).

Let us begin with Paul’s teaching regarding the ‘system’ built by Satan to deceive the Body of Christ. Acts 20:28–30 is Paul’s warning about the attack of savage wolves (Satan) against church leaders, namely the elders (plural). In this passage Paul clearly states that there would be attacks from savage wolves upon certain elders, so that the elders who were attacked by savage wolves would EXALT THEMSELVES by DRAWING THE LORD’S DISCIPLES away from the right path, causing the disciples of the Lord to FOLLOW those elders who had been attacked by savage wolves.

The way these elders, who had been attacked by savage wolves, drew the Lord’s disciples to themselves was by teaching false doctrines. For now, we will not yet discuss the false teachings used by the elders who were attacked by savage wolves, because those false teachings are clearly described by the apostle John in Revelation 2–3, namely the false teachings of Jezebel, the Nicolaitans, and Balaam.

What we will discuss now is Paul’s statement in verse 30: “…seeking to draw away the disciples FROM THE RIGHT WAY in order that they might follow them.” What is the meaning of ‘the right way’ that Paul referred to? If we read the Book of Acts even once, it becomes very clear that ALL MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST FOLLOWED ONLY THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT DAY BY DAY. Paul even referred to himself as a “prisoner of the Spirit.” Although there were leaders in the early church—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—they merely EQUIPPED the disciples, and all were led by the Holy Spirit in equipping the Lord’s disciples. None of the leaders of the early church ever DREW the Lord’s disciples to become followers of themselves.

And Paul strongly opposed church members who said, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Apollos,” and even those who said, “I am of Christ.” The term ‘group’ may perhaps be more easily understood if replaced with the term ‘denomination’ or ‘sect’, as found in the Christian world today.

Today, the born-again Christians whom Paul opposed are those who say, “I belong to the Calvinist denomination,” or “Lutheran,” or the Pentecostal movement, or the Charismatic movement, and so on. It is impossible to mention all these groups one by one, because today it is estimated that there are 40,000 groups within Christianity, and they continue to increase all the time.

Therefore, what Paul meant by THE RIGHT WAY IS FOLLOWING THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT DAY BY DAY. However, because of the attack of savage wolves, leader A draws the Lord’s disciples to himself, leader B also draws the Lord’s disciples to himself, and so on. Every leader who is attacked by savage wolves will certainly DRAW the Lord’s disciples to become THEIR FOLLOWERS. Yet this has become very normal and acceptable within Christianity. Why? Because false teachings (Jezebel, Nicolaitans, Balaam) are already being taught from pulpits and in theological schools to JUSTIFY the behavior of leaders who have been attacked by savage wolves in drawing the Lord’s disciples to themselves.

If we reflect on it, why did Paul use the term savage wolves in Acts 20:29? Paul used the term SAVAGE to show how “subtle” and “invisible” Satan’s deception is to the Lord’s disciples. Let us explain it this way. The thugs we often see in markets or bus terminals are clearly under Satan’s attack because they do evil to others. Yet from their appearance everyone already knows this and is not deceived, so people naturally avoid them. These thugs are only attacked by ordinary wolves.

But the attack of SAVAGE wolves causes the appearance, speech, and even the “religious robes” of these leaders to deceive the Lord’s disciples, making them easily become their FANATICAL FOLLOWERS. Yet for those who can see clearly, it becomes easy to understand how the behavior and teachings of these leaders have caused THE BODY OF CHRIST TO BE TORN APART INTO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GROUPS.

The Body of Christ (the early church) had not yet become a ‘system’ when all its members followed only the leading of the Holy Spirit. But later, the attack of savage wolves caused the Body of Christ to be torn apart and to become a ‘system’, where Satan became the ruler.

Let us continue our discussion about the ‘system’, and this time we will look at what Jesus taught regarding this matter. When Jesus said, “I will build My church,” there was something very unique that cannot be found in any other community. The uniqueness we mean here is THE ABSENCE OF HIERARCHY within the church built by Jesus.

Indeed, there are theories claiming that there are ‘systems’ with absolutely no hierarchy at all, and these systems are usually called ‘egalitarian’. However, in practice, it is impossible for a community to exist with absolutely no hierarchy whatsoever. Why? Because every community must have someone who governs or possesses greater authority than the others, so that the community does not fall into chaos and lose clear direction. If a community consists of several or many people who all possess exactly the same rights, authority, and responsibilities, then disorder will inevitably occur. Each member of the community will have different opinions, and because they all possess equal rights and authority, who then will make decisions to unite those differences?

But this is different from the church that Jesus established when He said, ‘I will build My church’. Where does the difference lie between the church built by Jesus and the communities of this world? The difference lies in the authority governing each member of the church. In the church that Jesus is building, the authority governing it is Jesus Himself. In fact, Jesus strictly forbids any other authority from governing His church. This is Jesus’ teaching concerning His church, which certainly is not preached within Christianity today, where His church has been divided into tens of thousands of denominations because hierarchy has entered the church.

Before we discuss Jesus’ teaching regarding systems and hierarchy, let us first define hierarchy. Hierarchy is a chain of command, or a sequence of ranks, authority, levels, or positions within a community usually called an organization. Every person within an organizational structure possesses a certain level of authority or power. And the one with the greatest authority, or the highest authority, or the main decision-maker, is the one who occupies the top position in that organizational structure. In a company, this person is usually called the President Director or CEO.

But within the church that Jesus is building, there must be absolutely no hierarchy. Why? Because it is Jesus Himself who governs His church through His Holy Spirit, or the Spirit who gives Life (zoe). Therefore, the authority within His church is the authority of the Holy Spirit, or the authority of the Spirit who gives Life (zoe). Every member of His church must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit day by day. Even though there were leaders in the early church (the church before hierarchy entered), the only authority was the authority of the Holy Spirit.

Let us take a simple example to understand that the authority of the early church was solely the authority of the Holy Spirit. Consider the case of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts chapter 5. Peter had absolutely no authority over Ananias and Sapphira, even though Peter was recognized as a leader among the apostles. Why? Because Peter was only led by the Holy Spirit to say certain things to Ananias and Sapphira, and afterward it was the Holy Spirit Himself who disciplined them so that they died. Peter did not “kill” them, nor did he pronounce a death sentence (judge) upon Ananias and Sapphira. Peter was merely an instrument, in the truest sense, in the hands of the Holy Spirit.

This is different from the authority possessed by senior pastors within a church organizational structure. A senior pastor has the authority to dismiss anyone under him whom he considers guilty, even his own deputy. Whether or not the senior pastor is led by the Holy Spirit, he still possesses the authority to dismiss his subordinates. Why? Because this “church” is not the church that the Lord Jesus is building. This “church” belongs to the senior pastor—perhaps even its building, finances, equipment, and everything else. This “church” is like a business corporation established by the senior pastor, so everything within this “church” truly belongs to him. Usually, it will later be inherited by his children or wife. This is not Jesus’ church, but the “church” belonging to the senior pastor.

Next, we will discuss Jesus’ teaching regarding the church He is building and its uniqueness, namely that there is no hierarchy or system built by Satan. Now we will discuss the church built by Jesus, where there must be no hierarchy (Matthew 23:1–12). Notice Matthew 23:1: “Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying….” In this teaching, Jesus was speaking to two groups of people: “the multitudes” and “His disciples.” We must clearly see this distinction, because Jesus’ teaching to these two groups was very different.

To the “multitudes,” Jesus taught them to obey everything taught by the scribes and Pharisees, because they sat in “Moses’ seat,” but not to imitate their deeds (verses 2–3). Then Jesus explained why the multitudes should not imitate the deeds of the scribes and Pharisees (verses 4–7).

Then beginning in verses 8–12, Jesus spoke to His disciples, because verse 8 begins with the words, “But you….” If we pay close attention to the context of this passage, Jesus was actually speaking about “Moses’ seat.” It was Moses’ seat that caused Jesus to say that the multitudes must follow the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees, whereas to His disciples Jesus taught something completely different, simply because there was no “Moses’ seat.” If we properly understand what Jesus meant by “Moses’ seat,” then we will understand this passage.

What is “Moses’ seat”? The “Moses’ seat” Jesus referred to clearly speaks of “the authority of Moses.” In other words, it refers to a religious authority that applied only within the context of the Old Covenant (the Covenant of Moses). That is why the multitudes had to obey the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, regardless of how bad their behavior was. Therefore, it was the Mosaic authority possessed by the scribes and Pharisees that caused the multitudes to obey their teachings.

But among Jesus’ disciples (the church), there must not be any “Moses’ seat.” The church has its own authority. Jesus’ teaching to His disciples here is actually very clear: THERE MUST BE NO AUTHORITY OTHER THAN THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS. We see here that Jesus’ authority over the church is not delegated to “church rabbis/teachers,” nor to “church fathers,” nor to “church leaders.” Jesus’ words in verse 8, that “you are all brothers,” within the context, mean that there must not be any “Moses’ seat” within the church. There must not be any authority within the church other than the authority of Jesus. JESUS DIRECTLY GOVERNS EVERY MEMBER OF THE CHURCH. In other words, THERE MUST NOT BE ANY RELIGIOUS OFFICE WHATSOEVER WITHIN THE CHURCH.

We have emphasized that “Moses’ seat,” namely religious office or religious authority, applied only within the context of the Mosaic Covenant (Old Testament), and does not apply within the context of the New Covenant (the church). Therefore, within the church there must not be any “Moses’ seat,” any “religious office,” any “religious authority,” or authority belonging to “leaders,” apart from the authority of Jesus. Jesus directly governs every member of the church through His authority. Jesus never delegated His authority to leaders. The term delegated authority exists only within systems of human government. But why does the church today use the term “delegated authority”? This is exactly what we will discuss now.

There are two points we must understand well in order to grasp this discussion. First, how Jesus directly governs every member of the church. When Jesus said, “I will build My church,” it means that He Himself will build His church. He Himself directly governs and builds His church. Of course, Jesus uses leaders as His instruments in building the church. That is why Jesus gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to EQUIP the church so that it may grow into maturity (Ephesians 4:11–12).

We must always remember that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers DO NOT POSSESS ANY AUTHORITY over church members. So how does Jesus directly exercise authority over His church? Through His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, Jesus gave the SPIRIT WHO GIVES LIFE in order to establish His church. On the Day of Pentecost, when the Spirit who gives Life was poured out, the church was born on this earth. Therefore, Jesus’ authority over His church may be called THE AUTHORITY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST. The Life of Christ (zoe) directly governs every church member, because the church is an organism (the Body of Christ).

Colossians 2:19 explains to us how the church as an organism can grow: “And not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the growth that is from God” (ILT). From this verse we can see that the “joints and ligaments” are the church leaders (as an organism) who connect and support the organism, so that the Body (organism) may grow with the ‘growth of God’.

The Greek expression, ‘auxano ho auxesis ho theos’, translated as ‘grows with the growth that comes from God’ in the verse above, actually means ‘may increase with the increase of God’. In other words, through the function of the “joints and ligaments,” the church grows with THE GROWTH OF GOD AS LIFE. The growth of the church is the growth of Life, because the church is an organism. Therefore, through the authority of Life within the organism, Jesus directly governs His church. The leaders merely function as “joints and ligaments” that support and unite the Body. These leaders are what we call organism leaders, as opposed to organizational leaders in the world of Christianity.

Therefore, the church built by Jesus is an organism (the Body of Christ), in which there is absolutely no human authority as found in the hierarchy of Christianity (the present Christian system). Within an organism, there is no ‘system’ built by Satan in which human authority exists (hierarchy within an organization). The church built by Jesus is truly ‘egalitarian’, where all members are equal, on the same level, and must be directly led by the authority of the Holy Spirit (the Spirit who gives zoe-life). This was the early church recorded in the Book of Acts before Satan came to attack and establish a system (hierarchy = human authority).

What is the difference between the early church recorded in the Book of Acts and the “churches,” or denominations, that exist in the Christian world today? Generally, Christian religious leaders in the world of Christianity call these denominations “churches.” They carelessly equate denominations with the church. In fact, Martin Luther was the one who initiated the teaching of the visible church (visible denominations) and the invisible church (the church consisting of true, born-again Christians), whose number in the world is known only to the Lord Jesus. The essence of this teaching equates denominations with the church written about in the Book of Acts. That is why, in the Christian world, almost everyone calls denominations “churches,” namely the church established by the Lord Jesus as recorded in the Book of Acts.

In reality, the understanding that denominations are the same as the church is a deception of Satan, the fierce wolf (Acts 20:28–30), and almost all denominational leaders have been affected by this fierce wolf attack. Perhaps even if there are denominational leaders who understand that the church has been torn apart by Satan’s attack and divided into tens of thousands of denominations, because of money (salary), position, and human honor, such leaders remain “silent” regarding the truth they understand about the church.

We have already discussed the teachings of Jesus and Paul concerning the church, and now we move into the teachings of the apostle John. The apostle John ministered to the churches in Asia Minor (the seven churches in Revelation 2–3) around AD 90, when both Peter and Paul had already died as martyrs in Rome in AD 67. What was the condition of the churches in Asia Minor ministered to by the apostle John? If we assume that the condition of the churches in the days of Peter and Paul was THE SAME as the condition of the churches in Asia Minor during the time of the apostle John, then this is a certain sign that WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DECEIVED BY THE ATTACK OF THE FIERCE WOLF AGAINST THE CHURCH.

Let us consider 1 John 1:3: “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship (KOINONIA) with us. And indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.” This verse clearly and plainly states that THE APOSTLE JOHN AND HIS TEAM NO LONGER HAD KOINONIA WITH THE CHURCHES IN ASIA MINOR. The apostle John and his team wrote letters and ministered to the churches in Asia Minor so that fellowship (koinonia) might exist between John and them. Fellowship (koinonia) was the main characteristic of the early church, and all members of the early church DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO KOINONIA (Acts 2:42).

What is the importance of ‘koinonia’ in the church? 1 Peter 2:5 emphasizes: “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood…” Living stones must be arranged properly for the building of a spiritual house (the church) to take place. In reality, these living stones can only be arranged properly because there is ‘koinonia’ (fellowship) among the living stones. Without ‘koinonia’, the living stones would merely become a chaotic pile of stones (rubble), and not a spiritual house (church). Thus, the gathering of living stones is called the church (a spiritual house) because of the existence of ‘koinonia’. Without ‘koinonia’, the gathering of living stones is not a spiritual house, or not the church. That is how important ‘koinonia’ is.

The level of ‘koinonia’ in the early church can be seen in Acts 2:44–45, where “all their possessions were held in common,” and there were always wealthy people moved by the Holy Spirit to offer their fields (land) or houses, and the money was distributed to church members according to their needs. How church money is used greatly determines whether there is ‘koinonia’ or not. The issue of church finances was so important that when Ananias and Sapphira attempted to deceive, they immediately died.

Now let us observe how denominational money is generally used in the Christian world. Is it not true that money is collected PRIMARILY to support the life of the pastor and his workers? To build church buildings, and to finance the ministry of the pastor and his workers? Although there may be ‘diaconal’ ministries, these are not the primary focus.

Do we realize why the use of finances in denominations has become so vastly different from the use of finances in the early church? For those who can see, this is because ‘koinonia’ no longer exists within denominations. These denominations are like piles of living stones without ‘koinonia’, resembling rubble rather than a spiritual house.

All of this is because Satan the deceiver has attacked the church by building a system (kosmos). Everywhere, whether in political, economic, social, or religious systems, there is always financial injustice, and superiors may oppress subordinates. Rulers or managers in any system always receive special advantages while those beneath them do not. This is the ‘system’ Satan has built in attacking the political, social, economic, and religious world. That is why Jesus firmly said that in the church there must not be hierarchy, or the seat of Moses, or a system (kosmos).

Therefore, the difference between the early church recorded in the Book of Acts before Satan came to attack, and the denominations existing in the Christian world, is the existence of a system (hierarchy = human authority). Building a ‘system’ within the church is Satan’s method of deception. The existence of this ‘system’ is what distinguishes the early church from denominations. And the ruler of this ‘system’ is clearly Satan, whether the ruler of economic, political, social, or religious systems.

Let us go deeper into the teachings of the apostle John regarding the ‘system’ (kosmos), which is Satan’s method of deceiving the church. The term ‘kosmos’ appears 186 times in the New Testament, with 78 occurrences in the Gospel of John and 24 in his epistles, meaning that more than half of its occurrences appear in the writings of the apostle John. This term ‘kosmos’ is translated as ‘world’ in various Indonesian Bible versions.

The frequent appearance of this term in John’s writings certainly has a special significance in Johannine theology. We know that the meaning of a term is determined by how it is used within a sentence. When the term ‘world’ appears in John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life,” we understand that the meaning of ‘world’ here refers to all humanity on earth. But when the term ‘world’ appears in 1 John 2:15, which says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,” then clearly the meaning of ‘world’ here is not all humanity on earth. Here, the world is a system in which the values operating within it are opposed to God’s values.

In the dictionary, a system is a group of things working together according to certain rules or values. Economics, politics, society, and even religion have become systems. Christianity itself has also become a system. Before we elaborate further on this system, we will look at several passages from John’s writings that will make this system clearer to us.

Let us look at John 15:18–25. In the Indonesian Bible translation, this passage is titled “The World Hates Jesus and His Disciples.” If we read the entire passage, we can identify who the ‘world’ refers to here. Verse 25 says, “But the word written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” Clearly, the ‘world’ here is the Jewish religious system or Judaism, namely the Jewish religion with their Law. They were the ones who killed Jesus and hated and persecuted His followers. Why did Judaism kill Jesus and hate His followers? Because Judaism did not know the Father in heaven who sent Jesus.

Then let us look at the entirety of John chapter 17, where the term ‘world’ appears 18 times. Chapter 17 is the prayer of the Lord Jesus on the final night, and Jesus said, “…I am not praying for the world” (verse 9). “…the world has hated them” (verse 14). “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You…” (verse 25). In this chapter, Jesus clearly states that the world (Judaism) did not know the Father who sent Him. In fact, Jesus did not pray for the world (Judaism) here. Jesus prayed only for His disciples and those who would believe through their message.

If we consider John 12:31, “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” Also Revelation 12:9, “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…” Thus, we can understand that Satan is the ruler of the world, in the sense of the religious system, and Satan is also the one who deceives the religious world.

Has Christianity today become a religious system, or world? Are there false teachings that have become widely accepted in Christianity today? Has the church fallen? These questions need to be answered honestly by us, especially by God’s chosen people.

In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, three false teachings that infiltrated the church are clearly described. The teachings of the Nicolaitans and Jezebel introduced hierarchy into the church, and leaders seized the authority of the Lord Jesus as the head of the church. This caused the church to be divided into laity and clergy, or congregation and pastors. Then there is the teaching of Balaam, where commerce exists. Is not the Christian world full of commerce, just as in the days of Jesus when the Temple was full of trade?

If we have ears to hear the word of God, then we will know that Christianity today has become a religious system, and of course Christianity today ostracizes the disciples of Jesus.

Let us summarize how Satan deceives the church: by building a system (kosmos). First, he came attacking the leaders of the early church as a fierce wolf (Acts 20:28–30). Fierce means that Satan’s attack and deception are not easily recognized by church members, and are often not even realized by the church leaders affected by this fierce wolf attack. The essence of this fierce wolf attack is to cause church leaders to exalt themselves, feel they possess authority (“Moses’ seat”), and draw the Lord’s disciples after themselves.

Let us take one example from church history of a leader affected by this fierce wolf attack. Church history records a man named Ignatius (AD 117) as the first to teach a distinction between elders and bishops. Ignatius was a church leader in Antioch (Syria) who died as a martyr under Emperor Trajan. He wrote letters on his journey to Rome where he would die as a martyr. We will quote sections of his letters that reveal something deeply hidden within human flesh: the desire to rule or exercise authority over other church members.

In the book The Apostolic Fathers (1956) by J.B. Lightfoot, there are several statements by Ignatius that we should consider:

* “Plainly therefore we ought to regard the bishop as the Lord himself” (p. 65).

* “Therefore as the Lord did nothing without the Father, (being united with him), either by himself or by the Apostles, so neither do ye anything without the bishop and the presbyters” (p. 70).

* “…submitting yourselves to your bishop and presbytery, ye may be sanctified in all things” (p. 64).

* “Be obedient to the bishop…” (p. 72).

* “…he that doeth aught without the bishop and presbytery and deacons, this man is not clean in his conscience” (p. 74).

* “Do ye all follow your bishop, as Jesus Christ followed the Father, and the presbytery as the Apostles” (p. 84).

* “…he that doeth aught without the knowledge of the bishop rendereth service to the devil” (p. 84).

Ignatius was the first to distinguish between elders (presbuteros) and bishops (episkopos). The early church was led by elders (plural) — or bishops/overseers (episkopos). The Greek terms ‘presbuteros’ and ‘episkopos’ referred to the same people. In Acts 20:17,28 and Titus 1:5,7, the terms ‘presbuteros’ and ‘episkopos’ are used interchangeably, meaning that ‘presbuteros’ IS THE SAME AS ‘episkopos’. A presbuteros is someone mature and experienced, while an episkopos is someone with spiritual vision who can discern Satan’s attacks in the spiritual realm. Therefore, the requirements for early church leaders were maturity, experience, and spiritual insight. These leaders functioned in plurality, equality, and mutual complementarity in shepherding Jesus’ flock.

However, Ignatius insisted on distinguishing ‘episkopos’ (bishop) from ‘presbuteros’. In The History of Christianity (a Lion Handbook), page 83, it is written: “He argued strongly that there should be one bishop in charge of each congregation.” And Ignatius himself is the bishop (singular) of the church in Antioch. Ignatius was the one with the greatest authority (holding the “seat of Moses”) to govern the church in Antioch.

For those of us who have received grace to see the beginning of the church’s fall from an organism into denominations (organizations), it is very easy to understand that although Ignatius was a great leader who died a martyr, he had already been struck by the attack of savage wolves. This attack of savage wolves was not a minor matter. Through his teachings, Ignatius introduced HIERARCHY (A SYSTEM OF HUMAN AUTHORITY) INTO THE CHURCH, CAUSING THE CHURCH TO SPLINTER INTO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ORGANIZATIONS. This was Satan’s attack and deception that tore apart the early church, so that the church’s strength declined drastically because it became divided.

Afterward, the bishops competed with one another over who possessed the greatest authority, and thus arose archbishops. Then among the archbishops came cardinals, and among the cardinals came the pope (approximately in the 5th–6th century). This is the HIERARCHY of the Catholic church that brought the church into the Dark Ages.

Now let us continue our discussion regarding Satan’s method in building a ‘system’ (kosmos) to deceive the church. We have already discussed the FIRST METHOD used by Satan, namely coming as savage wolves to attack the leaders of the early church (Acts 20:28–30). Through this attack of savage wolves, ‘hierarchy’ (human authority / a system of human government) entered the church, so that every church member was no longer led DIRECTLY by the Holy Spirit (the Spirit who gives zoe-life), but instead had to submit to and be led by THE HUMAN AUTHORITY OF LEADERS WHO HAD BEEN STRUCK BY THE ATTACK OF SAVAGE WOLVES.

In the world (system = kosmos) of Christianity, among Protestants, leaders who have been struck by this attack of savage wolves are usually called Senior Pastors, Senior Elders, or whatever their titles may be, where they possess HUMAN AUTHORITY over the Lord’s disciples or over their followers. In Catholicism, this human authority begins with the pope, the cardinals, the archbishops, the bishops, and so forth. This is human authority (hierarchy, the “seat of Moses,” a system of human government), all of which were opposed by Jesus, the apostle Paul, the apostle John, and certainly by the teachings of the other apostles in the New Testament.

The SECOND METHOD Satan used in building the system was by “whispering” false teachings to the leaders. Look again at the attack of savage wolves against the leaders in Acts 20:28–30. Verse 30 emphasizes: “Even from among your own selves men will arise, speaking PERVERSE THINGS, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Thus, Satan maintains the ‘system’ he has made THROUGH FALSE TEACHINGS.

If there are false teachings, then of course there must also be the original teaching. Yet we know that no one counterfeits money by making it completely different from the real thing. The counterfeiter always makes the counterfeit money look very similar to the genuine money. Likewise, Satan the deceiver causes leaders who have been struck by savage wolves to teach things that are very similar to the original teaching.

The apostle John has already informed us of three false teachings that caused the churches in Asia Minor to fall so severely that John and his team no longer had fellowship (koinonia) with the churches they had ministered to (Revelation 2–3). These three false teachings are the teaching of Jezebel, the teaching of Balaam, and the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

We have discussed these three false teachings extensively in previous writings, therefore we will explain them only briefly here. The teaching of Jezebel is the teaching that JUSTIFIES church leaders in SEIZING the authority of Jesus. In the case of Naboth’s vineyard, Jezebel seized her husband Ahab’s authority by writing letters in Ahab’s name. Likewise, denominational leaders seize the authority of the church’s “Husband,” namely Jesus. By building ‘hierarchy’, denominational leaders destroy Jesus’ authority over the Lord’s disciples. The Lord’s disciples should hear directly from the Holy Spirit day by day, as the early church did, but today they are required to FOLLOW their respective denominational leaders. The right way referred to in Acts 20:30 is the way in which disciples are DIRECTLY led by the Holy Spirit day by day, just as all the members of the early church were.

The teaching of the Nicolaitans supports the seizure of the authority of the church’s “Husband,” namely Jesus, by SUBJUGATING the Lord’s disciples. This teaching is commonly called the teaching of submission, or spiritual covering, or whatever name it may bear, but its essence is to establish the authority of leaders over their followers. Sometimes threats are even used, such as: “Do not rebel or Satan will attack you,” “Do not touch the Lord’s anointed,” “Do not judge leaders,” and so forth.

The teaching of Balaam JUSTIFIES leaders in receiving WAGES (money/salary), especially from their followers. The forms of Balaam’s teaching are tithes, firstfruits, faith pledges, or whatever names they may take, where leaders claim the right to collect money for themselves and for their “ministries.” These denominational leaders sell things in the Temple just as the scribes and Pharisees did in Jesus’ day. What these leaders sell are SERVICES such as preaching the word, shepherding, and some even sell oil, prayer cloths, and so on. The world of Christianity is a world of commerce. There is hardly anything the Lord’s disciples receive FREE OF CHARGE.

We will not discuss the original New Testament teachings concerning spiritual authority, organism leadership (body leadership), or the finances of the early church, because these have already been discussed in previous writings.

What solution did Jesus Christ provide when His church was deceived by Satan and shattered into tens of thousands of denominations? Did Jesus attempt to reunite the Lord’s disciples who had been scattered into tens of thousands of denominations? There have been cases where denominational leaders prayed and tried to “unite” the Lord’s disciples because they thought this was in accordance with the prayer of the Lord Jesus in John 17:21, “that they all may be one….” However, efforts to unite the Lord’s disciples who have been scattered into tens of thousands of denominations are fleshly efforts, because the Lord Jesus did not mean that.

Once again, before discussing the solution the Lord Jesus carried out, let us realize how serious church division is in the eyes of the Lord Jesus. For when Saul persecuted the church, Jesus firmly said to him, “Why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4–5). Jesus did not distinguish between Himself and His church. Leaders who have been struck by savage wolves and who cause division in the church are in fact “persecuting” Jesus.

Now let us look at the solution Jesus carried out when His church was attacked by savage wolves. Revelation 2–3 explains to us that Jesus calls His overcomers in every age/type of church. In every message to the seven churches recorded in Revelation 2 and 3, it always ends with the call, “He who overcomes….” What is the meaning of this call to overcome? It clearly means that the Lord’s disciples who had been born again, since they were members of the church, had already failed or been defeated because of the attack of savage wolves, and therefore the Lord Jesus calls His overcomers. THIS IS THE SOLUTION JESUS CARRIED OUT, NAMELY CALLING HIS OVERCOMERS.

Then who are these overcomers? The answer is very simple: THEY ARE THOSE WHO DO NOT TAKE PART IN THE THREE FALSE TEACHINGS OF JEZEBEL, BALAAM, AND THE NICOLAITANS. These overcomers are not the “famous, great, and mightily used by God” people in the world of Christianity. Why? Because influential denominational leaders inevitably practice and also teach these three false teachings. How can someone become “great” in the Christian world without DRAWING the Lord’s disciples to become their followers and COLLECTING money from the Lord’s disciples through various false teachings in order to build large buildings and so forth? At one time Watchman Nee said, ‘If you want to find people who know God, do not look in famous places’.

That is why His overcomers are simple people who do not take part in or enjoy the “blessings” that come through the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. They are simple people who serve the Lord and sincerely love Him without seeking any personal gain from their ministry. They are the “little flock” referred to in Luke 12:32: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

At the coming of Jesus (commonly called the Second Coming), the Lord Jesus will judge His church. In Matthew 7:21–23, the Lord Jesus will openly confess (‘homologeo’ = publicly declare), openly reveal, or publicly declare before all church members who received grace to become His overcomers and to reign in the kingdom of heaven on earth, and who have not yet been able to reign in the kingdom of heaven on earth in the age to come after this present age.

Let us continue our question concerning the solution Jesus Christ carried out when His church was deceived by Satan and shattered into tens of thousands of denominations. We have emphasized that Jesus calls His overcomers in every age/type of church. These overcomers are simple people, yet by His grace they become “mature earlier” and become the firstfruits of the church (James 1:18).

In fact, these “firstfruits” of the church become representative of the churches that have been divided into tens of thousands of denominations. These firstfruits follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4). The firstfruits of the church, or His overcomers, do not follow Pastor A or Pastor B, nor do they follow any religious regulations, nor do they draw the Lord’s disciples to become their followers, much less collect money from the Lord’s disciples through various false teachings such as tithing, “firstfruits” offerings (money), or anything else. These overcomers follow the Lord Jesus day by day wherever He leads them.

Christ within the inward being of these overcomers is the One who leads their lives day by day. Likewise, the early church followed the leading of the Holy Spirit day by day without being enslaved by any religious regulations. At His coming, these overcomers will be manifested in glory, according to Colossians 3:4: “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

What about the ‘system’ (kosmos) built by Satan, which is his method for deceiving the church so that the church is shattered into tens of thousands of denominations? What is the Lord Jesus’ solution to this ‘system’ (kosmos)? Consider these two verses in the book of Revelation. First, Revelation 10:7: “But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.” Second, Revelation 11:15: “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world (kosmos) have become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (it should actually be lowercase, ‘his christ’ = the overcoming church), and He shall reign forever and ever.’”

These two verses from Revelation explain to us that the ‘kosmos’ (system) built by Satan—whether political kosmos, economic kosmos, social kosmos, religious kosmos, including the kosmos of Christianity—will be destroyed and replaced by the reign of the Lord Jesus and the overcoming church. This is the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4), where the Lord Jesus and His overcomers reign on earth with glorified bodies.

What about the Lord’s disciples who are inside the ‘kosmos’ of Christianity ruled by Satan? Specifically, Revelation 17–18 explains the end of the Christian ‘kosmos’. We will not discuss it in detail because it has already been explained in previous writings. To recognize who is being spoken of in Revelation 17–18, notice Revelation 17:3: “…a woman sitting on a beast….” Since the book of Revelation reveals the Lord Jesus and His church through symbolic language, we must understand the symbolic language in this verse. The symbol of the woman clearly speaks of the church, and the symbol of the beast speaks of a system of human government. The church that is “supported” by a system of human government is the Catholic church and the tens of thousands of Protestant denominations. And this ‘system of human government’ will be destroyed at His coming.

The Lord’s disciples who are within the ‘system of human government’ will not yet be able to reign together with the Lord Jesus in the age after His Second Coming (the millennial kingdom age). The Lord’s disciples who reign during the millennial kingdom age are symbolized by the woman in Revelation 12.

The event of the Lord Jesus coming to earth together with His overcomers in glorified bodies is explained in Romans 8:19–21. All of Romans chapter 8 explains the doctrine of ‘glorification by faith’, which is almost never taught in theological schools, much less from Sunday pulpits. This doctrine explains the restoration of creation through the Lord Jesus and His overcomers. The Lord’s disciples who are under the ‘kosmos’ of Christianity will become part of those who will be restored by the Lord Jesus and His overcomers.

Thus, the solution the Lord Jesus carries out when His church is destroyed by the attack of savage wolves is that He and His overcomers will appear at His coming not only to restore the Lord’s disciples who are within the kosmos, but also to restore creation itself, so that the Father may be all in all. Amen.