SATAN
CHURCH
MYSTERY
37
AND THE
OF THE
` ... in all these things (not exempt from them) we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am
persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to
come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord' (Rom. 8:37-39).
Let none misunderstand us. Satan is the enemy of God and man. We hold no truce with him or his agents, but
we refuse to engage in a warfare that denies that we are already more than conquerors. We refuse to give the
slightest colour to the thought that Satan has any jurisdiction over those who are raised far above all in Christ. We
refuse to lay down the sword of the Spirit, definitely given us of God as the one weapon, to engage in methods that
approach perilously near the psychic travesty of Pentecostalism. We do not believe that we should see in sickness
and disease among the members of Christ's church a denial of His Lordship. We prefer still to believe that it is as
true of us as of those to whom John wrote, `The wicked one toucheth us not'.
We do believe, however, that the believer may voluntarily lay aside the armour provided by God, and if he does
so the fiery darts of the wicked will find him out. We do believe that ground is certainly given to Satan by not
putting off the conversation of the old man, and by not putting on the new. These sad possibilities do not call for
warfare; they call for `repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth', and when recovery is made, and the believer
again reaches his true position where he stands as `delivered', `translated', and `seated' `far above all', the promise
of Romans 16:20 is fulfilled - Satan is beneath his feet. Time and opportunity can then be consecrated to positive
testimony and strife need never be known. Troubles, afflictions, persecutions may come thick and fast - they are
promised to all who will live godly. Such accompaniments do not call for `resistance', but rather for the spirit of
Matthew 11:26, or of 2 Corinthians 12:10.
Such is our `persuasion'. So far as we are concerned, Satan is a beaten foe already cast out from the sphere of
our calling. We seek to set our mind on things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, and not to be
occupied either with earthly things, or with the foredoomed activities of Satan.
When we find chapter and verse in the Prison Epistles for changing this attitude it will be time to modify it. Till
then we make our declaration. Every child of God has his own responsibility to the Lord, but we refuse to allow any
to rob us of our blessed security and heritage which is found in Christ in the heavenly places, far above all.
CHAPTER 14.
CONCLUSION
In the foregoing pages we have sought to present to the reader a declaration of those things surely believed by us.
In no sense have we sought to formulate a creed, or to attempt to fix upon any individual or meeting a man-made
bond. Every reader will probably find that we have omitted some item of truth that he holds to be vital. The
limitations of a booklet impose upon us the necessity for exercising choice between claimant doctrines, and we have
given preference to those which touch upon the Scriptures, the Lord and His work, the nature of man, sin, salvation
and punishment, the church of the mystery, and a brief word upon some prevalent errors that are abroad to-day.
The interested reader will find a wider variety of exposition in the books mentioned in passing, and in others
published by the Berean Publishing Trust. We ask no favours from any reader. We seek grace to be unmoved by
either frown or favour. If we have a conscience void of offence and are pleasing unto Him, and if what we hold and
believe is in harmony with His Word, rightly divided, it is a small thing with us to be judged by man's judgment.
He that judgeth us is the Lord.
Nevertheless we would hasten to add that not one word has been purposely written to injure or wound
unnecessarily either saint or sinner, friend or foe. Above all things we trust the reader will emulate the Bereans, who
`searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so'. Then, our responsibility ends, and the reader's
begins.
May the God of all grace be pleased to use this declaration to His glory and the enlightenment or confirmation of
His believing people.