On the Supernatural: Listening to Our Betters

Various studies over the past decade or so have found that increasing numbers of people think of themselves as “spiritual but not religious.”

The trend makes sense. We are made with eternity in our hearts (Ecc 3:11). The view that everything is just chemistry and physics can’t possibly satisfy. We all know at some level that there is more to reality, and we’re drawn to that something more. Because humans are at odds with God by nature (Eph 2:3), we’re drawn to something more, but without God. We use to call it “spiritualism.” It has gone by many other names.

As Christians, how should we respond to these trends and to the supernatural in general? The place to start is to take a fresh look at the biblical foundations.

A Little Humility

Each of us could do our own study of the supernatural and related practices, from Genesis to Revelation. That’s not a bad idea. However, fellow students of the Word have done that work before, many times. And these teachers are a gracious gift from God to us.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. ⁴ For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶ Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; ⁷ if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; (Ro 12:3–7, emphasis added)

Humility and thankfulness are called for. If we assume we’re wiser or godlier than the students of the Scriptures who preceded us, we think of ourselves “more highly than [we] ought to think.” We’re not doing something noble if we ignore their work—which would be their books.

Accordingly, what follows are my notes from a by-no-means-complete survey of several systematic theologies.

Systematic Theologies

Charles Ryrie¹

Ryrie’s theology features plain language and clear outlines. His dispensationalism doesn’t seem to stand out on these topics.

Angels, demons (assuming they are fallen angels), and Satan belong to a class of beings that may be labeled spirit beings. Angels are said to be ministering spirits (Heb. 1:14). Demons are called evil and unclean spirits (Luke 8:2; 11:24, 26), and Satan is the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:2).

…. it seems clear that angels are not omnipresent but have spatial limitations. Sometimes they were even seen by human beings. All of this seems to press for a conclusion that angels must have bodies. However, the Scriptures explicitly call angels and demons spirits (pneumata) in Matthew 8:16; Luke 7:21; 8:2; 11:26; Acts 19:12; Ephesians 6:12; and Hebrews 1:14. Though God is also a spirit Being, this does not mean that angels are infinite in nature as God is; rather they are finite spirit beings. Neither does their spirit nature forbid their appearing to human beings.

Ryrie has a section on “I. The Meaning of the Cosmos” that is relevant for framing our view of demons and occult in a biblical view of reality (“cosmology”).

Here is a suggested definition: the cosmos world is that system organized by Satan, headed by Satan, and run by Satan, which leaves God out and is a rival to Him.

Ryrie includes “Section VI Demons: Unclean Spirits” with multiple chapters on demonology:

• Chapter 26 The Reality of Demons,
• Chapter 27 What Are Demons Like?
• Chapter 28 What Do Demons Do?

We must acknowledge that nowhere in the Scriptures are demons directly said to be fallen angels, but the evidence just cited seems to point to the conclusion that they are.

…

Demons are…. superhuman with superior intelligence and experience and powers. To deny the existence of demons is not skepticism; it only displays ignorance. To be unrealistic about their power is foolhardy.

…

On occasion God may use demons to further His purposes. He sent an evil spirit to stir up the people of Shechem against Abimelech (Judg. 9:23). He used an evil spirit to punish Saul with a mental disturbance that bordered on madness (1 Sam. 16:14)… . Because they are creatures, demons are accountable to God and thus can be used by Him as He may desire.

…

In carrying out their opposition to God, demons actively try to turn men to the worship of idols. This was true in Old Testament times (Lev. 17:7; Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:36–38). It is true now (1 Cor. 10:20), and demon worship will apparently be widespread during the coming Tribulation days (Rev. 9:20).

Ryrie’s Chapter 28 outline:

What Do Demons Do?

I. In Relation to Satan

II. In Relation to God

III. In Relation to Religion

A. They Promote Idolatry
B. They Promote False Religion

IV. In Relation to Nations

V. In Relation to People

A. Affliction
B. Perversion
C. Possession

Wayne Grudem²

Wayne Grudem’s theology also excels in plain language and clear structure as he works through topics. He is diligent to include Scripture references to support his thinking.

Since angels are “spirits” (Heb. 1:14) or spiritual creatures, they do not ordinarily have physical bodies (Luke 24:39). Therefore they cannot usually be seen by us unless God gives us a special ability to see them (Num. 22:31; 2 Kings 6:17; Luke 2:13). In their ordinary activities of guarding and protecting us (Ps. 34:7; 91:11; Heb. 1:14) and joining with us in worship to God (Heb. 12:22), they are invisible. However, from time to time angels took on a bodily form to appear to various people in Scripture (Matt. 28:5; Heb. 13:2).

…

The previous chapter leads naturally to a consideration of Satan and demons, since they are evil angels who once were like the good angels but who sinned and lost their privilege of serving God. Like angels, they are also created, spiritual beings with moral judgment and high intelligence but without physical bodies. We may define demons as follows: demons are evil angels who sinned against God and who now continually work evil in the world.

An excerpt from Grudem’s outline:

EXPLANATION AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS

A. The Origin of Demons
B. Satan as Head of the Demons
C. The Activity of Satan and Demons

1. Satan Was the Originator of Sin
2. Demons Oppose and Try to Destroy Every Work of God
3. Yet Demons Are Limited by God’s Control and Have Limited Power
4. There Have Been Differing Stages of Demonic Activity in the History of Redemption

D. Our Relationship to Demons

1. Are Demons Active in the World Today?
2. Not All Evil Is from Satan and Demons, but Some Is
3. Can a Christian Be Demon Possessed?
4. How Can Demonic Influences Be Recognized?
5. Jesus Gives All Believers Authority to Rebuke Demons and Command Them to Leave
6. Appropriate Use of the Christian’s Spiritual Authority in Ministry to Other People
7. We Should Expect the Gospel to Come in Power to Triumph over the Works of the Devil

Millard Erickson³

Erickson’s theology is more scholarly, in the sense that he interacts more with other theologies in his work, compared to Grudem and Ryrie. Some may find him more difficult to read. Still, he roots his conclusions in Scripture and offers concise summations along the way:

Demons, then, are angels created by God and therefore were originally good; but they sinned and thus became evil. Just when this rebellion took place we do not know, but it must have occurred between the time when God completed the creation and pronounced it all “very good,” and the temptation and fall of the humans (Gen. 3).

…

As Satan’s subjects, demons carry out his work in the world. It may therefore be assumed that they engage in all the forms of temptation and deception he employs. They inflict disease: dumbness (Mark 9:17), deafness and dumbness (Mark 9:25), blindness and deafness (Matt. 12:22), convulsions (Mark 1:26; 9:20; Luke 9:39), and paralysis or lameness (Acts 8:7). Most particularly, they oppose the spiritual progress of God’s people (Eph. 6:12).

…

4. Knowledge about evil angels serves to alert us to the danger and the subtlety of temptation that can be expected to come from satanic forces, and gives us insight into some of the devil’s ways of working. We need to be on guard against two extremes. We should not take him too lightly lest we disregard the dangers. Nor, on the other hand, should we have too strong an interest in him.

…. powerful though Satan and his accomplices are, there are definite limits on what they can do. We can, therefore, by the grace of God, resist him successfully. And we can know that his ultimate defeat is certain.

J.I. Packer⁴

Packer’s Concise Theology is well named. He covers a lot of ground quickly.

The demons were fallen angels, deathless creatures serving Satan (Jesus equated Beelzebub, their reputed prince, with Satan: Matt. 12:24–29). Having joined Satan’s rebellion, they were cast out of heaven to await final judgment (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). Their minds are permanently set to oppose God, goodness, truth, the kingdom of Christ, and the welfare of human beings, and they have real if limited power and freedom of movement, though in Calvin’s picturesque phrase they drag their chains wherever they go and can never hope to overcome God.

Packer is poignant on the connection of demonic work to idolatry:

Scripture is stern about the evil of practicing idolatry… . Paul adds that demons operate through idols, making them a positive spiritual menace, contact with which cannot but corrupt (1 Cor. 8:4–6; 10:19–21). In our post-Christian Western culture, which is prepared to fill the spiritual vacuum that people feel by looking kindly on syncretism, witchcraft, and experiments with the occult, the biblical warnings against idolatry need to be taken to heart (cf. 1 Cor. 10:14; 1 John 5:19–21).

Roland McCune⁵

Like Ryrie, McCune offers some cosmology for context when discussing angels and demonology:

By universe is meant whatever is created, which encompasses everything that is not God. It is not simply the material planet, although that is the central element in this particular subset of systematic theology. The universe is not confined to the world (kosmos) or age (aion), although, again, they too are included. A theological definition should then include all matter and material objects, all non-material objects, all animate and inanimate objects, all person and intelligent creatures, along with all time-space-mass relationships and exchanges of energy.

An excerpt from McCune’s outline:

EVIL ANGELS/DEMONS

The Origin of Evil Angels
The Organization of Evil Angels
The Work of Evil Angels
- New Testament Outbreak of Demonic Activity
- Demon Possession
The Judgment of Evil Angels

Some Observations

There seems to be general agreement in these sources, and a few others I perused, that demons…

• are evil spirits and fallen angels
• are real and active in the world today
• have abilities we do not, but are not infinite
• can negatively influence Christians
• are associated with idols and idolatry
• can only do what God allows, and ultimately serve His purposes despite their best efforts

Understanding the supernatural in a biblical way involves more than a study of demonology, though. Deuteronomy 18:10-11 alone notes divination, fortunetelling, omen-interpreting, charming, acting as a medium and necromancy. What’s foundational though, is understanding how the “natural” and “supernatural” are related to each other in what we think of as reality.

I hope to delve into that and a few other topics soon.