Virginia Biblical Demonology Research Society

A review of contemporary deliverance literature reveals little, if any, theological base upon which doctrines are built. These doctrines are based upon human experiences and false suppositions of the unlearned deliverance minister. In contrast, Paul exhorts Timothy to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Tim. 3:16) [emphasis mine]. The people at Bera were determined to know the truth of God. Unlike those at Thessalonica, the Bereans received the Word of God and compared Scripture with Scripture. They searched the Scriptures to compare the doctrines that Paul preached. They wanted to see for themselves if Paul’s doctrine was in accordance with Scripture. The Bereans’ nobility was not a reference to their social status but rather to their noble disposition of mind and conduct. Possessing this type of nobility during these last days is imperative for the Christian.

Demon possession is a condition in which one or more evil spirits or demons inhabit the body of a human being and can take complete control of their victim at will. By temporarily blotting out his consciousness, they can speak and act through him as their complete slave and tool. The inhabiting demon (or demons) comes and goes much like the proprietor of a house who may or may not be "at home." When the demon is "at home," he may precipitate and attack. In these attacks the victim passes from his normal state, in which he acts like other people, to the abnormal state of possession.3

• echein daimonion "to have or be possessed by a demon" - Ice writes that "the Greek grammar conveys the idea that the subject is characterized by having a demon indwell him" [emphasis mine].⁴

• daimonizomai (ptep: daimon) "to be possessed by a demon" - New Testament passages in which this term is found are Matthew 4:24; 8:16,28,33; 9:32; 12:22; 15:22; Mark 1:32; 5:15,16,18; Luke 8:36; John 10:21.⁵

The terms alone provide ample evidence of the reality of indwelling spirits or demons within their victims hence the chief characteristic of possession. One who is said "to have a demon" or to be "demonized is one who has a spirit dwelling within oneself. Ice gives an excellent example of this: "...while the Gadarene demoniac is labeled as ‘demonized’ in Mark 5:15,16,18, he is said to "have a demon" in Luke 8:27."⁶

Divergent definitions often arise due to etymological fallacies. The semantic error applicable here is the result or mistake of confusing a term’s usage with its etymology.⁷ Anderson falters to this error in reasoning in promoting the idea that demon-possession per se is absent in New Testament Greek: "To be demonized means to be under the control of one or more demons. Demonization is not a matter of extremes, such as the either/or idea [sic] of being completely free or totally bound; it’s a matter of degrees."⁸ Despite Dr. Anderson’s past faculty profile at Talbot School of Theology as an associate professor and chair of the Practical Theology Department, his scholarship regarding these matters is brought into question.

The key issue surrounding the difference between oppression and possession, as it pertains to influence and control, is that of internal and external respectively.⁹ Unger had earlier (1952) made the following observation:

"To demon possession only unbelievers are exposed; to demon influence, both believers and unbelievers. In the one case, the personality is actually invaded, the body inhabited, and a dominating control is gained; while in the other instance, attack is made from without, through pressure, suggestion, and temptation."¹⁰

The language of demon-possession is entering and exiting as evidenced by the example given to the Pharisees by Christ (Matt. 12:43-44). An examination of this passage will be made in a subsequent section thus declaring truth that repels the notion of "Christian demon-possession."

The induction method of dealing with God’s special revelation "is distinctly the theological method"¹¹ over and against the deductive method. Induction is reasoning from the general to the particular by which "various declarations upon a subject are reduced to one harmonious all-inclusive statement."¹² Furthermore, "a perfect induction is formed when all the teachings of the Scripture, according to their precise meaning, are made the basis of a doctrinal statement."¹³ Ignorance of the great divisions of theology such as those of Pneumatology and Ecclesiology is a key element used by Satan in impressing upon the minds of men pernicious thoughts that oppose the incompatible natures and realities between present-day sainthood and demon possession. Pneumatological and ecclesiastic truths are not only a part of the whole, but are of great value and comfort to men. Ecclesiology’s richest truths are interwoven with that part of dispensational theology reserved for the Church’s unique role in the unfolding of God’s program for the ages.

Apart from the Holy Spirit’s work of moving upon the face of the waters, garnishing the heavens, revealing truth through the prophets, His coming to the men of old was for a specific purpose or task. The Old Testament teaches that the Holy Spirit came upon men for specific tasks given by God and when that task was completed, the Holy Spirit departed. Chafer says that the Holy Spirit came upon and departed according to God’s sovereign good pleasure in that there are no instances found in the Old Testament where the faith of men determined the Holy Spirit’s actions [emphasis mine].¹⁴

As a matter of divine revelation, God established no provisions for an abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Old Testament saints. David prayed, "And take not thy holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11, R.V.) At once, two things become evident – "the Holy Spirit might be taken from David, and David desired that the presence and power of the Holy Spirit might be his portion for a longer period so that he might serve Israel well as her king."¹⁵ This is quite a contrast from this dispensation’s provision for the permanent indwelling of the Spirit within each believer thus a clearly distinguishable dichotomy of the Holy Spirit’s relation to these two groups of believers emerges.

1. THE BELIEVER’S POSITION AND UNION. Peculiar to this age is the believer’s translation into the Kingdom of God. Beyond all human understanding is the scope and extent of the believer’s position in Christ. One’s position begins with the change of his estate. The Apostle Paul writes, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Col. 1:13). Chafer eloquently states: "He is transferred from the fallen headship of the first Adam into the exalted and infinite Headship of the Last Adam."¹⁶ No longer is his citizenship is of this world but rather that of heaven. The believer is a new creature in Christ (II Cor. 5:17) in which his union with Christ - new class of humanity - is factored in. This reality escapes our capacity of rational understanding and demonstration. Therefore it is an object of our faith based on the word of God which, through St. Paul's teaching, enables us to penetrate the mystery which transcends all limitations imposed by space and time. And so it is written, "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (1 Cor 15:45). "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall bear the image of the heavenly" (I Cor 15:49).

Humanity, or more appropriately new humanity, having been baptized by the Spirit is identified in Christ in absolute union, serving as a foundation upon which all that Christ is may be imputed to the one who is in Him. The New Creation results from this union accomplished by the baptism of the Spirit (II Cor. 5:17-18; Gal. 3.27-28; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10; 2:15; and, 4:21-24). Christ reconciles the believer to God, his new estate is wrought by God, His workmanship and a new man in "complete unity composed of Christ and the Church."¹⁷ Our union in Christ speaks of several different relationships between the regenerate and Christ. There are aspects of our union that testify "that we are in Christ, Christ is in us, we are like Christ, and we are with Christ."¹⁸ The phrase, in Christ, has many extensive implications and is emphasized throughout the New Testament.

In the Gospel of John, Christ spoke of the type relationship in which He lives in us. Jesus said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). This indwelling is what distinguishes a true Christian from those who merely profess Christ (Rom. 8:10; II Cor. 13:5; Rev. 3:20). Not only does truth reveal that Christ lives within the believer, He gives the believer power to live the Christian life. The indwelling of Christ is real and forgetting about this indwelling would be neglecting the great source of spiritual strength residing within us (I John 4:4). This indwelling prohibits the intrusion and trespassing of a lessor spirit.

The universal or invisible Church is comprised only of those who have been born of the Spirit within this dispensation. The Church consists of assemblies comprising of both regenerate and unregenerate men. The Greek word for Church is ekklesia. This term means a people called out from the world and its system and into a distinct group itself. In this sense, we see that an elect company is being gathered and is the supreme divine intent in this age. An impressive truth of both this age and the Church, is that is calling out both Jew and Gentile into this heavenly body in which they are one - a new class of human, each a new creation.¹⁹

The gathering out or the building of the body of believers is confined to this age - the Dispensation of Grace. The Church commenced on the Day of Pentecost and will continue to gather in believers until the Rapture. This contrast between Israel and the Church recognizes distinguishable economies in which God brings to end His purposes for Israel exclusively and His purpose for the Church exclusively. The term church appears for the first time in Matthew 16:18: "I will build my church." Chafer says, "When the stress falls on the word I, it is indicated that the whole enterprise belongs to and is undertaken by Christ alone. When the stress falls on the word build, an important truth is advanced. The word build suggests a slow, long-drawn-out process."²⁰

There could be no Church until the death and resurrection of Christ had taken place by which the resurrected Christ gave her resurrection life. Added to these momentous events is His ascension the transpiration of which was necessary before He was to become Head of His new creation - a new federal Headship in the resurrected Christ. It readily becomes apparent that the outcalling of the Church is the primary objective in this dispensation, and no where is this recognized with such clarity than that of the advent of the Holy Spirit.

Salvation is and always has been a gift of God in response to faith. He is saved by grace through faith plus nothing. This grace was operative under the Mosaic Law as does in this present age. It is here where one must distinguish the basis of salvation (grace) from the content of revelation. Ryrie states that "thee basis of salvation in every age is the death of Christ; the requirement for salvation in every age is faith; the object of faith in every age is God; the content of faith changes in the various dispensations."²¹ The Law did not abrogate the promises of the Abrahamic convent but differed in the content of faith dependent upon the particular revelation given at a certain time. Simply put, Old Testament saints looked forward to the cross whereby we look back to the cross

IV. THE WHOLE OF SCRIPTURE. This section is dedicated to understanding, in relation to the whole of Scripture, examples used by contemporary workers in support of their belief in Christian demon-possession. An approach void of this "relation to the whole" breeds ineptness in the careful handing of eternal truths and places good men within the ranks of charlatans.

The believer must study the Bible by collecting and understanding each passage of Scripture on any subject or topic as each passage is related and dependant upon the other and is to be presented as the whole. Every portion of the Bible is to be both researched and carefully studied as competence in Bible doctrine is dependent upon the whole of Scripture and not that of departmental specialization. To properly unfold truth, it must be studied in its entirety. Every portion of the Bible is to be both researched and carefully studied as competence demands it. Only regenerate men enlighten by the Holy Spirit can understand revealed, heavenly, eternal truths and when matched with the study of the whole, he gives and teaches each doctrine with the due recognition of relational dimensions to all other doctrines. Needed now, like no other time in history, is a complete understanding of the Bible as the cosmos is malignantly infected with Satanic deception and doctrinal error.

Referenced examples include those Biblical characters living during the latter part of the dispensation of Law when the provision of permanent Spirit indwellment was yet future and a post-Pentecost believer permanently indwelt by the Spirit.

A. THE BENT WOMAN.

And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him" (Luke 13:10-17).

Before we begin, let's take a quick look at what Jesus considers a child of Abraham: [sic]

John 8:39-40 makes it very clear who are qualified to be called Children of Abraham in Jesus' opinion: "They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham." (In other words, if you aren't doing the works of Abraham, then you aren't really his child. He directly said that they were not Abraham's child because they did not share in the faith.) [sic]

Look at what Jesus called the man who became a believer in Luke 19:9, "And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham." To have Jesus call somebody a child of Abraham was quite an honor! It meant that the person was a child of Abraham by faith, which means they were a believer. [sic]

Also look at Romans 2:28-29, "For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. Whoever has that kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people." (NLT) [sic]

Jesus said that the children of Abraham do what Abraham did (John 8:39). What did Abraham do? Galatians 3:6, "...Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." To believe God means to believe in Jesus as well, because the two cannot be separated! If you reject the Son, you also reject the Father (1 John 2:22-23). Jesus made it clear that the true children of Abraham are full blown believers! [sic]

Now, in Luke 13:11, 16 it says, "And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?"

A few things I would like to point out, first, she was in the church hearing Jesus' teachings just moments before He loosed her. When He called her a daughter of Abraham, He made it clear that she was a very special person. He rebuked the Pharisees for calling themselves children of Abraham, but He honored this woman for it. In His opinion, she was a true daughter of Abraham, which meant she shared in Abraham's faith. She was a believer. [sic]

Let me briefly summarize this: [sic]

(a) Jesus said that in order to be a child of Abraham, you must do as Abraham did. (John 8:39)

(b) What did Abraham do? He believed on God. (Gal 3:6)

(c) You cannot believe on the Father and reject the Son; it is impossible. (1 John 2:22-23)

(d) Jesus said that this woman was truly a child of Abraham. (Luke 13:16)

Jesus Himself told us of the requirements for what it takes to be a child of Abraham, so if He didn't judge her by those requirements, He would be contradicting Himself. Judged by His opinion (which is not just any opinion, but a FACT and TRUTH), He labeled this woman as a child of Abraham. To refute that she was a believer, would be trying to argue with Jesus, because that's what He said, and He made it very clear that those who don't believe, aren't really children of Abraham [sic].²²

In the interest of brevity, rebuttal is summarized as followed:

This woman’s condition was not one of demon-possession, but rather that of being bound by "a spirit of infirmity," in body and soul. Edersheim writes, "The Greek word here rendered ‘infirmity’ as passed into Rabbinic language (Isteniseyah), and there means, not any particular disease, but sickliness, sometimes weakliness."²³ The bent woman’s infirmity was through a demoniac agency given that disease is a result of sin and sin is attributed to Satan. The curse placed upon humankind, the animal kingdom and the earth will continue to be in effect until such time it is lifted. Deliverance during this age cannot rescind any portion of the curse.

In determining whom qualifies to be a "child of Abraham" according to John 8:39: "If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham," what is spoken of here is faith - the Jews were challenging Christ’s Divine Sonship. Even though Jesus was met with unbelief, He had already acknowledged that they were Abraham’s children: "I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you" (v.37) [emphasis mine]. Undoubtedly, Jesus was making reference to their physical lineage. The seed of Abraham is the term applied to the physical descendants of Abraham. The three kinds of seed of Abraham are: (1) natural lineage or natural seed (Israel), (2) spiritual lineage within the natural, and (3) spiritual seed who are not natural Israelites (Gentiles).

This term is extraneous to this minister’s argument in that regardless of which seed the woman’s identity is established, the provision for the permanent indwelling of the Spirit was nonexistent at that particular point in time. The death, burial and resurrection of Christ was yet future. The indwelling of the Spirit was reserved for a subsequent group of believers known as the Body of Christ. Such an indwellment precludes demon-possession. In addition, "the term ‘daughter of Abraham’ is very likely a nationalist term for a female citizen of Israel."²⁴

In Mark 5:1-20, a story is told of a man with a legion of demons who saw Jesus, ran to Him and worshiped Him. Demons don't run to Jesus and worship Him. This man recognized that Jesus was the son of God, and therefore able to set him free, and of course, that would mean he believed upon Jesus. Jesus didn't go seeking demons to cast out of people. He usually waited until people came to Him before He cast them out. If they came to Him, then I believe it can be easily argued that they 'believed in Him'.I find it interesting that many times Jesus cast out demons, He did it for the people in the synagogues. Mark 1:39, "And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils." It's also interesting to note that Jesus didn't go 'looking' for people to cast demons out of, He waited until they came to Him, and many (if not all) of them referred to Him as Lord. This gives us a good indication that they were believers. Also, those who were in the synagogues were either hypocrites or sincere children of God. Where did Jesus EVER cast a demon out of a hypocrite like the Pharisees? Jesus said Himself that deliverance was children's bread, and therefore not fit to cast before dogs!²⁵ [sic]

Wait a minute, I thought evil could not dwell in the same person as the Holy Ghost? Apparently, the two can coexist... or Paul didn't really have the Holy Ghost. :o) [sic]²⁶

We respond: Light extinguishes darkness. Paul is referring to the internal enemy - the flesh or old nature. This is a predisposition to assert one’s own authority over God’s.²⁷ There is a multi-front battle being fought by the Christian: (1) the flesh, (2) the world, and (3) Satan with the latter two fronts serving as external enemies.

Man’s constitution was altered at the fall. There was an immense change in man the very moment he first sinned. He developed within himself a fallen nature and became degenerate and depraved. This nature is contrary to both God and to all that represents godliness. This sin brought man under the domination of Satan. There is a relationship between the unregenerate and Satan that separates man from the redemptive knowledge of Christ (II Cor. 4:3-4; Eph. 2:1-2, Col.1:13; I John 5:19). The universal reign of decay and death is referred to in the Bible the "bondage of decay" (Romans 8:21). Modern science recognizes this as the Second Law of Thermodynamics. As such, the universality of the reign of death is the measure of the absolute uniqueness of the resurrection of Christ. Physical death is the separation of soul and spirit from the body. The sentence of physical death in no way nullifies the eternal part of immaterial man as spirit cannot cease to exist.

In a contradistinction to the unbiblical view that demons represent our greatest enemy, the flesh is, instead, our most influential enemy (cf. Rom. 7:14,18; 8:1-17; Gal. 3:3; 5:13-21; Eph. 2:3). Important issues confronting Christians at the time of writing and the present (same age) were addressed in the 21 letters of the New Testament. Within these letters, more than 50 references were made to the flesh as our primary enemy over and against the ten times reference was made to certain truths about demons.²⁸ Paul writes: "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that yet would" (Gal. 5:17).

Robert L. and other such ministers should be forewarned that "teaching Christian demon-possession are by implication denying the sufficiency of Scripture and are going beyond its authority by promoting their own."²⁹ The great Apostles warns: "...that in us you might learn not to exceed what is written, in order that one of you might become arrogant in behalf of one against the other" I Cor. 4:6).

V. CONCLUSION. Terms used in forming a definition of demon-possession were examined in detail from which we have determined that the key issue regarding demon possession centers around the differences between external influence (oppression) and internal control/inhabitation. The Christian’s battle concerning Satan is that of external influence, accurately defined in terms of influence, impressions and oppression. Spiritual warfare consists also of two other fronts: the world/external and the flesh/internal. Contemporary preoccupation with demons is without biblical precedence.

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and findeth none. The he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation" (Matt.12:43-45) [emphasis mine].

Though "Israel (nationally and individually) had been morally cleansed by the ministries of John and Jesus,"³⁰ its reformation (eradication of open idiolatry) was of little value as its house remained empty. The removal of evil without a new Master to occupy its house, was not enough as these same Jews faced the horrors of A.D. 66-70. This truth parallels with men who have swept their house yet fail to have the Master as an occupant. This tenant, Christ’s Spirit, sweeps the house clean at the moment of salvation thus prohibiting Christian demon possession. Light and darkness cannot dwell together as light extinguishes darkness. A believer is the temple of God in which the Spirit of God dwells (I Cor. 3:16).

The truths of Pneumatology and Ecclesiology were advanced representing the whole of Scripture in establishing sound doctrine as, without the whole, the parts lose its relational aspects and deepest truths. Discussed at length were the relational realities that lie behind the believer’s position in Christ and the Holy Spirit’s to the believer and how the same unequivocally obliterates the nefarious notion of Christian possession. Believers of this age are in a unique position unknown by those under the Law. The Church as a living organism was a mystery - Paul writes:

"Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began" (Rom 16:25).

"How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit" (Eph 3:3-5).

"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God" (Eph 3:8-10).