Focus:
What is the Devil’s primary weapon?
Intro:
What, exactly, is spiritual warfare?
I confess, for some reason I’ve been fuzzy on that question, but for the sake of relating to today’s passage in Timothy, let me refocus the question: What is the Devil’s primary weapon?
Today, spiritual warfare is widely misunderstood. Briefly, spiritual warfare is a conflict among persons-disembodied malevolent persons (demons and the devil), human beings, angels and God himself. So far, so good. But what is often overlooked is that this conflict among persons in two camps crucially involves a clash of ideas. Why?
The conflict is about control, and persons control others by getting them to accept certain beliefs and emotions as correct, good and proper. This is precisely how the devil primarily works to destroy human beings and thwart God's work in history, namely, by influencing the idea structures in culture.(1)
New covenant:
Passage: 2 Timothy 3
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 17
Words: ~334
Now here’s an important point:
In Paul’s day, women were easily misled by false teachers, because they did not receive the same opportunity that men received to learn the truth of Scripture. In New Testament times, women were considered ignorant and weak in understanding. But in those countries where women are given an equal chance to learn, they are not so easily deceived. And we must remember also that there are many men who are just as easily deceived as the women Paul mentions here! (2)
Old covenant:
Passage: 2 Kings 2-3
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 26
Words: ~1646
Wisdom:
Passage: Proverbs 10:1-8
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 8
Words: ~127
Commentary:
Love you!
Roger
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) Garrett J. DeWeese. Doing Philosophy as a Christian (Christian Worldview Integration Series) (Kindle Locations 131-135). Kindle Edition.
(2) Hale, Tom. Applied New Testament Bible Commentary . David C. Cook. Kindle Edition.