Eternal Warfare

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Chapter 37 - Warfare of the Eternal Church

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“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

The Apostle Paul revealed that the New Testament church was not without opposition. He clarified that its opposition was spiritual. As a result, it was obvious that Paul was referring to the devil and his angels who chose to rebel against God before the foundation of the world (cf. Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19; 2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 2:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; Revelation 12:9; etc.).

In addition, Paul revealed that the devil and his angels were arrayed in a spiritual hierarchy of evil against the New Testament church. Therefore, the ecclesia of God was compelled to engage in “wrestling, struggle or hand-to-hand combat.”[1]

In the history of the church, many different responses to the opposition of the devil and his angels have been proposed, penned, presented, and promoted. Without biblical precedent, however, they are ineffective and even deceptive in origin.

The Bible reveals only one approach that is effective against spiritual opposition. It begins and ends with Jesus Christ. He alone provides the necessary position, power, and protection for the New Testament church to stand firm and resist every scheme of the devil.

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Origins

The eternal kingdom of God was originally populated with angelic beings (Job 38:7; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 148:1-6). They were created holy, immortal, and spiritual (Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 20:36; Hebrews 1:14).

Satan was one of the most remarkable of the angelic beings. He “had the seal of perfection” and was “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel
28:12). Further, he is described as having been beautiful and splendorous (Ezekiel 28:17). Possibly the most extraordinary of the angelic beings, he served God in the role of the high priest on the original, eternal earth.

Despite his lofty position in the kingdom, Satan coveted the glory of the King. Thus, he devised a scheme by which he would challenge God for His throne.

The original scheme of Satan was founded on his presumption that the attributes of the nature of God could not be expressed concurrently in an unbiased manner. More specifically, Satan questioned whether or not God could demonstrate love and mercy together with justice. Believing them to be contradictory to one another, he resolved to test the sovereignty of God. Satan was convinced that his scheme would reveal God as vulnerable and weak and, thus, susceptible to deposition.

Satan understood the potential advantage of co-conspirators. Consequently, he persuaded many angels to join him in his rebellion against God (Revelation 12:3-4). By the “abundance” of his unrighteous “trade”(trafficking or conspiring), he convinced about one-third of the angels that his plan would succeed (Ezekiel 28:16, 18; Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 12:3-4). As a result, they willingly abandoned their privileged citizenship in the kingdom of God and followed his lead (Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 12:3-4).

God answered the rebellious challenge of the devil and his angels in the only manner possible, in perfect accord with the attributes of His nature. Consequently, they experienced His judgment and were sentenced to punishment in “eternal fire” (Matthew 25:41).

While the judgment of the devil and his angels was immediate, God temporarily postponed their sentence (cf. John 12:31; 16:11; Isaiah 24:21-22; Matthew 8:29; 25:41; Romans 16:20; Revelation 20:10). It allowed Him the opportunity to address any thought of His presumed vulnerability and, consequently, vindicate His nature.

After the postponement of their sentence, God banished the devil and his angels to a state of separation from His immediate presence. Thus, they were exiled from the kingdom of God to “outer darkness” or the “domain of darkness” (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; Colossians 1:13).

Darkness is frequently symbolic of divine judgment in the Bible. When describing judgment, darkness is also characterized by death and degeneration.

As a result of their banishment and exile to darkness, the devil and his angels were no longer obligated to God according to the rule of life (zoe). In the realm of darkness, death and degeneration there is only the rule of law. It provides necessary boundaries for the fallen.

The angelic challenge of the divine nature not only resulted in death and degeneration but significant destruction. It resulted in the deformation of the angelic habitat, the original, eternal earth. Much like the devil and his angels, their habitat was relegated to a state of ruin, emptiness and darkness, (Genesis 1:2).

Relative to their rebellion and the consequent judgment of God, the devil and his angels presently exist in an unenviable position of separation from God and banishment from His kingdom. It is characterized by death, degeneration, and darkness. Their conduct in the “domain of darkness” is subject to moderation by the rule of law.

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Vindication: Renovation

According to eternal plan, God renovated the original, devastated, uninhabitable heavens and earth to be inhabited once again. He accomplished the renovation within the framework of covenant stipulation.

The stipulations of the Renovation Covenant provided protective guidelines by which God unveiled and secured His eternal purpose and plan for the renovated earth and its inhabitants (Genesis 1:2-31). His fulfillment of the covenant stipulations precisely as He had stated beforehand demonstrated His veracity and protected Him from any further accusation of wrongdoing. Consequently, His sovereignty was no longer subject to challenge, and He would not be viewed as vulnerable or susceptible to deposition.

The renovated earth was perfect. It lacked nothing. Therefore, God pronounced every aspect of His renovation “good,” and His holy angels rejoiced (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31; Job 38:4-7).

In harmony with His eternal plan, God allowed the devil and his angels access to the renovated heavens and earth (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6). However, banished from King and kingdom, their access to the renovated earth was moderated by the rule of law.

God did not renovate the earth to again serve as a habitat for spiritual, angelic beings, but a new type of creature; mankind (Genesis 1:26-30). In contrast to the angelic beings, He created humanity with a physical or material body.

By stipulation of the Renovation Covenant, God originally designed the human race as one collective entity. When He said, “Let us make man in our image,” He was not referring to an individual human being but the entire human race (Genesis 1:26). The Hebrew noun for “man” (‘adam) was used in a collective sense.

The first man, Adam, was appointed by God as the representative, covenantal head of humanity. All of his descendants, the entire human race, past, present, and future comprise his covenantal body (cf. Genesis 1:26-27).

According to the stipulations of the Renovation Covenant, mankind, represented by Adam, was given legal authority over the earth and its creatures. “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth’. God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26-28).

God planned beforehand to vindicate His nature through the newly renovated earth and its human population. Initially, it was designed to occur by the willingness of humanity to obey God and choose to enjoy intimate fellowship with Him.

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Fallen Angelic Response

While Satan was not cognizant of the entire plan of God, he was clear about Adam’s purpose on earth. It did not go unnoticed by him that God had replaced him in the kingdom with an inferior being. Further, it was clear to Satan that Adam had been awarded representative authority over the renovated earth.

Within the legal guidelines of the Renovation Covenant, Satan schemed to deceive Adam into relinquishing his legal, God appointed authority over the earth. The success of his scheme would not only allow him to regain
authority on earth but demonstrate to God that all of His creatures were incapable of obedience. Thus, the judgment of the devil would appear unjust, and he would be exonerated.

Fall of Mankind

God had warned Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was the one condition of the Renovation Covenant. Their obedience to the stipulation was the means by which they could willingly remain in covenant relationship with God.

Aware of the conditional stipulation of the Renovation Covenant, Satan manipulated Eve into challenging God’s covenantal command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In the guise of a serpent, he deceived her. Tragically, she chose to believe Satan’s lie and ate from the forbidden tree. As forewarned, Eve suffered separation from God, immediate spiritual death and, consequently, began the long slow decline to physical death.

Relative to Eve’s transformation, Adam was forced to make an extremely difficult choice. He could reject his beloved bride and allow her to experience her appointed destiny without him. It would be both lonely and heart-wrenching. Conversely, Adam could choose to remain in union with Eve by eating from the prohibited tree and join her in rebellious separation from God. Ultimately, Adam was forced to choose between God and His beloved Eve.

Rather than Adam, Satan had originally deceived Eve into eating from the forbidden tree (1 Timothy 2:14). However, by his deception of Eve, he was able to manipulate Adam into disobeying God.

While Eve chose to rebel against covenantal stipulation because of deception, Adam did so willfully. As a result, he abdicated his God-given authority to rule the earth. Thus, relative to the fall of Adam, the divinely appointed high priest of the earth and representative/representational head of humanity, the entire human race and its earthly habitat were subjected to a fallen state of death, degeneration, and darkness.

By the success of his scheme, Satan regained some of his previous status and authority. Therefore, he presently and temporarily holds the legal titles of “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31) and “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). According to the Apostle John, “….the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).

Nevertheless, Satan’s present status and authority related to the renovated, fallen earth is a distant shadow of the former glory he once enjoyed. Rather than ruling the pristine, original earth, however, his legally moderated authority extends only over the heavens and earth in their degenerated form, collectively described as the “domain of darkness” (Colossians 1:13).

Under the fallen headship of Adam, the entire human race became legally unsuitable and organically incompatible with God:

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Category	Position in Adam	Reference
Legally Unsuitable:	Guilty of the transgression of the rule of law (sin); Burdened by the unpayable legal debt of transgression; Unrighteous according to the measure of the rule of law.	cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Colossians 2:14; 2 Peter 2:9
Organically Incompatible:	Unfavorable for habitation by divine life (zoe): Degenerated at physical birth, Separated from God by spiritual death; Independent life; Earthly; Controlled by a degenerated nature.	cf. Acts 10:42; Romans 4:17; 11:15; 14:9; Ephesians 2:1, 5; Colossians 2:13; 2 Timothy 4:1

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Relative to its legal unsuitability and organic incompatibility, mankind was relegated to a fallen realm of existence apart from God:

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Category	Position in Adam
Realm of Existence:	The realm of sin and death.	Romans 5:12; 21; 8:2

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The fallen realm of existence is characterized by a distinct familial standing, citizenship, security, and style of governance:

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Category	Position in Adam	Reference
Familial Standing:	Children of men (“according to the flesh”).	cf. John 1:13; Romans 8:4-5; 9:3
Citizenship:	Earthly.	Genesis 12:3; Psalm 10:18; Jeremiah 25:30; Zephaniah 1:17-18; John 3:31
Security:	Temporally and eternally insecure.	Romans 2:8-9; 2 Thessalonians 2:12
Style of Governance:	Consequent to a state of disobedience from the heart, governed externally by the rule of law.	Mark 7:20-23; Romans 1:29-31

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Under the fallen headship of Adam the human race was rendered both legally unsuitable and organically incompatible with God. Therefore, mankind was necessarily separated from King and kingdom.

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Vindication: Redemption

Separation from God resulted in an unenviable state of existence for humanity. According to covenantal stipulation, the entire human race, inclusive of covenantal head and body, was subjected to death, degeneration, and darkness.

The devil and his angels rejoiced. Unfortunately, their plan of deception was successful, and, as a result, mankind was reduced to a state of existence not unlike their own. Nevertheless, their exultation was short-lived.

Satan was unaware that God had planned before the foundation of the world to remedy the fall of the human race. The Messiah or Christ (the Anointed) was foundational to His plan to vindicate His nature from angelic challenge and accusation. By His sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection, Christ Jesus would fulfill the stipulations of the Eternal Covenant (Isaiah 53:10; Acts 2:23-24; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 1:20-21; etc.). Congruent with divine justice, it would allow fallen mankind to be restored to a state of legal suitability and organic compatibility with God. As a result, the restored would be made acceptable to accommodate and share the indwelling life of the Christ, the mediator of the Eternal Covenant.

To the bewilderment of the devil, the eternal plan of God to vindicate His nature included His own sacrificial death and resurrection. Essential to the vindication of the divine nature, it constituted an unbiased, concurrent demonstration of selfless love, unfailing mercy, and absolute justice.

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Utter Defeat

The redemptive work of Jesus Christ utterly defeated Satan:

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Defeat of Satan

1. The defeat of Satan was initiated on earth by the arrival of God manifested in human flesh, Jesus the Christ.

Through the Christ, the redemptive presence of God entered into the realm of satanic authority, the “domain of darkness.”
He established the precedent for divine life (zoe) indwelling mankind on the darkened earth.

2. The defeat of Satan was advanced by the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ.

The earthly ministry of the Christ was inclusive of His defeat of the devil in His wilderness temptation.
More generally, the earthly ministry of the Christ included the proclamation of the Gospel, the release of captives, the healing of the sick, the oppressed set free and the dead raised (Matthew 11:5; Luke 4:18).
The entire earthly ministry of the Christ provided a clear demonstration of the attributes of the divine nature, including but not limited to the attributes of selfless love, unfailing mercy, and absolute justice.

3. The defeat of Satan was advanced by Christ's fulfillment of the rule of law on earth.

Concordant with eternal plan, fallen mankind on earth is subject to the rule of law (law of sin and of death).

The rule of law is “holy and righteous and good.”
The righteous requirement of the rule of law for fallen mankind is perfect obedience.
The justice of God demands the fulfillment of the righteous requirement of the rule of law.
Despite its demand, fallen mankind does not possess the capacity to fulfill the righteous requirement of the rule of law. He is unrighteous by nature.
Moreover, the rule of law does not include any provision to help the fallen fulfill its righteous requirement of perfect obedience.
For benefit of the fallen, the sole purpose of the rule of law was to reveal transgression or sin and, thereby, clarify the need of fallen mankind for a Savior.
Relative to the incapacity of fallen mankind to fulfill the righteous requirement of the rule of law, the redemption of the fallen necessitated its fulfillment by the mediatorial work of the Savior.

As evidenced in the New Testament, the requirement of the rule of law on earth was fulfilled by His lifetime of righteous obedience.

The righteousness of Christ was imputed to the New Testament church.
By the imputation of Christ's righteousness, the requirement of the rule of law was fulfilled in the New Testament church.
While Satan can justly accuse the fallen of the transgression of the rule of law, he cannot justly accuse the redeemed of the New Testament church of transgression.
Satan was disarmed against the New Testament church by Christ’s perfect fulfillment of the requirement of the rule of law and the subsequent imputation of His righteousness to the church.

Nevertheless, the transgression of the rule of law remains Satan’s primary point of contention with mankind. He is the “father of lies.”

4. The defeat of Satan was advanced by the divine fulfillment of the stipulations of the Eternal Covenant.

The willing death of Jesus the Christ paid in full the penalty and debt of all human transgression of the rule of law (law of sin and of death).
Demonstrating His acceptance of the efficacy of the sacrificial death, the heavenly Father facilitated the resurrection and ascension of the Son.

5. The defeat of Satan was advanced when the unconditional benefit of the Eternal Covenant was applied to the elect of the New Testament church.

The elect of the New Testament church was justified from all transgression of the rule of law (law of sin and of death).

The penalty and debt of all transgression of the rule of law was imputed to the account of Jesus the Christ.
Concordant with the application of His sacrificial death, the penalty and debt of all transgression of the rule of law by the elect of the New Testament church was paid in full and, as a consequence, they were forgiven of all transgression of the rule of law; past, present, and future.
The righteousness of God in human flesh was imputed to the account of the elect of the New Testament church.
As a result, the elect of the New Testament church were declared righteous.

Forgiven of all transgression of the rule of law and declared righteous, the elect of the New Testament church became legally suitable to share life with God in Jesus Christ, the mediator of the Eternal Covenant.
Joined to God by a union of shared life, the elect of the New Testament church are positioned in perfect victory and incomparable power with the ascended Christ at the right hand of the heavenly Father.

6. The defeat of Satan was advanced by the rescue of the redeemed of the New Testament church from the “domain of darkness.”

Justified from all transgression of the rule of law and joined to God in an intimate union of shared life, the redeemed of the New Testament church have been rescued from the realm of satanic authority.

Satan’s abode, his darkened realm of authority gained by the abdication of Adam, was plundered.
The redeemed of the New Testament church were transferred from subjection to his authority.

As a result, Satan has no authority over the redeemed of the New Testament church.

7. The defeat of Satan was advanced by the release of the redeemed of the New Testament church from the bondage of the rule of law (law of sin and of death).

Concordant with the eternal plan, the redeemed of the New Testament church on earth are not subject to the rule of law.

The requirement of the rule of law was fulfilled by the righteous life of Christ on earth. He was without sin (transgression of the law).
The penalty and debt of all transgression of the rule of law by the elect was paid in full by the death of Christ.
Intimacy with God required that the redeemed of the New Testament church were released from bondage to the rule of law.

As a result, the sinful nature of the redeemed was “rendered powerless” to condemn and, therefore, Satan was “rendered powerless” to accuse.

8. The defeat of Satan was advanced by the transference of the redeemed of the New Testament church to the kingdom of God.

Made legally suitable and organically compatible with God, the redeemed of the New Testament church were transferred to the kingdom of God, the realm of divine authority.
With heavenly citizenship, the redeemed of the New Testament church exist in the eternally secure realm of divine authority.

9. The defeat of Satan was advanced by the liberation of the redeemed of the New
Testament church from the rule of law to the glory of rule by indwelling life (zoe).

Justified from all transgression of the rule of law, the redeemed of the New Testament church were made legally suitable to enjoy an intimate union of life with God.

The redeemed of the New Testament church were made accommodative of divine life (zoe) by means of regeneration.
The redeemed of the New Testament church were indwelt by divine life (zoe) through means of spiritual birth.
Joined to God by an intimate union of shared life, the redeemed of the New Testament church were released from the demands of the rule of law.

The redeemed of the New Testament church are obligated to God by the intimacy of the gracious rule of indwelling life (zoe).

10. The defeat of Satan will be secured at the Second Coming.

The confinement of Satan and the redemptive work of Christ on earth for 1000 years will serve to vindicate the nature of God from angelic challenge, accusation or scheme related to the nation of Israel.

11. Shortly after that, the defeat of Satan will be completed, the justice of God satisfied, and the vindication of the divine nature fulfilled.

Satan will be temporarily released from confinement and his defeat decisively demonstrated.
Afterward the devil and his angels will be “thrown into the lake of fire” for eternity.

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Powerless, Bound, Unarmored, and Disarmed

Satan is utterly defeated. Thus, he no longer has authority over the New Testament church. Concordant with the redemptive work of Christ, he was bound; his abode plundered (his abode is his realm of authority; the “domain of darkness”); and his works destroyed (Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; Colossians 1:13; 1 John 3:8). In addition, he is without armor, disarmed, and powerless (Luke 11:22; Colossians 2:15a; Hebrews 2:14). Moreover, the devil and his angels were made a public spectacle (they were exposed as shattered, empty, and defeated to the heavenly host) (Colossians 2:15b).

Despite his defeat, Satan deceptively “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). It is part of his strategy to keep the New Testament church from knowing his deepest, darkest fear; he was utterly defeated by the redemptive work of Christ.

Powerless, bound, unarmored, and disarmed, Satan was left with only one means to oppose the object of his intense hatred and jealousy, the New Testament church. His sole weapon against the church is falsehood. Jesus said, “[Satan]…does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

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Spiritual Warfare

The lies and deceptive schemes of the devil and his angels are spiritual in nature. They are derived from fallen spiritual beings that exist in a fallen spiritual abode. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against…the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Spiritual lies that are derived from a spiritual source can influence life in the physical realm. However, they cannot be defended by physical weaponry.

Deceptiveness that is spiritual in source and nature can only effectively be combated through spiritual weaponry. “…the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely (and thus, spiritually) powerful” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Satan enjoys spending time with the believer that attempts to employ the physical weaponry in spiritual battle. Thus, he is not moved or intimidated by unbiblical strategies, formulas, religious prayers, etc.

All temptation to fight a spiritual battle in the physical realm with fleshly weapons must be resisted. Instead, the New Testament church is to “…be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” and “put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10-11).

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New Testament Church

The New Testament church has an essential purpose in God’s eternal plan (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 4:3; Revelation 13:8). He designed it to contribute to the vindication of His nature from angelic challenge and accusation and to facilitate the repopulation of His kingdom with willing citizens.

The New Testament church actively participates in the vindication of the divine nature by willfully choosing to fellowship with God despite constant spiritual opposition. Contrary to the historical example provided by the devil and his angels, it serves to demonstrate that the creatures of God can freely choose God above self-interest. The outcome is a progressive display of the attributes of the nature of God in a concurrent and unbiased fashion within the confines of time. It is witnessed by the entire heavenly host.

Demonstrating the divine nature on earth, the New Testament church is a source of public humiliation that ultimately reveals the fallen angels as foolish, weak, and defeated. As a result, they view it with intense hatred.

The New Testament church actively participates in the repopulation of the kingdom of God by willingly serving as an instrument for the sharing of eternal life (zoe) on earth. By grace through faith alone, it was designed to occur during the Church Age by the overflow of “rivers of living (zoe) water” (John 7:37-39). The “rivers of living (zoe) water” is eternal life (zoe) (cf. John 4:10, 14). In contrast, the overflow of eternal life (zoe) to the unbelieving world is the fruit of intimate, shared life fellowship between God and His ecclesia. The fallen angels recognize that flow of divine life (zoe) through the instrumentality of the New Testament church is the means chosen by God to repopulate His kingdom. Therefore, it is clear to them that they are being replaced in the kingdom with undeserving, inferior human beings. Thus, they view the church not only with intense hatred but also with great jealousy.

Although the devil is utterly defeated, the eternal purpose of God allows him to prowl “around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” It is for that reason Peter exhorts, “…resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (1 Peter 5:8-10).

© 2018 James Hiatt