the great controversy-第104部分

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of　great　suffering；　yet　there　were　exceptions　to　this　rule。　For　the　sake　of
obtaining　supernatural　power；　some　welcomed　the　satanic　influence。　These　of
course　had　no　conflict　with　the　demons。　Of　this　class　were　those　who
possessed　the　spirit　of　divination；Simon　Magus；　Elymas　the　sorcerer；　and
the　damsel　who　followed　Paul　and　Silas　at　Philippi。

None　are　in　greater　danger　from　the　influence　of　evil　spirits　than　those
who；　notwithstanding　the　direct　and　ample　testimony　of　the　Scriptures；　deny
the　existence　and　agency　of　the　devil　and　his　angels。　So　long　as　we　are
ignorant　of　their　wiles；　they　have　almost　inconceivable　advantage；　many　give
heed　to　their　suggestions　while　they　suppose　themselves　to　be　following　the
dictates　of　their　own　wisdom。　This　is　why；　as　we　approach　the　close　of　time；
when　Satan　is　to　work　with　greatest　power　to　deceive　and　destroy；　he　spreads
everywhere　the　belief　that　he　does　not　exist。　It　is　his　policy　to　conceal
himself　and　his　manner　of　working。

There　is　nothing　that　the　great　deceiver　fears　so　much　as　that　we　shall
become　acquainted　with　his　devices。　The　better　to　disguise　his　real
character　and　purposes；　he　has　caused　himself　to　be　so　represented　as　to
excite　no　stronger　emotion　than　ridicule　or　contempt。　He　is　well　pleased　to
be　painted　as　a　ludicrous　or　loathsome　object；　misshapen；　half　animal　and
half　human。　He　is　pleased　to　hear　his　name　used　in　sport　and　mockery　by
those　who　think　themselves　intelligent　and　well　informed。

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It　is　because　he　has　masked　himself　with　consummate　skill　that　the　question
is　so　widely　asked：　〃Does　such　a　being　really　exist？〃　It　is　an　evidence　of
his　success　that　theories　giving　the　lie　to　the　plainest　testimony　of　the
Scriptures　are　so　generally　received　in　the　religious　world。　And　it　is
because　Satan　can　most　readily　control　the　minds　of　those　who　are
unconscious　of　his　influence；　that　the　word　of　God　gives　us　so　many　examples
of　his　malignant　work；　unveiling　before　us　his　secret　forces；　and　thus
placing　us　on　our　guard　against　his　assaults。

The　power　and　malice　of　Satan　and　his　host　might　justly　alarm　us　were　it　not
that　we　may　find　shelter　and　deliverance　in　the　superior　power　of　our
Redeemer。　We　carefully　secure　our　houses　with　bolts　and　locks　to　protect　our
property　and　our　lives　from　evil　men；　but　we　seldom　think　of　the　evil　angels
who　are　constantly　seeking　access　to　us；　and　against　whose　attacks　we　have；
in　our　own　strength；　no　method　of　defense。　If　permitted；　they　can　distract
our　minds；　disorder　and　torment　our　bodies；　destroy　our　possessions　and　our
lives。　Their　only　delight　is　in　misery　and　destruction。　Fearful　is　the
condition　of　those　who　resist　the　divine　claims　and　yield　to　Satan's
temptations；　until　God　gives　them　up　to　the　control　of　evil　spirits。　But
those　who　follow　Christ　are　ever　safe　under　His　watchcare。　Angels　that　excel
in　strength　are　sent　from　heaven　to　protect　them。　The　wicked　one　cannot
break　through　the　guard　which　God　has　stationed　about　His　people。





（518）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　32

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Snares　of　Satan


The　great　controversy　between　Christ　and　Satan；　that　has　been　carried
forward　for　nearly　six　thousand　years；　is　soon　to　close；　and　the　wicked　one
redoubles　his　efforts　to　defeat　the　work　of　Christ　in　man's　behalf　and　to
fasten　souls　in　his　snares。　To　hold　the　people　in　darkness　and　impenitence
till　the　Saviour's　mediation　is　ended；　and　there　is　no　longer　a　sacrifice
for　sin；　is　the　object　which　he　seeks　to　accomplish。

When　there　is　no　special　effort　made　to　resist　his　power；　when　indifference
prevails　in　the　church　and　the　world；　Satan　is　not　concerned；　for　he　is　in
no　danger　of　losing　those　whom　he　is　leading　captive　at　his　will。　But　when
the　attention　is　called　to　eternal　things；　and　souls　are　inquiring；　〃What
must　I　do　to　be　saved？〃　he　is　on　the　ground；　seeking　to　match　his　power
against　the　power　of　Christ　and　to　counteract　the　influence　of　the　Holy
Spirit。

The　Scriptures　declare　that　upon　one　occasion；　when　the　angels　of　God　came
to　present　themselves　before　the　Lord；　Satan　came　also　among　them　（Job　1：6）；
not　to　bow　before　the　Eternal　King；　but　to　further　his　own　malicious　designs
against　the　righteous。　With　the　same　object　he　is　in　attendance　when　men
assemble　for　the　worship　of　God。　Though　hidden　from　sight；　he　is　working
with　all　diligence　to　control　the　minds　of　the　worshipers。　Like　a　skillful
general　he　lays　his　plans　beforehand。　As　he　sees　the　messenger　of　God
searching　the　Scriptures；　he　takes　note　of　the　subject　to　be

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presented　to　the　people。　Then　he　employs　all　his　cunning　and　shrewdness　so
to　control　circumstances　that　the　message　may　not　reach　those　whom　he　is
deceiving　on　that　very　point。　The　one　who　most　needs　the　warning　will　be
urged　into　some　business　transaction　which　requires　his　presence；　or　will　by
some　other　means　be　prevented　from　hearing　the　words　that　might　prove　to　him
a　savor　of　life　unto　life。

Again；　Satan　sees　the　Lord's　servants　burdened　because　of　the　spiritual
darkness　that　enshrouds　the　people。　He　hears　their　earnest　prayers　for
divine　grace　and　power　to　break　the　spell　of　indifference；　carelessness；　and
indolence。　Then　with　renewed　zeal　he　plies　his　arts。　He　tempts　men　to　the
indulgence　of　appetite　or　to　some　other　form　of　self…gratification；　and　thus
benumbs　their　sensibilities　so　that　they　fail　to　hear　the　very　things　which
they　most　need　to　learn。

Satan　well　knows　that　all　whom　he　can　lead　to　neglect　prayer　and　the
searching　of　the　Scriptures；　will　be　overcome　by　his　attacks。　Therefore　he
invents　every　possible　device　to　engross　the　mind。　There　has　ever　been　a
class　professing　godliness；　who；　instead　of　following　on　to　know　the　truth；
make　it　their　religion　to　seek　some　fault　of　character　or　error　of　faith　in
those　with　whom　they　do　not　agree。　Such　are　Satan's　right…hand　helpers。
Accusers　of　the　brethren　are　not　few；　and　they　are　always　active　when　God　is
at　work　and　His　servants　are　rendering　Him　true　homage。　They　will　put　a
false　coloring　upon　the　words　and　acts　of　those　who　love　and　obey　the　truth。
They　will　represent　the　most　earnest；　zealous；　self…denying　servants　of
Christ　as　deceived　or　deceivers。　It　is　their　work　to　misrepresent　the
motives　of　every　true　and　noble　deed；　to　circulate　insinuations；　and　arouse
suspicion　in　the　minds　of　the　inexperienced。　In　every　conceivable　manner
they　will　seek　to　cause　that　which　is　pure　and　righteous　to　be　regarded　as
foul　and　deceptive。

But　none　need　be　deceived　concerning　them。　It　may　be　readily　seen　whose
children　they　are；　whose　example　they　follow；　and　whose　work　they　do。　〃Ye
shall　know　them　by

520

their　fruits。〃　Matthew　7：16。　Their　course　resembles　that　of　Satan；　the
envenomed　slanderer；　〃the　accuser　of　our　brethren。〃　Revelation　12：10。

The　great　deceiver　has　many　agents　ready　to　present　any　and　every　kind　of
error　to　ensnare　soulsheresies　prepared　to　suit　the　varied　tastes　and
capacities　of　those　whom　he　would　ruin。　It　is　his　plan　to　bring　into　the
church　insincere；　unregenerate　elements　that　will　encourage　doubt　and
unbelief；　and　hinder　all　who　desire　to　see　the　work　of　God　advance　and　to
advance　with　it。　Many　who　have　no　real　faith　in　God　or　in　His　word　assent　to
some　principles　of　truth　and　pass　as　Christians；　and　thus　they　are　enabled
to　introduce　their　errors　as　Scriptural　doctrines。

The　position　that　it　is　of　no　consequence　what　men　believe　is　one　of　Satan's
most　successful　deceptions。　He　knows　that　the　truth；　received　in　the　love　of
it；　sanctifies　the　soul　of　the　receiver；　therefore　he　is　constantly　seeking
to　substitute　false　theories；　fables；　another　gospel。　From　the　beginning　the
servants　of　God　have　contended　against　false　teachers；　not　merely　as　vicious
men；　but　as　inculcators　of　falsehoods　that　were　fatal　to　the　soul。　Elijah；
Jeremiah；　Paul；　firmly　and　fearlessly　opposed　those　who　were　turning　men
from　the　word　of　God。　That　liberality　which　regards　a　correct　religious
faith　as　unimportant　found　no　favor　with　these　holy　defenders　of　the　truth。

The　vague　and　fanciful　interpretations　of　Scripture；　and　the　many
conflicting　theories　concerning　religious　faith；　that　are　found　in　the
Christian　world　are　the　work　of　our　great　adversary　to　confuse　minds　so　that
they　shall　not　discern　the　truth。　And　the　discord　and　division　which　exist
among　the　churches　of　Christendom　are　in　a　great　measure　due　to　the
prevailing　custom　of　wresting　the　Scriptures　to　support　a　favorite　theory。
Instead　of　carefully　studying　God's　word　with　humility　of　heart　to　obtain　a
knowledge　of　His　will；　many　seek　only　to　discover　something　odd　or　original。

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In　order　to　sustain　erroneous　doctrines　or　unchristian　practices；　some　will
seize　upon　passages　of　Scripture　separated　from　the　context；　perhaps　quoting
half　of　a　single　verse　as　proving　their　point；　when　the　remaining　portion
would　show　the　meaning　to　be　quite　the　opposite。　With　the　cunning　of　the
serpent　they　entrench　themselves　behind　disconnected　utterances　construed　to
suit　their　carnal　desires。　Thus　do　many　willfully　pervert　the　word　of　God。
Others；　who　have　an　active　imagination；　seize　upon　the　figures　and　symbols
of　Holy　Writ；　interpret　them　to　suit　their　fancy；　with　little　regard　to　the
testimony　of　Scripture　as　its　own　interpreter；　and　then　they　present　their
vagaries　as　the　teachings　of　the　Bible。

Whenever　the　study　of　the　Scriptures　is　entered　upon　without　a　prayerful；
humble；　teachable　spirit；　the　plainest　and　simplest　as　well　as　the　most
difficult　passages　will　be　wrested　from　their　true　meaning。　The　papal
leaders　select　such　portions　of　Scripture　as　best　serve　their　purpose；
interpret　to　suit　themselves；　and　then　present　these　to　the　people；　while
they　deny　them　the　privilege　of　studying　the　Bible　and　understanding　its
sacred　truths　for　themselves。　The　whole　Bible　should　be　given　to　the　people
just　as　it　reads。　It　would　be　better　for　them　not　to　have　Bible　instruction
at　a