Demons are teachers too

1 Timothy 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. NIV

Did you know that demons can teach the word of God too? They can. They know the Bible better than you do. And they are in a campaign designed to draw people off from the truth of the Bible into doctrines that they make up.

And in some ways it is more subtle than you might think. We suppose that a demon-doctrine would be all about pleasure and sin and blaspheming God. But when a demon teaches falsehood it is cloaked in the truth.

Look at what Paul says about those doctrines:

1 Timothy 4:3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth."
NIV

Doesn't Paul himself say that if God gives them the gift they should stay unmarried? (1 Corinthians 7:8) And doesn't the Bible forbid the eating of certain foods in the Old Testament? Yes to both questions.

What is so diabolical about demonic doctrine is that it is not 180 out of phase with the truth, but only a few degrees. If you steer a ship a few degrees off from your destination in the end you will be way off the mark. That's how it is with demonic teaching. It reflects a partial truth of God and in the process obscures the full truth - that is that all the Bible is focused on Jesus Christ. We marry him when we become part of His body, and it is in Him that foods are no longer forbidden because it is our hearts that are changed into His image. We then have the freedom to abstain from foods if it helps someone else find Jesus as well (1 Corinthians 8:13).

So how do we tell the difference? Ask yourself - how does this doctrine reflect on the person of Jesus and His gospel. That'll help you steer clear of demon teachers.

Pastor Tom