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Commentary on "Spiritual Gifts and Prophecy"

RICHARD TINKER

 

Day 4: Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The lesson tells the account of Moses and Aaron performing miracles before Pharaoh, including the staff turned into a snake, the Nile turned into blood, and frogs from the Nile covering the land. The Egyptian magicians were only able to duplicate the miracles that God allowed. Satan’s miracles looked like the real thing, but God sets the limits for what Satan can do. In the end time, Satan’s signs and wonders will be powerful enough to deceive many. We must test them by the Bible, our ultimate standard.

 

Problems

The lesson rightly states that Satan counterfeits spiritual gifts. But it goes on to make the claim that Satan will do miracles that are so powerful that they deceive many. “We need to be very careful not to be swept away by the existence of the supernatural,” states the lesson. This warning could create an unhealthy, unscriptural fear of the outpouring and manifestations of the Spirit.

Is it true that the saved can be deceived by Satan? One of the texts provided for study seems to say “no”. This passage clearly states that the deception is only for “those who are perishing” and not the saved:

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thess. 2:9–12).

On the other hand, those that are saved have eternal life:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24).

"For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24).

Jesus declared that the deceptions will be so great that they would lead astray the elect if it was possible. By qualifying His statement, Jesus was teaching that it is not possible for the elect to be deceived. We are safe and secure when we have trusted Jesus and are born again into God’s family.

 

Summary

 

Copyright 2009 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised January 12, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

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