Agents of Satan
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souls, a high and holy affinity of spirit—a spiritual harmony. But the
apostle terms it “spiritual wickedness in high places,” against which
we are to institute a vigorous warfare.
When the deceiver commences his work of deception, he frequently
finds dissimilarity of tastes and habits; but by great pretensions to
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godliness he gains the confidence, and when this is done, his wily, de-
ceptive power is exercised in his own way to carry out his devices. By
associating with this dangerous element, women become accustomed
to breathe the atmosphere of impurity and almost insensibly become
permeated with the same spirit. Their identity is lost; they become the
shadow of their seducer.
Men professing to have new light, claiming to be reformers, will
have great influence over a certain class who are convinced of the
heresies that exist in the present age and who are not satisfied with
the spiritual condition of the churches. With true, honest hearts, these
desire to see a change for the better, a coming up to a higher standard.
If the faithful servants of Christ would present the truth, pure and
unadulterated, to this class, they would accept it, and purify themselves
by obeying it. But Satan, ever vigilant, sets upon the track of these
inquiring souls. Someone making high profession as a reformer comes
to them, as Satan came to Christ disguised as an angel of light, and
draws them still further from the path of right.
The unhappiness and degradation that follow in the train of licen-
tiousness cannot be estimated. The world is defiled under its inhab-
itants. They have nearly filled up the measure of their iniquity; but
that which will bring the heaviest retribution is the practice of iniq-
uity under the cloak of godliness. The Redeemer of the world never
spurned true repentance, however great the guilt; but He hurls burning
denunciations against Pharisees and hypocrites. There is more hope
for the open sinner than for this class.
“And for this cause [not receiving the love of the truth] God shall
send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they
all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.” This man and those deceived by him love not the
truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness. And what stronger delusion
could come upon them than that there is nothing displeasing to God
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in licentiousness and adultery? The Bible contains many warnings
against these sins. Paul writes to Titus of those who “profess that