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October 21, 2016

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Current Events

Would you Vote for Cyrus?

Several Christian groups have touted Donal Trump as a modern day Cyrus the Great. Cyrus was an idolatrous pagan and a wicked king, but the Bible says in Isaiah 45:1 that Cyrus is God’s anointed. Since God raised up Cyrus to return the Jews to Jerusalem, He could be raising up Donald Trump to restore America. One preacher provocatively asked, “Would you vote for Cyrus?”. He went on to say that Christian’s need not be overly concerned about the private morality of presidential candidates. Is this kind of application a proper use of Isaiah 45?

Isaiah 45 is one of the great prophetic passages that supports the truth that the Bible is God’s Word. Isaiah 44 and 45 show the Sovereignty of God over the nations. He is accomplishing all His purposes and establishing governments. He sets up and overthrows leaders at His will. (Daniel 2:20)

God’s Sovereignty over the nations is one reason I can say with confidence that President Obama was set in place by God for His purposes. I can say with equal confidence that whoever wins this election will be the leader appointed by God. God did not ordain Cyrus because he was a good person. Nor can Cyrus be excused as a flawed leader. Cyrus was a wicked king who did not fear or worship God. Cyrus sent the Jews back to Jerusalem as a part of his political strategy, not to honor God.

God used Cyrus’ sinful, self-seeking schemes to accomplish His good purposes for His people. In the case of Cyrus it was the restoration of the people Jerusalem. In an earlier case God chose Nebuchadnezzar as His appointed servant to take Jews into captivity (Jeremiah 25). Would you vote for Nebuchadnezzar?

The question, “Would you vote for Cyrus?” is not relevant to Isaiah 45 but deflects away from the true point of the passage. The question hints that Christian’s would have been right to vote for Cyrus. Christian’s are responsible for making God-honoring, moral choices built on the revelation of God’s Word. Christians’ are not responsiible to figure out how God is going to accomplish His plan. God did not vote for Cyrus. God appointed Him as His servant to accomplish His will.

In Proverbs 16:4 we are told, “The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.” God’s use of individuals to accomplish His purposes must never be seen as an approval of that person or their actions.

Scripture declared the Messiah was to be crucified. Jesus’ death brings salvation to the world and eternal blessing to those who believe. Though this was all part of God’s plan Judas was condemned by God for his betrayal of Jesus. Jerusalem suffered greatly for demanding the execution of her Messiah. Pilate fell under God’s judgment for condemning Jesus to death.

Those who take it a step further and say that since God used Cyrus He is going to use Trump have a serious flaw in their reasoning. Since God used Cyrus, God can also use Clinton. Why aren’t they saying vote Hillary? What Divine revelation is telling them God has ordained Trump instead of Clinton?

Isaiah 45 is a great passage about the Sovereignty of the Creator God over His creation. It gives great hope as we see God is accomplishing His eternal purposes through the nations and leaders of this world. He appointed our current president for a purpose and the next president will accomplish His will. Why waste time turning the rich truths of God’s Sovereignty into a cheap campaign ad?

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October 19, 2016

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Creation, Origins, The Bible

Does Carbon Dating Prove the Book of Genesis Wrong?

A literal reading of the book of Genesis results in the conclusion that God created everything over the course of one week. Using the Biblical record of births and deaths the week of creation has been dated as occurring about 4,000 BC. While there may be some room in the Biblical record for some additional years, most conservative theologians conclude the Bible indicates the age of the universe is less than 10,000 years old.

Scientists have developed multiple methods for determining the age of fossils on earth which show the earth is millions, even billions, of years old. The most familiar of these methods is carbon dating. Carbon dating routinely returns ages for fossils several times older than the Biblical age of the earth. Doesn’t this prove the Bible, and especially the book of Genesis, is wrong about the ancient history of earth?

Carbon dating is the process of measuring the decay of carbon in organic material. All living organisms contain a carbon isotope known as Carbon-14. Carbon-14 is naturally unstable and at death it begins to decay down to Nitrogen-14. This process takes place at a known rate and is calculated in terms of half-life. The half life is the amount of time it takes for half the atoms to decay. The half-life remains constant no matter how many atoms are involved. The half life of Carbon-14 is 5,730 years. If an organism died with ten Carbon-14 atoms in 5,730 years half will remain and 5 Nitrogen-1 atoms will exist in their place. In another 5,730 years, 2 1/2 Carbon-14 atoms (yes, I know you can’t have half a C-14, this is just an illustration) will remain and there will now be 7 1/2 Nitrogen-14 atoms. Scientists measure the amount of C-14 remaining in an object and are able to develop an estimate for when the organism died.

Think of a large hour glass in which it is known exactly how many grains of sand fall from the top to the bottom each second. By counting the grains of sand remaining in the top the observer can tell how long ago the hourglass was turned over.

The process sounds simple enough, especially in a very simplified explanation like this one. Carbon dating, and all similar dating methods, have serious problems. Carbon dating has been repeatedly shown to produce inconsistent results. The same object tested multiple times has resulted in widely different dates. Also, tests of modern artifacts in which the date of the organisms death was known have produced results off tens of by thousands of years.

The biggest problem will all decay based dating methods is the assumptions made. Carbon dating assumes the amount of Carbon-14 present in the organism at death. The amount of Carbon-14 present at the death of a fossilized organism cannot be known for certain because no scientist was there to take an initial measurement. While the assumptions may be very plausible scientists do not know the amount of Carbon-14 present in an organism at its death.

If the imaginary hourglass had less sand in the top than was assumed then the measured time interval be greater because of the error in the initial assumption.

Carbon dating sounds like a very scientific and accurate way of determining when a fossil died. Christians are tempted to believe the organism lived many thousands of years ago because smart men have worked out an ingenious and complex method of measuring time.

Carbon dating does not measure time. Carbon dating is a very accurate way of measuring how much carbon and nitrogen isotopes are contained in a particular specimens at the time of testing. The time measurement is speculation based on certain assumptions whose validity cannot be tested or proven. Don’t let smart sounding words shake your confidence in God’s Word.

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October 14, 2016

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God

Is the Holy Spirit the personfication of God’s power?

Is the Holy Spirit a force? Or is the Holy Spirit a personal being and a member of the Triune Godhead with the same eternal existence as God the Father and God the Son?

The Holy Spirit is the effective agent through which God works in this world. The Holy Spirit can accurately be described as that which accomplishes the will of God on earth. Some have concluded from this that the Spirit is a force and a personification of the power of God.

The term “person” is not being used to mean a human being. The question is not if the Holy Spirit is human. Person is used to describe a personal being, an entity with intellect, will and emotion. In contrast to a person is force or energy which are impersonal. Gravity is a force, with no ability to think, no feelings about what it is doing and ability to determine when it will and will not act.

The Holy Spirit is not a force. The Holy Spirit is not a personification of God’s power in this world. The Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit has a name, a name in which others act. Forces are named, but no one acts in that name of that force. None declare, “In the name of magnetism I christen this boat”, nor do any announce “By the power of electricity I declare you man and wife.” The Holy Spirit is a named entity under whose authority and in whose name Christian’s are commanded to act. “Baptizing them in the name of Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 28:19)

The Holy Spirit has emotions. The Spirit of God can be grieved. “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.” (Ephesians 4:30) A force has no feelings. Gravity is not disappointed when a man barely escapes falling.

The Holy Spirit has a will. He makes decisions and acts according to His purposes. Friction does not decide to make the road more slippery for one car and less slippery for another. Forces operate according to the laws of physics and the purposes of a person guiding those forces. The Holy Spirit acts according to His own will. “But all these (spiritual gifts) worketh that selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:11)

The Holy Spirit has intellect and understanding. Air resistance does not increase as a car accelerates because it understands velocity and aerodynamics. All forces are dumb having no understanding of the their own operation nor the world around them. The ability to make decisions indicates intellect. The Bible speaks of the “mind of the Spirit”. The Holy Spirit examines and knows the deep wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10-11) The Holy Spirit understands the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).

The Holy Spirit has all the attributes of a personal entity. He is a member of the Triune Godhead. He is as much God as the Father and the Son. He possesses all the perfections of God. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. He is the God of the Bible.

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October 12, 2016

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God

Who made God?

Zeus, the king of the Greek gods, was the child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. He ascended to throne of the gods by overthrowing his father.

The father of the Viking gods, Odin, was the son of Bor and grandson of the first viking god, Buri. Buri came from the icefields of Niflheim and was uncovered by a giant frost cow’s licking of the ice. Odin became the chief of the gods as a result of his role in defeating the frost ogre Ymir, making the world from Ymir’s corpse and giving life to the first humans.

Many ancient religions represent their chief gods as the offspring of another. Imagining gods as having ancestors is logical since every living being has a predecessor. Human experience teaches that life comes from preexisting life. What about the God of the Bible? What is the story of His origin?

The Bible presents God as without origin. This is hard to fathom, since all we know has an origin. Human reasoning rightly recognizes that something that has no beginning does not exist. Except, God exists without a beginning.

God has always existed. Reach far back into the ancient depths of eternity and God is there. His existence stretches away into a realm which we cannot comprehend. In the dark past before the creation of the universe God eternally existed.
Psalm 90:2, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
Psalm 93:2, “Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.”

God has no antecedent. No one, no being, no universe, no force, no energy, no thought, nothing, came before God. He owes His existence to none. He follows after none.
Isaiah 44:6, “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”

None came before God and God has eternally existed. As difficult as it is to comprehend, there has never been a point when God did not exist. God never sprang into existence. God never caused Himself to exist. God has always existed.

God has eternally existed because He is not dependent on any. In His infinite perfection God requires no one and no thing to complete Him or to assist Him. God is eternally self-existent. Everything else that exists, whether it be spiritual or physical, material or immaterial owes its existence to God. Space, energy, time, force, matter, spirit, angel and demon were all created by the uncreated Creator. Nothing created God.

Lest there be any confusion on this point, the Triune Godhead has eternally existed as a Trinity. The Father, Son and Spirit eternally existed. None were brought into existence by another. No person of the Trinity is dependent on the other for His existence. God has eternally existed as a Trinity.

The eternal existence of God is incredibly difficult to understand. Everything we know is dependent on something else. God is infinitely greater than everything else. The truth of His eternal self-existence highlights the unfathomable magnitude of God’s greatness.

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October 7, 2016

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Apostles, Christianity, Jesus, The Bible

How can I find out more about the people in the Bible?

The Bible leaves out a lot of personal details. Peter was married but did he have any kids? The Bible doesn’t tell us. Were any of the other apostles married? Did they have families? God’s Word is mostly silent on these things. How can we find out more about the lives of the people in the Bible?

The Bible is silent on many personal details because it’s purpose is not historical or biographical but theological. Any details provided are incidental to the truth being communicated. Biographical details always serve the purpose of teaching greater theological truths. God is not interested in satisfying our curiosity about the home life of the Biblical characters. He is communicating that which is necessary for people to come to salvation and for Christian’s to live lives pleasing to Him.

Unfortunately historical details about the people of the Bible are almost impossible to find. Some particulars can be found in the writings of the early church Fathers. Some of these men lived in the first hundred years after the apostles and a couple were personally acquainted with the apostles themselves.

Ancient church historians, like Eusebius, provide additional details about the lives of the apostles. The Works of Josephus provide a generally reliable historical perspective of events in Israel around the time of the beginning of the church. Some church traditions probably give truthful accounts of what happened to the apostles. The best resource is Foxe’s Book of Martyrs which tells of the death of the apostles and other ancient Christians.

Care needs to be taken when looking for more information about the people in the Bible. The things passed down through history and tradition are not necessarily accurate. Because a book talks about the apostles or Biblical people does not mean the book is accurate. Hold loosely to any extra-Biblical facts about Biblical characters.

Be especially suspicious of the books known as the gnostic gospels. Some of them claim to be first hand accounts of the early life of Jesus but they are, at best, questionable sources of information. They were written several generations after Jesus and have the definite agenda of promoting the false teaching of gnosticism.

Be careful of modern “scholarly” books offering to give new information about Jesus or the disciples. Many modern books that talk about Bible history are written by people who have already decided the Bible is not true. The goal of many of these books is not to search out the truth, but to convince the reader of the author’s opinion. Whether they be written by popular fiction authors or by degreed professors, be careful to not confuse propaganda with truth.

In the end, we only have one source that is certain and accurate about Jesus and His followers. That source is the Bible. The biographical details of the people in the Bible are interesting but not vital to rightly understanding the truth of God’s word. Learn more of the history, traditions and culture of Bible times and people that you may better understand the great truths taught in Scriptures.

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October 5, 2016

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Hell

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Are there degrees of punishment in hell?

Dante’s Inferno describes hell as nine circles that descend ever lower into more terrible torments. In Inferno offenders are punished with judgments the author saw as suitable for their their crimes. The condemned are imagined as bearing a punishment consistent with the wrongs they have done. Does the Bible teach degrees of punishment in hell? Do the worst sinners suffer the worst fates?

The Bible does not describe the structure of the Lake of Fire. We don’t know it is a series of circles, a celestial version of a concrete and barb wire penitentiary, a lake of flaming lava, or some other unimagined design. If there is a difference in punishment the Bible does not say how it is different. The Bible teaches that all in hell will suffer eternal torment. Everyone in hell will endure intense physical, emotional and spiritual agony.

At least two passages in the New Testament hint at differing levels of eternal punishment.

In Matthew 11 Jesus rebuked two cities for their rejection of Him. “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.”

The city of Sodom is infamous for its destruction by fire and brimstone. Tyre and Sidon fell under the wrath of God for their idolatry and pride. Yet these cities that were destroyed by God’s wrath will find the day of judgment easier than the cities which saw Jesus and rejected Him.

In Hebrews 10 those who reject salvation are compared with those who committed capital crimes under the Old Testament law. “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

The punishment of a murderer will not be as severe as that of one who knew and rejected the truths of salvation. Taking a human life is horrific but far more despicable is scorning God the Son and insulting the Holy Spirit. Which brings out a crucial point.

Any difference in punishment in hell will not be measured by the typical human understanding of the worst sins or by the popular cultural understanding of the worst sins. God is the righteous judge who will execute condemnation based upon His holy standard. Consequently, those who saw Jesus and rejected Him will suffer more than those who were incorrigible homosexuals.

It seems that eternal punishment, though terrible for all, will in some way be worse for some. Those who had greater opportunity to believe will receive greater condemnation.

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September 30, 2016

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Christianity

Is Faith Blind?

Blind faith. The phrase conjures up images of a leap in the dark and a trust in the unknown. At times this kind of faith is praised as a bold step forward by those who believe in themselves. At times this kind of faith is derided as a foolish hope in nothing.

Many people, including Christians, have described belief in the Bible as a blind faith. Those speaking in defense of Biblical faith may describe it as blind because it believes in something which cannot be seen. The more skeptical may be describing belief in God and the truth of the Bible as blind because it believes despite all evidence to the contrary. Some call Christian faith blind because it believes what it cannot see, and others call Christian faith blind because it believes and refuses to see.

Is the Christian faith blind to all opposing evidence? Is Biblical faith an irrational faith that refuses to admit it is wrong even when all the facts say otherwise?

Biblical faith starts with a presupposition: Some truths cannot be discovered by observation and deduction. Some truths can only be known by revelation. Specifically, truths about the origin of everything, the creation of mankind, the purpose of humanity, the destiny of individuals and the end of the universe are only known. The Creator has revealed truth to mankind through the Bible.

Christians are not the only ones who approach evidence with a presupposition. No one is a truly impartial observer with a mind completely open to all possibilities. Everyone examines truth claims based upon a set of fervently held assumptions. Those who reject supernatural revelation have the presupposition that reason, observation, logic and deduction can determine truth. Ultimate truths can be discovered through physical processes. Supernatural revelation is contrary to this presupposition and is ultimately rejected by the individual.

Biblical faith is a response to the revelation of God. The Christian faith accepts the Bible as true and acts according to its direction. Because faith in the Bible includes accepting the Bible’s claims about itself Christian’s also believe the Bible is accurate in everything it discusses. Thus, when the Bible teaches that God created everything, that Jonah was swallowed by a huge fish and was spit up alive three days later, or that Jesus died on a cross and was raised back to life, the Christian believes these things are true. Accepting the Bible’s histories is not automatically an irrational act.

Rational people believe things based upon historical claims. We believe America once fought a war against England to gain its independence from the British crown. None of us were there, but we believe the historical records about the event. We believe a great Carthaginian General led his troops and elephantine calvary over the Alps to attack the city of Rome. None of us were there but we believe the historical documents.

Many of the claims of the Bible are supported by the observations of history and science. In most cases those who reach different conclusions are not observing different evidence, but are interpreting the evidence differently. For example, the fossil record is real. Those who accept the Biblical claim of a relatively recent creation interpret the fossil record as evidence for the flood described in Genesis. Those who accept the Darwinian claim of gradual evolution over billions of years interpret the fossil record as evidence for the slow rise of complex organisms. The evidence is the same, the interpretation is different. A persons presuppositions shape how he views the evidence.

Christianity is not contrary to reason, nor is it blind to evidence. Certainly some Christians are irrational and willfully ignorant, but this is not Biblical faith. Christianity believes what it can see. Christianity sees God’s Word and believes God to be true. Belief in the truth of God’s Word is a reasonable faith. Biblical faith believes the testimony of God over the often wrong opinions of men.

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September 28, 2016

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The Bible

In the Bible does “wine” mean grape juice?

Bring up alcohol in the Bible among some Christians and an angry debate is certain to erupt. The issue is contentious for reasons of society- alcohol abuse in America is rampant. The issue is contentious for reasons of language. None can deny that the Bible gives strong warning against drunkenness and “strong drink”. (Proverbs 23:29-35) None can deny that the Bible permits at least some drinking. (1 Timothy 5:23) Does the Bible forbid or permit all recreational drinking? The answer to that question first must answer the question, what is “wine” in the Bible.

In American English “wine” has a very definite meaning. It is an alcoholic drink made from fermented fruits, usually grapes. Any American reading the Bible would naturally assume the word wine is referring to the alcoholic grape based beverage usually served with nice dinners or enjoyed just before bed.

Unfortunately, the Biblical words do not necessarily refer to the same thing we think of today. The differences of culture and language mean the American reading of a word cannot define what the Bible is speaking about. The Bible was written to Ancient Hebrews living in a variety of cultures. Their understanding of what the words meant must become the dictionary by which we define the Biblical meaning of the English translation of those words today.

Obvious technological differences tells us that no one in the Bible ever popped the cork out of a glass bottle and pour themselves a nice glass of vintage Chardonnay. Likewise, any grape juice in Biblical times would not be the same as modern store bought plastic bottles of pasteurized grape juice.

A lengthy discussion of the Hebrew and Greek terminology is not possible. Entire books have been written on the subject. The Bible uses multiple words that are translated into the English word “wine”. The Hebrew word most commonly used in the Old Testament clearly describes alcoholic wine and fresh grape juice. For example, Isaiah 16:10 says, “And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease.” Obviously fermented wine does not flow out of the winepresses. At times in the Old Testament the fresh pressed juice of the grape is called “wine”.

The Greek word most commonly used in the New Testament is also used to describe various types of drinks from the juice of grapes. In Luke 5:38 Jesus says, “And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.” The new wine was the freshly pressed grape juice before it had the chance to ferment. In the process of fermentation gases build up. An old wineskin would break because it could not expand under the pressure. The adjective new is applied to the word wine but the usage is clear. The word wine could be used to describe fermented and unfermented grape juice.

Wine can never be translated as Welch’s grape juice. But, the original Hebrew and Greek words that are translated “wine” in the Bible can mean unfermented grape juice or various kinds of fermented grape juices.

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September 24, 2016

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angels, Satan

Do demons require physical bodies to do their work?

The previous article began to answer the question “do demons need to possess living beings to do evil? The Bible does not speak of demons for the purpose of teaching about their nature or limitations but some deductions about demons can be made from the Biblical references to them. A reasonable inference can be drawn from the Bible that at least some demons prefer to inhabit physical beings. This preference does not necessarily mean demons require a physical body to accomplish their diabolical purposes.

Demons are angelic creatures who rebelled against God and were cast out of their positions of service in heaven (Revelation 12:3-4, 7-9). God created them spiritual beings who have the same nature as angels. There is no instance of a righteous angel requiring or desiring to inhabit a physical body. The demons desire to inhabit a body is not a part of their created nature.

As evil angels following in the path of Satan it can be surmised that demons are actively fighting against the will of God and are actively working for the harm of mankind. The gospels and the book of Acts show a real physical component to this malicious activity. Demons possessing a human body cause seizure like symptoms which cause the possessed to fall into fire or water, instigate the person into cutting themselves, drive the person into unsafe living conditions and causing tearing pains in the body of the person.

The physical harm done by demons is only part of their activity. Their work has a physical effect but not is limited to physical means. Ephesians 6 describes the Christian life as a spiritual battle. Paul says we do not fight against flesh and blood. The battle is against “but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12) The tools for the Christian in this battle are depicted as armor but not of leather and steel. The Christains’ armor is spiritual not physical. His armor is truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation and the Word of God. Such an armament will not defeat a physical enemy, but it will stand against evil spirits.

Daniel 10 gives a glimpse into what the spiritual activity of demons may look like. An angel of God came to the prophet Daniel to explain the meaning of a vision he had seen. The angel told Daniel the “prince of the kingdom of Persia” fought against his coming to Daniel. The angel Michael, “one of the chief princes” came to the assistance of the first angel and allowed him to reach Daniel. Though the details are limited this passage provides a glimpse into the spiritual battle that is taking place. These angels and demons were not warring together through humans they controlled. Daniel probably would have noticed a swordfight on his front doorstep. They were engaged in a spiritual battle in their own spiritual forms. A physical form is not necessary for the evil work of those angels which followed Satan.

Demons can do possess individuals even in America today. Nothing in the Bible would imply demons are limited to only working by controlling a physical body. Demons are powerful spiritual beings actively at work in a spiritual battle against God. Christians need not fear demons for, “greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

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September 21, 2016

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angels, Satan

Do demons have to possess physical bodies?

Demons are always a compelling topic of popular entertainment. Demons are not only a subject of imaginative and terrifying storytelling, they are mentioned multiple times in the Bible. One popular portrayal of demons, promoted by preachers and popular media, is that they require a physical host to perform their malevolent deeds. Do demons require a physical host, whether a person, an animal or an object, to work their deviltry?

The four gospels and the book of Revelation contain the majority of the Biblical references to demons. The New Testament epistles and the entire Old Testament only contain a few mentions of demons. No where does the Bible discuss demons for the purpose of teaching about them. For example, when the gospels tell of Jesus casting out demons, it does not do so to teach about demons. It tells of Jesus casting out demons to teach about Jesus and His power as God. The Bible’s discussion of demons is always secondary to the main point of the passage. This does not mean what the Bible says about demons is inaccurate, merely that the discussion of demons is always incidental to the Bible’s purpose. The reader can draw inferences about the nature of demons from these descriptions, but must be careful to keep in mind the purpose of the information is not intended to teach about the characteristics, power or abilities of demons.

The Gospels contain the most information about demonic activity in the world. In every instance demons are presented as possessing physical beings. The Gospels never present demons as possessing objects nor does it present them as being nothing more than evil forces. The account of Jesus casting a Legion of demons out of a man living in Gadara is important to answering this question.

When Jesus commanded the demons to leave the unfortunate man they asked, “Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.” The desire of this Legion of demons to enter the herd of pigs is offered as proof that demons must have a physical body to possess. However, this conclusion does not line up with the reason the demons themselves give for wanting to be sent into the swine. In Luke’s gospel the demons Legion ask that they not be sent into the abyss, but into the pigs instead. The abyss is a place of imprisonment for fallen angels. (Revelation 9:1-3, 11; Revelation 20:1-3) The demons were fearful of being imprisoned and so desired to be sent into the pigs instead.

Another passage pertinent this discussion is the parable of Jesus found in Luke 11:24-26. Jesus describes a demon as going out of a man and wandering through desolate places but finding no rest. The point of the parable is not to teach about demons but about the futility of self-righteous self-reformation. The description of the demon leads to the conclusion that at least some demons prefer to possess a physical body.

It seems reasonable to deduce that at least some demons prefer to possess living beings, but the preference to possess living creatures does not mean demons require a physical body to perform their infernal deeds. The Bible presents the activity of demons as that which does not require a physical body to accomplish. More on that later.