Reformed view on demonic power...

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dangela421

Puritan Board Freshman
There is a lack of good information for those of us who have come from a charismatic background to the reformed view when it comes to demonic activity -- I do believe this article represents a solid position on this and think it should be shared here...

http://www.kurthutchison.com/demons.html

Please post any disagreements or affirmations with this position as I am trying to frame this biblically and I trust this board more than any other source for help with that.

Thanks,
Danny

PS -- I have been reading PB daily for 9 months and this is my first post, I will give a formal introduction soon. :)
 
Thanks Danny, you are correct, there is a lack. I am looking forward to reading this. From what I skimmed it looks like he's reached similar conclusions to mine. Eventually I will write it all down but I think I'll start a blog just to start kicking around the reformed approach.
 
The old RPCES denomination [1965-1982] issued a study on this subject in 1973 and then a revised study in 1975.
I don't yet have it online, but you might check back at the index page in some months down the road to see if it has posted.
 
Danny:

Please get your signature block set up quickly. It is a requirement for participation on the Puritan Board.
Click the link to Signature Requirements in my previous post, or visit the Control Panel section link at the top of the page.
 
dangela421 said:
There is a lack of good information for those of us who have come from a charismatic background to the reformed view when it comes to demonic activity -- I do believe this article represents a solid position on this and think it should be shared here...

http://www.kurthutchison.com/demons.html

Please post any disagreements or affirmations with this position as I am trying to frame this biblically and I trust this board more than any other source for help with that.

Thanks,
Danny

PS -- I have been reading PB daily for 9 months and this is my first post, I will give a formal introduction soon. :)
Click to expand...
that was a great article
 
 
Thanks. I was just typing up a question regarding this, so I'll go ahead and post it here:

Having come from a Pentecostal background, I've been exposed to some strange teaching on demons, to say the least. However, it is a subject that I rarely hear mentioned in Reformed Circles. Does actual "demon possession" of people still happen today, or did this end in the first century (Please provide Scriptural references)? If so, would this explain people like Charles Manson, etc.? Are there differences in Reformed teachings concerning this?
 
I'm not sure about first century vs. current demonic possession, but I do think the Mansons of the world can be explained either in terms of common grace or mental illness or a combination of both. Not even the worst of humans is as depraved as he could be -- in His grace, God stays the hand of the wicked. That's one of the awful aspects of hell; nothing will be restrained.

(BTW, I'm not trying to say the demon possession can be explained as mental illness. The scriptures clearly present cases of possession.)
 
I sure don't have all the answers, but Jesus called it "the children's bread", meant for the children of the covenant and not those outside it.

I am very grateful myself for this minstry. I one time talked to an older couple about a great internal stuggle and they asked some probing questions. (my Dad thought the Aryan race is the pinnacle of evolutionary superiority, the Jews got just what they deserved in the gas chambers, and Hitler didn't go far enough. He never touched me thank God, but there were endless screaming cursing rants my entire childhood, that when I got saved turned into Jesus Christ hating tirades, and just being around him felt defiling. I was so screwed up.)

They finally said they thought I had an antichrist spirit. I know I was saved and I know I had the holy spirit, and I don't know what exactly is possession or oppression, but I was sitting there talking quietly and rationally and when they spoke to the demon to get out of me and leave me alone I doubled over screaming and it was like my guts were coming out and then it was over. And that torment never came back. Maybe a demon got a foothold in my former rebellion or in the drugs I smoked or my bitterness, but something had a grip on me and it came out and never came back.

Jesus said casting out demons was the children's bread and Mary Magdalene had seven cast out. The charismatics are off the wall in one direction, but we have no right to go the other direction and reject it.

Thnaks for all the links by the way, some look real interesting.
 
dangela421 said:
There is a lack of good information for those of us who have come from a charismatic background to the reformed view when it comes to demonic activity -- I do believe this article represents a solid position on this and think it should be shared here...

http://www.kurthutchison.com/demons.html

Please post any disagreements or affirmations with this position as I am trying to frame this biblically and I trust this board more than any other source for help with that.

Thanks,
Danny

PS -- I have been reading PB daily for 9 months and this is my first post, I will give a formal introduction soon. :)
Click to expand...

Thank you for this article. I come from a Pentecostal/Charismatic background and had/have questions about demonic power, other charismatic issues, and so on.

Now, I have two questions.

1) In the article the author writes "And unless that guy is a true prophet of God (and nobody since the apostles has ever passed the test)" in regards to an event a couple had. I just wanted some scripture to go along with that. I agree with what he said, and that is why I want some biblical examples (or a reformed understanding of why it is so) so that I can share it with others/know for myself.

2) I've had this question for a long time: what is the unpardonable sin? Well this article touched upon it a bit. The author mentions that "Note: the actual unpardonable sin was that of rejecting the incarnate Jesus, and accusing the Spirit by which He worked of being evil. It could only be committed by that generation, just as Jesus says, they shall bear the full punishment for it, go read it again if you are concerned about it." Is this true? I just want some clarification on this matter.
 
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