Doubled over and choking, they staggered to hospitals by the thousands, crying for help and refuge from a colorless cloud of gas that turned Bhopal, India into a tomb on a terrible December day in 1984. “We have been working nonstop to treat the people and still they are coming,” said one volunteer who tried to help doctors and nurses cope with streams of injured at five jammed hospitals. Several thousand died in the accident at the Union Carbide plant, many never fully aware of what hit them.
No enemy is harder to fight than an invisible one. Christians also face an unseen adversary, who leads the forces arrayed against us in spiritual conflict (1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10). Paul wrote, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:11-12). The proper response is to aggressively engage in righteous warfare — striving against sin: “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12; cp. 1:18). In fighting this enemy, we participate in “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
False doctrine and sinful temptations are always around us. These are not happenstances; they are a concerted effort by Satan to draw us away from God. The tempter can indeed tempt you (1 Thessalonians 3:5)! Paul said that Satan would deceive us: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Don’t let Satan deceive you in respect to falsehood and sin. Paul had written earlier in the letter, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Study your Bible and learn the scriptures so you can be saved.
Kyle Campbell
