Due to the nature of the bond of faith which exists between God and true Christians, it will be attacked by the enemy of our souls, whose intent it is to weaken or even destroy it, and ultimately to replace it with unbelief, a false faith or superstition. Faith should, therefore, be clearly defined to enable us to successfully defend it against all threats. It is evident from the history of humanity up to the present, that the great majority of all people have completely underestimated the severity of this battle.
Biblical faith refers to the essential spiritual bond or relationship between a saved person and God: “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). If we truly believe in God we should recognise and accept Him for who He is, i.e. the Almighty, Triune God who created everything and who, in His omnipotence, sustains His creation. We should also accept the fact that we are sinful beings who can only be forgiven and renewed by His grace through faith. We must have a saving faith in God, as eternal life is only imparted to those who believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, who atoned for our sins. Having accepted Christ as Saviour, our faith in the Lord must be strengthened daily by abiding in Him, walking in the Spirit and prayerfully studying His Word.
Simply believing, intellectually, that God exists and that His Son, Christ Jesus, is the Saviour of the world, will be of no avail if our acceptance of this fact neither affects us spiritually nor changes our lives. The devils also believe in the existence of God and they tremble (Jas. 2:19). We must have a living faith through which we accept, honour and serve Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Through our faith in Him we commit ourselves to honour and serve God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. That is true faith. All those who do not practise faith in this manner are described as unbelievers whose minds have been blinded by the false god of this age – Satan (2 Cor. 4:4). Even those who believe in idols are, from God’s point of view, regarded as infidels because they do not believe in the true God and are therefore deceived.
Unbelief is depicted by the rejection of the Triune God’s position as Supreme Ruler and Saviour. God’s biggest adversary is Satan, who originally, as the beautiful angel Lucifer, held an illustrious position in heaven. He became arrogant and tried to exalt himself above God in order to become the ruler of the universe in God’s stead. In so doing his faith in God as the Supreme Ruler was destroyed and he became God’s enemy. Through his actions the faith of a third of the angels in heaven was also destroyed, thereby transforming them into blasphemers and adversaries of God. They became part of Lucifer’s renegade kingdom and wilfully participated in his rebellion against God. The same happens to all people who wilfully reject God.
With all his might, Satan strives to prevent fallen humanity from restoring their broken relationship with God through repentance and faith. Wherever relationships established in faith exist between God and His people he relentlessly attacks the faith of these believers. Satan primarily makes use of spiritual deception as well as negative experiences aimed at undermining, weakening and even destroying people’s faith in God. He has achieved such astounding success with these efforts that all dispensations in human history have ended in large-scale apostasy. These rebellious situations gave rise to dramatic interventions by the Lord, during which the followers of Satan were judged, while new phases were introduced in the progressive unfolding of God’s plan for humanity.
According to biblical prophecies, future dispensations will also end in apostasy or unbelief among the majority of mankind, due to the actions of Satan. The seven dispensations are the following, which offer a clear dispensational framework for the understanding of God’s actions towards man, as well as explanation for the periods of intensified actions by the devil:
1. The dispensation of innocence in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve had no knowledge of good and evil. They walked in the garden, had a trusting and personal relationship with God and believed what He had told them. With great cunning Satan deceived Adam and Eve into rebelling against God by disobeying Him. He disguised himself as a snake and sowed the seeds of unbelief in their hearts. God had commanded them not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, warning them that they would surely die if they did (Gen. 2:17). Satan deceived Eve by alleging that she and Adam would not die if they ate of the fruit but instead would become all-knowing and immortal like God (Gen. 3:4-5). These are the same lies still being proclaimed today by the New Age Movement: that humans can discover their own divinity, and that through reincarnation they will become immortal and always return to the land of the living.
Satan’s lies had far-reaching consequences when Adam and Eve’s relationship of faith in God, who is the giver of life, was broken. They immediately died spiritually and physically they became mere mortal beings. Instead of being obedient to God they became subservient to a foreign god – the devil. By these means they acquired a fallen nature which was also inherited by all their descendants (Rom. 5:12). This original sin accounts for the fact that all people are born as sinners. If they are not regenerated by Christ they remain under the control of the god of this age, thereby heading for eternal death (Rom. 5:13-19). In their fallen condition the unregenerate remain under the judgement of God.
Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden because of their unbelief, and the dispensation of innocence ended in a great tragedy for all of humanity.
2. The dispensation of conscience. God enabled fallen humanity to distinguish between good and evil through their conscience. They could communicate with God through prayers and sacrifices, thereby establishing a relationship with Him. They had the ability to make moral choices between good and evil lifestyles. The Lord said to Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Gen. 4:7).
However, the inclination to sin got the upper hand. All people, with the exception of Noah and his family, being the one and only exception, degenerated into a lifestyle of total infidelity and apostasy: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). People were so utterly corrupt that they became perpetual enemies of God, evoking His anger. Scoffing at prophetic warnings through Noah’s preaching they hardened their evil hearts even further.
The unbelief and moral depravity with which this dispensation ended under the direct influence of Satan, gave rise to a major intervention by God in which He poured out His wrath upon the wicked and destroyed all of them: “And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark” (Gen. 6:13-14). Even at this early stage of human history it became obvious that God does not judge the righteous with the wicked, as Noah and his family escaped the judgements.
3. The dispensation of human government after the Flood. This stage of human history was characterised by the forming of peoples with independent rulers. They had the choice whether to serve God or not. By the wrong exercising of that choice they all developed into pagan nations who worshipped idols, which served as evidence that they were all deceived by Satan. By building the tower of Babel they endeavoured to establish a heathen world government under the leadership of a king who deified himself. God defeated their effort by introducing the confusion of languages. Nevertheless, after this event the different peoples (or nations) continued with their idolatry and unbelief in the true God.
The Lord revealed Himself amidst this spiritually dark situation by calling a special people out from among the heathen nations or Himself, who were to be a holy and separated people. They were called Israel. Unfortunately they did not live up to their spiritual calling. During a severe drought they were forced to move to Egypt where they apostatised and became the slaves of the heathen Egyptians. There remained not a single group of people anywhere on earth who still believed in God and served Him – they were all followers of the god of this world.
4. The dispensation of the law. The Lord introduced a new dispensation by delivering Israel from Egypt so that they could serve Him as a holy and independent people in the Promised Land. He gave them His law and also guided, strengthened and blessed them through the priestly service in the tabernacle. He gave clear instructions to Israel not to associate with heathen nations considering that they would spiritually defile themselves with the idolatry of those nations.
Tragically, Israel’s long history in the Old Testament was characterised mainly by apostasy, disobedience to the law, unbelief in the true God, and the worshipping of idols. God often surrendered them to their enemies, and at one stage allowed them to be taken captive by the Babylonians for 70 years. Despite all the chastising, Israel often backslid into sin and unbelief; consequently they rejected and even killed some of God’s prophets. Because of their hardened hearts God sent no further prophets to them during the long period of 400 years after Malachi. The Chosen People of God had lapsed into spiritual darkness and unbelief, and together with all the inhabitants of the rest of the world they were victims of “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2).
5. The dispensation of the church. With the birth of the Messiah a great light came to shine upon a people who walked in darkness. “That was the true Light which gives light to every man who comes into the world. He was in the world and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:9-11). With the coming of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament a major revelation of God and His kingdom occurred. Many people came to faith in Christ through the preaching of the gospel and the Holy Spirit’s work of convicting people of their sin. Because of Israel’s unbelief in the Messiah, the great commission was given to the apostles and believers who followed them, to preach the gospel to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. In this way the worldwide church of Christ was established.
The extended revelation of God’s kingdom in the New Testament coincided with increased knowledge of Satan and his kingdom. The struggle between these two kingdoms took on a new dimension as the devil strives with every effort to prevent people from having faith in Christ as their Saviour. The faith of those who have already accepted Christ is severely attacked in an effort to corrupt, weaken or even destroy it. Because of this intensified battle, active resistance against Satan and his subversive works is called for.
Many of the early believers did not guard against deception as they should have done, and paid the price for their indiscretion. Paul said to the Corinthians, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you put up with it well” (2 Cor. 11:3-4).
The Galatians also deviated from true faith by trying to combine law and grace. Besides having faith in Christ they also subjected themselves to the law by continuing to observe the Jewish Sabbath and by having themselves circumcised. Paul said, “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4). He strongly denounced all efforts aimed at proclaiming false gospels, declaring those who did so as being accursed (Gal. 1:8).
Believers know from their own experience that the Christian faith is relentlessly attacked by Satan. If they don’t resist the devil these demonic attacks can have devastating effects on their spiritual lives. Paul admonished Timothy to have “faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck” (1 Tim. 1:19).
Because of large-scale deception the early Christian church became unfaithful to the Lord, adhering to various false doctrines (cf. Rev. 2 & 3). The light of the gospel was extinguished and spiritual darkness set in, resulting in the thousand year period known as the Dark Ages. This period (the 6th to the 16th centuries) is often referred to as “Satan’s millennium” as it was characterised by the widespread spiritual deception perpetuated by the Vatican. During this time there were only small groups of persecuted evangelical Christians, e.g. the Waldenses in Italy, who took refuge in caves high up in the mountains from the so-called ‘holy armies’ of the pope.
After the Church Reformation in the 16th century many of the Protestant churches continued to follow the Roman Catholic idea of a state church with powers to persecute and even execute heretics. The true Christians (e.g. the Anabaptists) also suffered as a result of this persecution. It was only in the 18th and 19th centuries that great revivals took place in which missionaries came forward to preach the gospel throughout the world. The 20th century was once again a time of widespread falling away in the world – not only because of materialism and the human-centred ideologies of socialism and humanism, but also due to the proclaiming of false religious doctrines. The falling away gained momentum and today, early in the 21st century, it is taking on unprecedented proportions. Some of the false teachings, such as those promoted by the Word of Faith Movement, are done in the name of the Holy Spirit but are accompanied by strange manifestations falsely ascribed to the Holy Spirit. It is in view of this kind of deception that the Holy Spirit Himself warns against end-time falling away as being part of the devil’s programme to gain full control over people: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1).
Doctrinal errors inevitably give rise to apostatising due to their giving rise to doubts about the gospel message, and the result of this phenomenon is reversion to a life of sin. Paul sternly confronted backslidden “brethren” among first century Messianic Jews concerning this problem: “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today’, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:12-13). Such people do not “hold the beginning of [their] confidence steadfast to the end” (Heb. 3:14).
When members of a congregation backslide for whatever reason, they become estranged from Jesus Christ and His love. To such congregations He says, “I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place – unless you repent” (Rev. 2:4-5). The Lord Jesus also warned His first disciples against backsliding: “Abide in Me, and I in you… If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:4, 6).
In light of the widespread falling away which the Bible predicts for the last days it is obvious that the world is heading for a situation similar to those which occurred at the end of previous dispensations. The Lord Jesus warned that the time shortly before His second coming would be like the times of Noah and Lot (Luke 17:26-30). During those times the true believers were such a small minority that they could not exert any influence on the character of society and were unable to curb the proliferation of evil. The Lord then intervened and removed the believers to a place of safety before judging the wicked.
We are in a similar situation today as the dwindling number of evangelical believers can no longer ensure the observance of Christian principles by society. Christian constitutions, Christian education, Christian morality, and the biblical administration of justice with relevant penalties for criminals, are all institutions which are disappearing from our society. These are replaced by immoral, lawless, corrupt, violent and utterly depraved institutions and lifestyles which, being worse than even those in the times of Noah and Lot, are the worst in human history. In this instance the Lord will once again remove the small group of true believers, this time by way of the rapture, and then pour out His wrath upon the wicked during the ensuing tribulation period.
6. The dispensation of the Antichrist’s rule. The Antichrist will be revealed directly after the rapture, when the dispensation of his seven-year long reign on earth will begin. At the onset of this period there will be no believers on earth, which accounts for the fact that the whole world will follow the Antichrist in amazement and also worship him (Rev. 13:3-4). Soon after his revelation though, 144 000 Jews will be saved, and through their testimony many other people from all nations will believe in Christ as their Saviour (Rev. 7). The Antichrist will be empowered by Satan to impose the kingdom of darkness upon all people. Halfway through the tribulation he will declare himself to be God and order the execution of all who refuse to accept his number and to worship him (Rev. 13:15; 20:4). According to Revelation 6:9-11, Christians will die as martyrs during this time. It was in reference to this situation that the Lord Jesus asked: “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8).
Not only will this dispensation end in world-wide apostasy, but also in a demonic effort to kill the true Christ at His second coming. Satan knows that Christ will return to earth after the seven year tribulation when He will set His feet on the Mount of Olives. Demons will be sent out to mobilise all nations for this confrontation (Rev. 16:13-16). Their main objective with the mustering of these forces will be to fight against Christ and His heavenly army, but these rebels will all be destroyed (Rev. 19:19-20).
7. Dispensation of the Millennium. Jesus Christ will return to the earth to judge His enemies who will be gathered against Him under the leadership of the Antichrist and the false prophet, and also to bind Satan and throw him into a bottomless pit where he will remain for 1 000 years (Rev. 19:19–20:3). At that time He will save the remnant of Israel and the nations as they will have bitter remorse for their sins of not having believed in Him as the Saviour of the world: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:29-30; cf. Zech. 12:10-11).
The Lord Jesus will rule the world from the restored throne of David in Jerusalem (Acts 15:16-17; Rev. 19:15). His saints will share in His government by ruling as kings with Him (Rev. 2:26-27; 20:4). The saved Israel will be the Lord’s special witnesses who will evangelise the world during this dispensation (Isa. 27:6). They will be highly regarded by all nations (Zech. 8:23). Although the first generation of people after Christ’s return will all be saved, their children will still be born with sinful natures and will therefore have to hear the gospel in order to be saved.
As incredible and unlikely as it may seem, in course of time a mere form of godliness will set in during the Millennium, once again giving rise to widespread unbelief. This will be the direct consequence of people not being truly born again and not having crucifying their old sinful nature. The devil as the deceiver of the world (cf. Rev. 12:9; 20:3), together with all his evil spirits will not be there to actively deceive people into committing active deeds of rebellion against God. Everyone will enjoy the advantages and benefits of that special time in world history. Nevertheless they will still be potential victims of the devil when he is unbound and is given the opportunity to deceive them.
When Satan is released from the pit after 1 000 years to once more tempt humanity into revealing the hidden thoughts and desires in their hearts, the majority will immediately become victims of his deceit and wilfully participate in the last big rebellion against God and His kingdom: “Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev. 20:7-10).
Only a minority: All the examples of apostatising during the different dispensations throughout the ages provide clear evidence that true believers have always been a small minority. Even today there are also many people who desire to be on the narrow way but who simply do not succeed to enter through the narrow gate. The Lord Jesus said, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). So many people who wish to become Christians are not really prepared to repent and break with their sins. It is impossible to enter through the narrow gate with a baggage of unconfessed sins.
Confess and forsake all your sins, for then you will be able to enter through the gate of true repentance. After having done so you must also trust the Lord for a further work of grace, which is sanctification. This will enable you to persevere on the way of the Lord to the end and to be of service in His kingdom. The Lord does not only want to make us believers with a testimony of salvation, but also to be effective disciples in His kingdom. To this end you need to be built up in your most holy faith (Jude v.20). Then and then alone will you remain standing and be victorious while fighting the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12).
In Jude 1:3 we are exhorted “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” The saints are those people who turn from the depraved world to God, enter into a relationship of faith with Him, accept His forgiveness and deliverance, and from then on walk in His way of righteousness. Satan fiercely attacks all believers – not only in their personal lives but also in their efforts to convince others to come over from the kingdom of darkness to the Lord’s miraculous light. These attacks have continued throughout the ages and are intensified in the end-time because the devil knows that only true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will keep people from accepting and worshipping the Antichrist as universal messiah. We must resist these attacks while earnestly contending for a biblical faith in the midst of the great falling away. Read the account of Old Testament heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, who achieved great things for God’s kingdom because they stood firm in their convictions and were also prepared to suffer for the truth. Never even consider joining the ranks of the deceived compromisers of our time by abandoning the struggle and departing from the faith.
Stand firm in the Lord in an apostate, God-rejecting world where we are called to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Do not focus on the troubled waters through which you have to navigate your way, but keep your eyes on the Lord Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. He said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). We should be motivated and encouraged in our faith by the sure promise of our eternal destiny.
The end-time appearance of the Antichrist as the foremost infidel and man of sin, and the total control which will be exercised by him, will make it impossible for true Christians to peacefully co-exist with him on earth during his reign. At that time we will be taken away by the Lord, only to return again later with Christ when the Antichrist and his powers will be destroyed in the battle of Armageddon. Satan will then be deprived of his position of power and authority on earth, and for the first time in the history of humanity there will be peace on earth.