Of course, we are pleased they found relief, but the question is, would millions of others be helped if more Christians believed demons are real, or have these “deliverances” a natural explanation? Are some of us letting our emotions and imaginations run wild or should today’s intelligent Christians opt for a rigidly literal interpretation of the Bible’s many references to the evil spirits?

I have immense respect and empathy for thinkers – people who don’t mindlessly swallow whatever they are fed; courageous people determined to go wherever the evidence leads, no matter how lonely the path. Christians have the humility to acknowledge that many of the things God knows – and is willing to reveal to us – soar beyond our powers of deduction. Nevertheless, we recognize that just because some people (including you or me) believe the Bible teaches something, their sincerity does not prove they have found the correct interpretation.

We’ll explore this subject from many different angles, including science, logic, the worldview of Jesus’ contemporaries, and the biblical record. I’ll grab an occasional snippet from what I’ve written elsewhere, but nearly all of the following is new.

Evil Spirits in the Light of Modern Science

The explosive growth of science means that scientific truth changes every few minutes. Not infrequently this results in complete reversals of what scientists had previously believed to be true.

Science discovered that water conducts electricity. Later it discovered that water does not conduct electricity. Impurities in the water had messed up previous experiments. Still later, science discovered that water conducts electricity. Previous experiments had failed to consider low conductivity. With this history, I’m too scared to say that science will not once again change its view on the matter.

This is typical of scientific advance. What is at one time jeered at, is often later found to be closer to the truth than had been supposed. As I quickly cite two more examples, ask yourself if this could apply to the scientific view of demons. Could we be premature in saying science has written off demons?

The greenhouse effect derives its name from the once scientifically held view that the air inside glasshouses warms because glass transmits short-wave radiation but not long-wave radiation. This has long been known to be the wrong explanation for glasshouses, although it might apply to earth’s atmosphere.

Many biologists used to favor the theory of Continental Drift because it seemed to explain the known distribution of different species throughout the world. Most geologists, however, pooh-poohed the idea. They knew of no force massive enough to move entire continents vast distances. Gradually, biologists began to see that the distribution could be explained in terms of migration in the Northern Hemisphere and movement south along land bridges. The idea of Continental Drift was ridiculous. Except that geologists then discovered forces capable of causing Continental Drift.

In any field, scientists who mock are often themselves laughed at by the next generation of scientists when further discoveries are made. If the history of scientific discovery has taught us anything, it is the need for caution. As science progresses, the unexpected is always just around the corner.

When I was studying for my degree in Psychology a lecturer seized my attention by claiming that for every answer science discovers, that very answer raises ten new questions. Werner von Braun, former Director of NASA, spoke for all scientists when he said, “ . . .  we are faced with many more mysteries today than when the scientific age began.”

Astronomy is not the only branch of science in which its experts are acutely aware that science has thoroughly explored only an infinitesimal portion of the physical universe. And that’s just what we could call the easily observable. Today’s science is so much in its infancy that not long ago it was believed that the most scientific way to study human psychology was to consider behavior alone and completely ignore the fact that humans have thoughts. If even thoughts are virtually beyond the reach of present-day science, it is not surprising that the spirit realm is too much for current scientific investigation to handle.

By definition, no one knows what lies outside his/her tiny circle of knowledge. To claim to know there are no demons is to claim to have exhaustively searched every part of every universe and dimension with an infallibly accurate method of detecting every non-physical entity that could possibly exist. No sane person claims such knowledge. Regardless of whether it is true, the claim that the God who knows everything has chosen to reveal through Jesus the spiritual truth about the spirit world (including demons) is not nearly as crazy as claiming to know for certain that evil spirits do not exist.

Demonology in the Light of Rational Thought

While studying Philosophy at university, I came to conclusions that I afterward discovered were almost word for word for these Scriptures:

Matthew 11:25 . . . Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. . . .”

1 Corinthians 1:19-29 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  . . . God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise . . . so that no one may boast before him.

I am left with a heightened awareness of the limitations of human logic, and our utter dependence upon divine revelation, especially the Bible. Nevertheless, rational thought happens to be the prime reason for not believing in demons, so let’s apply it to this subject and see where it leads. Permit me just a few paragraphs to build a case.

Are we to suppose that we are the only intelligent life-form God created in a universe so immense and intricate that we keep finding still more subatomic particles, more galaxies and evidence for more dimensions and weird things like black holes, dark matter and anti-matter?

Although we are in the image of God, we are not the only created beings that have certain similarities with our Maker. We have more points of similarity to God than a bird has, and yet a bird is much more like God than a rock is. In fact, Scripture refers to God not only having hands, like a human, but also to him having wings, and even feathers (Examples). While such references are not to be taken literally, they highlight that there are some similarities between God and certain creatures that we don’t have.

Biblical revelation is clear that God cares for animals and yet those who are still more like him – humans – are even more precious to him (Scriptures). One of the treasured aspects of humans is our ability to love. In fact, out of all that we have, our love is what God most yearns for (Mark 12:28-34). Without freewill, love would be a sham.

Some people would argue about whether a part of us is spirit. Nevertheless, there is no denying that part of us is physical. Since God himself is entirely non-physical and he is all-powerful, he is obviously capable of creating beings that are entirely non-physical. So, if the vastness of God’s creativity is reflected in the vastness of the universe, should we expect him to limit himself to creating just one species in the entire universe with both intelligence and freewill? If God is entirely non-physical, and he takes special delight in those who are most like him, wouldn’t it be strange if not one being in his entire creation were completely non-physical like himself?

It would seem extremely likely that somewhere in all eternity and the incomprehensibly vast number of worlds that at this moment in scientific discovery we barely know of, the Almighty would have created beings who are like him in being both entirely non-physical and having freewill.

This, of course, is indeed what the Bible affirms. Over and over it speaks of God’s angels. And if humans can rebel against God, why shouldn’t angels be able to? Not surprisingly, there are clear spiritual references to some angels wrongly using their freewill and consequently falling (Scriptures). Because angels apparently do not have offspring (Mark 12:25) each angelic fall affects only that individual, unlike us who were all affected by Adam’s fall. Consequently, some angels are still flawless even though there are others that have fallen and are in rebellion against God.

Is believing in one supreme Spirit (God) but not in the existence of evil spirits, rather like believing in the Queen of England, but refusing to believe that anyone else lives in England? Is it like believing in good aliens from other worlds but refusing to believe that in this mind bogglingly vast universe no other intelligent life-form besides us could ever steal or lie or kill?

We just have to look around us to see there is much good and much evil in the world. If God is the spiritual power behind the good, should we expect the evil around us to also have spiritual powers behind it?

I am astounded by people who suppose their Creator is some impersonal force. Computers might out-perform us in certain tasks, but we rightly consider ourselves superior to computers because we can think and feel. If, despite his power, God were impersonal, we would be a higher life-form than our Creator. That’s ridiculous. God is superior to us, not by being unthinking or emotionless or unfeeling but by not being enslaved by his passions. He always acts rationally and wisely, while at the same time having passions so pure, intense and extensive as to make ours look like cardboard imitations.

If the God who influences us for good is personal, should we expect that which influences us for evil to be impersonal?

Although entirely non-physical, God is keenly interested in, and influences planet earth. So if, as Scripture says, angels serve him, one would expect them to have at least some involvement in things of earth. Moreover, if some have become God’s enemies, one would expect them to oppose the very things that are important to God; namely, humans.

Some people imagine educated humanity has suddenly become incredibly smart because we can discern physical and psychological reasons for phenomena. Instead of making us smart, however, such pride can make people incredibly thick; being able to see nothing but the blatantly obvious. The Apostle Paul’s words stick with appalling accuracy: ‘Professing to be wise, they became fools’ (Romans 1:22).

It would be ridiculous to say sound doesn’t exist because we can’t see it, or to rely on one’s ears to determine if X-rays exist, or use X-rays (rather than ultra-sound) to detect a muscle tear. To detect the existence of anything, we must use the appropriate means. Over recent decades we have discovered new and exciting ways of detecting things, but it would be silly to fall so in love with the new that we forget the obvious fact that the existence of evil spirits is a spiritual matter. As the Bible sanely points out, spiritual things are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). The presence of obvious physical reasons for our problems does not reduce the likelihood that they are shots fired from the spirit world. Paul faced enough natural dangers to seize anyone’s attention – wild seas, infected wounds, bandits – yet he focused on spiritual battle. Though he regularly bled at the hands of human opponents, Paul insisted that our fight is not with people but with spiritual powers (Ephesians 6:12). His gospel threatened the livelihood, pride and traditions of thousands. Wherever he looked, human reasons for his struggle glared at him. Yet he saw the human component of his conflict as inconsequential. Either the apostle was a fruit loop or we clash with the non-physical realm more than most of us suppose.

A common mistake in logic (and a misunderstanding about the nature of demonic attack) is to suppose that if a problem responds to medical or psychological treatment, then a demon could not be involved. Let’s suppose an evil woman delights in sexually corrupting men or annoying them until they fly into a rage. She can torment men who have appropriate weaknesses that she can exploit and inflame. Nevertheless, as evil and as cunning as she might be, her effectiveness could be reduced by her victims receiving certain psychological training or medication that increases their self-control. For an extreme example, she could never arouse the passions of a man drugged to the point of unconsciousness. There is no denying that men can receive psychological or medical treatment that lowers her ability to inflame their weaknesses. Nevertheless, it would be ludicrous to conclude from this that it means she does not exist. We would not expect demons to be influenced by drugs or behavioral modification, and neither is this woman, but the critical factor is that because such things affect her victims, they affect her ability to influence them.

Let’s choose an example from medical science. Although still regarded by a few experts as controversial, it is now generally accepted that a large proportion of peptic ulcers are caused by bacteria. Until shortly before the startling discovery, this had been considered preposterous because research kept indicating that bacteria could not survive in the stomach, with its strong digestive juices.

Years before the real cause was known, these ulcers could be treated. The existence of treatment might possibly have delayed the discovery but it did not change the fact that there was an as yet undetected underlying cause. Once the discovery was made, it wasn’t long before a real cure was found by an approach radically different to previous treatments.

Let’s build on this to theorize for a moment. If demons actually existed, it might be possible to scientifically treat some of the symptoms they create. Nevertheless, if the underlying cause were addressed (perhaps by demons being evicted) one would expect it to be a genuine cure, rather than just treating symptoms.

What used to puzzle me as a teenager was where all the demons in Jesus’ day have gone now that we no longer believe in them. Have skeptics forced them to pack their bags and skulk away in red-shame to some third world country? Or has skepticism merely blinded us to the obvious? In imagining that scientific advance has done away with demons, are we like mad scientists who suppose that if they can explain love in terms of nerve impulses and the release of chemicals in the brain that love no longer exists?

With an act of God there are two levels of explanation, one of which science can contribute to. Consider, for instance, when Jesus told a man to stretch out his withered hand and it immediately healed (Luke 6:6,10). Scientists might describe what took place within that man’s hand in terms of multiplication of cells, suddenly improved blood flow, and so on. Such an explanation, though accurate, would miss an entire dimension to this event: the hand was restored at Jesus’ word.

It is as if science lets us examine a masterpiece with an electron microscope (and such a view can be of value), whereas the Bible empowers us to see the big picture, enabling us to grasp the divine meaning and purpose of that masterpiece we call life.

So does the Bible reveal evil spirits as part of the big picture, or have either Jesus’ words or ministry been commonly misunderstood?

Jesus: A Product of his Times?

I’d love to make this section more entertaining and lighten a heavy subject by adding a little humor. I’d be delighted if you found some of my light-hearted comments thought provoking, but I’m close to pulling the plug on my attempt at humor, lest someone miss my heart and take offense. Can we strike a deal? As together we plunge into this perplexingly controversial subject, will you permit me a little light-hearted fun without mistaking it for ridicule or a put down?

We all know that there are smarter people than me. Some of my intellectual superiors have used their stupendous brainpower to figure out that all of Jesus’ teaching about demons and setting people free from them was actually the God of Truth yielding to the ignorant superstitions of First Century Jews. Even the two thousand pigs who high dived to a watery death (Mark 5:13) were just misguided First Century pigs, tragically brainwashed into believing in demons.

Jesus’ exorcisms were just auto-suggestion, so please don’t talk to me about the woman whose daughter Jesus exorcised without even being within sight or earshot of the daughter (Mark 7:25-30).

Back then, people afflicted with what we now know were just mental illnesses, lacked the spiritual understanding to realize that demons don’t exist. Peculiarly, however, these spiritually ignorant people were somehow endowed with the spiritual discernment to know in an instant that Jesus was the mighty Son of God, when even the highly intelligent sane couldn’t figure that out. Compare these Scriptures:

Luke 4:41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.

Matthew 16:16-17 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. . . .”

A couple of such instances might be embarrassingly difficult to explain, but this spiritual insight kept happening with such staggering frequency among these disturbed people (consider these examples) that the explanation must be so simple that I won’t insult your intelligence by mentioning it. (Alternatively, if you're the sort who doesn’t mind having his intelligence insulted, I’ll explain it as soon as I can figure it out.)

Obviously, “Legion’s” illness caused him to develop such muscles that ropes and chains and leg irons and strong men could not restrain him (Mark 5:3-4). Being uneducated weaklings, the entire community was forced to let him terrorize the whole area. And the same illness caused the man in Acts to have spiritual insight into both Jesus and the Apostle Paul and be so physically strong that he could not be held down by the combined efforts of seven (yes, seven) grown men. There’s a perfectly rational explanation as to why seven men not only failed to restrain him, but couldn’t even stop him from stripping and wounding them before they managed to hightail it out of there in barefaced shame (Acts 19:13-17). It was clearly just a rather tragic example of why we shouldn’t take steroids.

And there’s an obvious reason why the demonized slave girl lost her fake psychic powers when restored to full health (Acts 16:16-19). In fact, it’s so obvious that there’s no need for me to explain – which is fortunate since it seems to have slipped my mind just now. Anyhow, it’s just another of those annoying coincidences that while deranged she, like others we’ve mentioned, had amazing (let’s not be so silly as to call it supernatural) insight into Jesus and/or the spiritual mission of the apostles.

It is usually very bright, deep thinking people who know that by drawing attention to evil spirits, Jesus was just bowing to the primitive thinking of his day. Despite their undeniable intelligence, however, I’m sometimes tempted to think they might not think as much as they think they think. (Yes, I’ve proofread that sentence.) What shatters their impressive theory is that many of Jesus’ Jewish contemporaries – including the leaders and religious elite such as the chief priests and High Priest – were renowned for insisting that demons do not exist. “The Sadducees say . . . that there are neither angels nor spirits . . .” (Acts 23:8).

Rather than being fooled by the worldview of his contemporaries, or merely accommodating their mistaken ideas, by continually acting as if he believed in evil spirits, Jesus was deliberately contradicting the strongly held convictions of a highly significant and influential portion of his society. Instead of keeping quiet about the subject, Jesus kept raising the matter – even repeatedly including it in his disciples’ ministry mandate (Luke 9:1; 10:17-19; Mark 16:17) – and each time he did he was alienating and infuriating not just Twenty-First Century skeptics, but people he lived with.

Just as Christ agreed with the Pharisees about life after death but vehemently disagreed with them on other issues, so he could have agreed with the Sadducees about there being no demons – and by so doing set other people straight on the subject – while splitting with the Sadducees on other matters. Let’s not forget that a key feature of his divine mission was to give deeper insight into spiritual reality than any messenger from God has ever given. But despite it all, Jesus kept talking about demons.

The existence of evil, non-human personalities is central to Jesus’ theology. For example, Jesus spoke about hell with what, to modern Christians, is almost embarrassing frequency and yet he taught that hell was originally purpose-built for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41).

Was the One who claimed to be the Truth deluded by popular opinion or deliberately choosing to be less than truthful? Moreover, if there is no such thing as a personal devil, where did Jesus’ temptations - referred to not just in the Gospels but emphasized in the book of Hebrews - come from?

It is often said that belief in a personal devil or devils moves at least some people to irresponsibly excuse their sin by blaming the devil or his demons rather than facing the reality of their own sinful tendencies. If so, and demons are not real, then consider the implications of Jesus affirming this false belief in demons. It means that the Son of God, rather than being the good teacher we had always thought he was, is guilty of a fundamental mistake that has had grave spiritual consequences for many people. In fact, the error goes right back to God allowing in Scripture mention of a cunning, evil serpent in the garden of Eden.

If you know people who wisely keep demons out of their theology, don’t dare take them for granted. It is an immense privilege to know people smarter and more spiritually astute than God. Oh, no! I don’t mean that but I find it too funny to delete! Has anyone been lynched for what was meant to be just a joke? I can see myself being strung up thinking, But it seemed so funny at the time! Let me be more sincere while you measure my neck size.

What I’m really asking is, must we keep making excuses for Jesus’ mistakes, or could it be that we are the ones who are mistaken? Before getting too arrogant in presuming the Son of God was adversely influenced by the popular opinion of his day, we need to seriously ask ourselves whether we could be the ones overly influenced by the opinions of our contemporaries. Far more of our education and worldview is based on mistaken, humanistic presumptions that most of us dare suspect.

It is one thing to suppose that Jesus didn’t have today’s insights into medical science; it is quite another to say Jesus was mistaken or gave misleading information on the fundamental spiritual issue of the existence of evil spirits.