Learning to See the Devil and Praise Christ

by Rev. Esko Murto

Many file the devil under the title “quaint superstitions of old times,” but even those who believe he exists are often unable to grasp what it means. To them, the devil is one of the things you believe because you want to be a Bible-believing Christian, even though you don’t see what the implications concerning your life and faith should be. I wanted to understand more about the Old Nick, so I started studying a theologian who seemed to know something about him: Martin Luther.

With Luther, two things surprised me. First, he has an unabashed way of making references to the devil here and there. Often Christians close the blinds, lock the door, and huddle in before one dares to propose: “I think the devil might have something to do with this.” Yet Uncle Martin has no problem saying, “This is the work of the devil” or “The devil causes that.” Second, despite the amount of devil references, Luther didn’t write any systematic exposition on the devil or demonology. For him, the devil is not an isolated piece of theology, a question of doctrine one could or should handle on its own. Instead, the devil is intertwined in all what we do and hear.

The devil is a spirit, and he is first and foremost a spiritual enemy. But unless we want to cut apart and separate spiritual and physical (which we don’t), we must understand that the devil is working also in the world of creation. We are not confessing God as the creator of only heaven but also earth. Thus, Satan, God’s opponent, is not our enemy only in matters concerning the world of spirit but also in earthly things. When explaining the Fourth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer (“Give us this day our daily bread”), Luther confesses: “This petition is especially directed also against our chief enemy, the devil. For...he is not satisfied...in leading souls astray by his lies and bringing them under his power, but he also...causes so much contention, murder, sedition, and war, also lightning and hail to destroy grain and cattle, to poison the air, etc.” (Large Catechism, Part III, paragraphs 80–81).

Understanding how not only matters of spirit but also creation are battlefields between God and the devil should open our eyes to see how our daily vocations as ordinary citizens are not, in the end, so ordinary at all. The devil wants to cause famine and hunger, but God sends a farmer to stop him. The devil releases a plague; God sends doctors and nurses to fight him. The devil wants a child to fall into depression and fear. God sends a loving mother, father, brother, and sister to oppose Satan. Fulfilling your vocation—whatever it may be—not only pleases God and serves your neighbor, it also frustrates the devil. And that is usually a good thing to do.

In the life of the Church as well as in the religious life of an individual Christian, Satan apes God by accusing people of their sins and promising them heaven. His accusations—unlike God’s Law properly used—do not drive the sinner to seek grace from Jesus but instead try to convince him that God does not want to have anything to do with such a sinful being. At the same time, the “gospel” of the devil declares, “You can be happy and have a heaven for yourself even without Christ.” The religion of the devil is rarely dark, ominous, and frightening; most often it is inviting, bright, and optimistic. But everything is done without Christ, based on purely human effort and reason.

Luther understood the proclamation of Word, administration of the Sacraments, and prayer as events where not only merciful God and repentant sinners meet but also where the devil is fought and banished. Living a life of faith means taking part in the battle between God and the devil. This begins in the Holy Baptism where, as Luther penned it, “It is no joke at all to take action against the devil and not only drive him away from the little child but also to hang around the child’s neck such a mighty, lifelong enemy” (Small Catechism, Baptismal Booklet, paragraph 3). Again, such an understanding should open our eyes to see the seriousness—but also worth—of daily devotions and the means of grace. These are not just balm that we apply to our wounded consciences; these are also destructive weapons through which Christ fights the murderer of souls.

By properly understanding the devil’s works in both the world of creation as well as the Church, we open ourselves to understand the spiritual nature and meaningfulness of our ordinary life not only in daily vocations but also daily devotion. But what is even more important is that we can learn to understand the magnitude of the victory of Christ and rejoice in it more fully.To God be glory alone!

Rev. Esko Murto recently finished his STM thesis at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is now serving a parish in Finland.

Quotations are taken from the Kolb-Wengert edition of the Book of Concord.