The Two Ways Revisited: The Unseen Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual warfare is a topic I don’t particularly enjoy discussing. I don’t deny how important of a topic it is, but what I don’t enjoy are the misconceptions about it. Scholars like Michael Heiser have written pretty extensively how many Christians over history have misunderstood (and therefore misapplied) Scripture’s descriptions of the supernatural.
I’ll admit there have been times in my life as a Christian that I completely overlooked spiritual warfare. But there were other times I swung the pendulum too far and everything was about spiritual warfare and demonic attacks. Wanting to learn from that, I’ve tried to be more aware of the unseen spiritual influences in life without being paranoid or obsessing over every little thing.
There can be a lot discussed and speculated regarding the supernatural and spiritual warfare. For this blog, I want to focus on how our choices, specifically our character, can influence our spiritual health. This won’t be looking into how the enemy brings disease or tragedy, although that is certainly an important aspect of spiritual warfare brought up in Scripture.
When I say the choices we make in relation to spiritual warfare, I’m also not talking about the endless culture debates about what holidays we do or don’t celebrate as Christians, or what games we should or shouldn’t play. To be honest, those are debates I’m not really interested in discussing. Rather, looking more at the heart of who we are and how we live out our faith, how does our love for God and our neighbors affect the unseen spiritual warfare in our lives?
The Two Ways
As discussed previously, the Scriptures and early Church taught the Two Ways theology as a way of life. Are you walking down the road to Christ, or the road to sin and self-destruction?
However, an important aspect to the Two Ways theology that I didn’t originally address was how spiritual warfare plays a part in it. While we find multiple examples of the Two Ways in the Apostolic Fathers, I want to turn to The Shepherd of Hermas. Not only does Hermas teach the Two Ways, but right after it teaches the influence of holy angels and unholy angels in the Two Ways.
Before we dive into Hermas, it’s important to acknowledge The Shepherd of Hermas as a whole teaches questionable and unorthodox theology in different parts. While I do not entirely endorse all of Hermas’ teaching on the divine and sanctification, I think this particular passage is worth learning from. Even this particular passage has a couple bits I’m not sure I agree with as we’ll see, but the broader message of the passage I find compelling and want to discuss.
Hermas Commandment 6
In the “Commandments” section of Hermas, we see the Two Ways introduced in Commandment 6. The angelic Shepherd is instructing the Christian Hermas on how to live his life for God:
“Trust you, therefore, the righteous, but put no trust in the unrighteous. For the path of righteousness is straight, but that of unrighteousness is crooked. But walk in the straight and even way, and mind not the crooked.
For the crooked path has no roads, but has many pathless places and stumbling-blocks in it, and it is rough and thorny. It is injurious to those who walk therein.
But they who walk in the straight road walk evenly without stumbling, because it is neither rough nor thorny. You see, then, that it is better to walk in this road.”
After teaching Hermas the practical side of the Two Ways, the Shepherd introduces him to the spiritual side of it:
“Hear now, in regard to faith. There are two angels with a man— one of righteousness, and the other of iniquity...
The angel of righteousness is gentle and modest, meek and peaceful. When, therefore, he ascends into your heart, immediately he talks to you of righteousness, purity, chastity, contentment, and of every righteous deed and glorious virtue. When all these ascend into your heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with you...
Look now at the works of the angel of iniquity. First, he is wrathful, and bitter, and foolish, and his works are evil, and ruin the servants of God,. When, then, he ascends into your heart, know him by his works.”
Integrity and Surrender
First off, the imagery Hermas gives us isn’t too different than the conception in pop culture of an angel and devil being on our shoulders. For all the major differences early Church writings have in describing the supernatural with today, it’s bizarre that this is one with striking similarities!
But with that said, I would argue both pop culture and Hermas isn’t totally correct on this. The Scriptures for sure speak of spiritual enemies attempting to influence God’s people, and call for God’s followers to resist and submit to God. (James 4:7) But this specific dualistic framework in Hermas may represent less of Biblical spiritual warfare and more on the culture the author(s) of Hermas were influenced by.
With that said, I think the broader point made in this passage sticks out to me, and is something I see missed sometimes when talking about spiritual warfare. While we see different ways in Scripture of the devil, demons, and unholy angels going against God and humans, the primary way we see the enemy attacking humans is by influencing them to sin. We see this from the very start in Genesis 3. The enemies of God want His image-bearers to join them in rebellion, even if that rebellion isn’t seemingly vocal or over the top.
I find that an essential piece in my communion with the Lord and His saints is integrity. If I’m feeling resentful toward a brother or sister, or vice versa, I can’t bury that and carry on. (Matthew 5:23-26, 6:14-15)
What if I show “success” in my ministry, with high attendance and baptisms, even witnessing miracles, all while simultaneously living a double-life of lust, greed, violence, or hate? Can such works save me? (Matthew 7:15-23)
Take my relationship with other Christians aside for a moment. If I attempt to live a zealous life for God, while storing up heavy contempt toward non-Christians, desiring power over them, mocking them, and encouraging ill-will toward them, I’m not obeying Christ. (Matthew 5:43-48, Mark 9:35)
I bring these examples up because I would say that this is the kind of spiritual warfare Hermas is warning about, and it’s a kind of spiritual warfare that is too common for Christians today. Sinning through our pride or contempt toward others is very subtle, whether we express it outwardly or store it inwardly. I don’t mean to fear-monger, but it’s scary how that kind of influence can go right over our heads as Christians.
To put it simply, in the Kingdom of God, the ends do not justify the means. If my heart shows contempt toward others, or neglect toward God, I may be only appearing to be walking the right way. And even if I am, such attitudes and actions may only open myself more to the unseen enemy tempting me further down the way of sin and self-destruction.
Regarding a negative attitude like anger, there is certainly such a thing as righteous anger. We see God and His prophets show it at different times in the Scriptures. But in my personal experience, even righteous anger can easily be twisted into something unrighteous if I don’t remain humbly in God’s presence.
I find it helpful that in his epistle, James does not say to resist the devil. He says to humble yourself before God, submit to God, and then resist the devil. (James 4:6-10) Without the Holy Spirit, I am reckless with my emotions and actions, and oblivious to how the enemy may manipulate me.
Conclusion
As with our previous discussion on the Two Ways, this isn’t meant to promote perfectionism. I don’t think it’s healthy to obsess over whether or not every little thing I do will influence or be influenced by spiritual enemies. But like the practical side of the Two Ways, I think it’s worth looking at the big picture of our actions and interactions with others. While we don’t want to be paranoid or superstitious, it would be wise as Christians to see the subtlety of how the enemy influences us to not love God and our neighbor. May we respond by submitting, and resubmitting when necessary, to Christ.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.” -1st Peter 5:6-9 (CSB)
Bibliography
Schaff, P. (2016). The Complete Ante-Nicene, Nicene, and Post-Nicene Collection of Early Church Fathers. Toronto, Canada.
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.