I’ll never forget a time at Duke Divinity School where an outside speaker was arranged to give the lesson one particular day.  To make matters a bit complicated, let’s just say that, at the time, this particular issue was being hotly debated inside the church.  The topic, to say the least, was controversial in most quarters.  But here was this speaker, smiling and happy.  He launched into his lesson for the day.  Right from the onset, it was very clear that the speaker that day was on one particular side of this hotly-debated issue.  In fact, as he got going, it became more and more clear that not only was he on a side, he was in fact going to talk about his side for the entirety of the lecture.  The thing was, he was literally preaching to the choir on an issue that a great many of my classmates and I felt was unsettled.  But what stuck out the most for me was how unprepared the guy was.  You see, it was kind of like he was expecting a lazy river.  We all like those, don’t’ we?  You hang out in a tube and just gently float around a big circle.  It’s very relaxing, isn’t it?  Well, here was this guy thinking this session would be just like a lazy river when, in fact, it was like combat.

As a matter of fact, I think that my general, day-to-day operating mode is to treat life like it was one long, languid lazy river.  That each day is just designed for me to enjoy and coast through the waters, carefree and without any worries. I’d like it to be like that, I really would.  In fact, there’s a philosophy that treats life like that, it’s called being an Epicurean.  Now, sometimes, we just get this crossed up and think that Epicureans just like to eat good.  And they do.  But the reason they liked to eat good is that, ultimately, they were hedonists, placing their ultimate meaning upon feeling good.  I like to feel good, don’t get me wrong.  I mean, it beats the alternative, doesn’t it?  I mean, do any of us really wake up in the morning and think, “gosh, I’d really like to feel bad today.”

But, in some respects, living life like a semi-Epicurean misses the point as to what Paul is teaching us about here in Ephesians.  This is another one of those “Therefore” moments in the course of the letter.  Throughout Ephesians, Paul lays out the theology and then, with a therefore comment, begins to explain precisely how that theology plays out in real time.  In this particular setting, Paul is announcing that there’s a conflict at the heart of our world and that, by ignoring it, we are making life more difficult for ourselves and for the people that we love.

And you know, this is an area where the Bible has radically reshaped my beliefs.  I mean, if you met me on the streets as a freshly-minted PCUSA Pastor, this is not a sermon I would’ve preached.  Because like most Presbyterians and nearly all of the clergy, we’re rationalists.  That is to say that we believe that our minds somehow capable of sorting out all the competing data the world offers us.  Using tools like logic, deductive reasoning and mathematics, all of life’s mysteries can be solved and figured out.  It’s a fine way to be, for most parts.  But the problem becomes that what the Bible tells us is that we’re in the midst of a cosmic conflict between good and evil, right and wrong.  That standing in this fight are God and a character, my rational mind bristles against.  The Devil.

Talking about the Devil, especially during the month of Halloween can be particularly difficult as much that is known about this Biblical character is derived more from fantasy that from the pages of Scripture.  But this problem isn’t necessarily a new one.  You’d be surprised by the number of people who conflate John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” with the actual Bible.  But while our imaginations are filled with red, horned creatures running all through our minds like a psycho-killer from a slasher movie, the Bible is more subtle about Him.

The Old Testament speaks of the devil as the tempter or the accuser of mankind.  We see him in Job and in other places in the Old Testament.  The New Testament provides us further detail.  One reading from Revelation is highly important.  Revelation 12:7-9:  “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

In the tapestry of Scripture, a compelling figure emerges—a figure that stands as a symbol of rebellion, temptation, and evil itself. This figure is the Devil, also known as Satan, a name that echoes with the weight of spiritual warfare and deception. To understand the Devil, we must turn to the sacred pages of the Bible, where his presence and influence weave a narrative thread that spans from the dawn of creation to the final reckoning.  At the heart of the Devil’s story lies his origin. He was not always the embodiment of malevolence we recognize today. In the beginning, he was a radiant angel, created by God, endowed with beauty and power. But pride took root in his heart, and he coveted a position higher than his allotted station. This celestial rebellion, marked by defiance and ambition, led to his expulsion from the heavenly realms. The once-glorious angel became the adversary, the enemy of God and all that is holy.

Throughout the Bible, we encounter the Devil as the ultimate adversary, the great deceiver.  His role in the narrative of humanity is that of a tempter, a cunning force that seeks to divert God’s creation from the path of righteousness.  In the garden of Eden, he whispered doubts into the ears of Adam and Eve, sowing the seeds of disobedience and sin.  He preyed upon our Lord Jesus Christ in the wilderness, attempting to lead Him astray.  The Devil’s tactics have not changed—doubt, temptation, distortion of truth—all aimed at undermining our faith and trust in God.  The Devil is the wellspring of evil and spiritual darkness, a source of moral decay and destruction.  He is the father of lies, the one who instigates wrongdoing, and the orchestrator of chaos.  In moments of moral dilemma and when we confront the pervasive evil in our world, the Devil’s influence is palpable, seeking to tarnish God’s creation and disrupt His divine plan.  Yet, the Bible also reveals a glimpse of the Devil’s ultimate destiny—a destiny marked by defeat and judgment.  In the apocalyptic visions of the book of Revelation, we see the Devil cast into the lake of fire, a place of eternal torment, where his power will be vanquished forever.  The victory, we are assured, belongs to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As believers, we engage in spiritual warfare against this formidable adversary.  Armed with the armor of God and fortified by faith, we resist the Devil’s temptations and stand firm in our devotion to the Lord.  Our faith in Christ grants us the strength to overcome the Devil’s influence and walk in the radiance of God’s truth.  The battle may be fierce, but the ultimate triumph is secured through the grace and power of our Lord.  That’s why we need to stop thinking about this life like a lazy river and realize that we’re engaged in Holy combat.