My name is Jose Mendoza Ramirez
and my doubt is that if exorcists really exist,
sometimes they come to swindle us.
Thank you very much Jose for that comment or question.
As we can notice in Jose’s video submission, he’s wondering or maybe it's more accurate
to say, doubting if there really are people who can perform what he calls, exorcisms.
Because he feels that, well there are people who are just swindling others or being deceptive
for the purpose of dishonest gain.
So today, dear friends, we're gonna ask, well, two important questions based on
what Mr. Jose has said.
First of all, what is exorcism and are there those who can really, truly perform them?
And then secondly, if one can perform, does perform such a miraculous work, is that the
evidence that, that person is really sent from God?
And of course then, should therefore be followed and believed and everything that they will
teach and say?
Let’s start by defining exactly what is: exorcism.
Exorcism, from the dictionary, well it's the act of casting out or expelling an evil spirit
or demon from someone.
The dictionary calls it or considers it to be a noun.
The act, or even process of exorcising.
As a verb: exorcised or exorcising.
To seek to expel (an evil spirit) by adjuration or religious or solemn ceremonies: to exorcise
a demon.
In the Church Of Christ, by the way, dear friends, we don't really use that term exorcism.
Why not?
By watching all our programs you should know the answer already.
We wouldn't use that term, why not?
Because it's not a Biblical term.
So according to the Bible, are there really those that can perform exorcisms, or what
the Bible describes as the casting out of evil spirits or casting out of demons?
Let's go to the Bible to start receiving some Biblical guidance and answers to this.
So it may be that the term "exorcism" is not found in the Bible, but, what is found in
the Bible?
Matthew 8:16, I quote:
“When evening came, people brought to Jesus many who had demons in them.
Jesus drove out the evil spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.”
So we can read here in the Bible dear friends, where Jesus he did have the ability or the
power, the authority to perform, what Jose called "exorcism" or the casting out of
evil spirits.
Is he the only one that had that ability or had that authority according to the Bible?
Well let's continue.
The Bible also teaches us the following.
In Matthew 10:1,
“Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to drive out evil
spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness.”
So evidently according to the Bible exorcism did take place or the casting out of demons
did happen.
And The Bible mentions those, for example, our Lord Jesus Christ and in this verse,
His Apostles were given that authority to drive out evil spirits.
They were able to perform that miraculous work.
And there is no question of course that our Lord Jesus Christ, even His Apostles, and
others enumerated in the Bible just like them, are in fact instruments of God.
There is no question.
That they are specifically because they're specifically described that way in the Bible.
That they were given that authority from God.
And as instruments sent by God–or messengers of God–and we should follow them.
We should obey what they teach.
Why?
Because what they teach are God’s teachings.
They are God’s messengers.
And they bring God’s message.
But does it mean though, that just anyone who is able to perform miracles, and this
is the point that Mr. Jose is posing, this is what he's noticing this is what he was
commenting about.
Because he saw some that were performing miracles or some that were claiming to have all these
wonderful things.
And then they were deceiving and swindling the people.
So does it mean that anyone who performs miracles, this is our question Mr. Jose, anyone performing
miracles and casting out demons, can it be said they, therefore are a messenger of God?
In turn than to be followed and obeyed?
Is the casting out of demons or other kinds of miracles or healings and such, is that
the only proof that is necessary to determine that one is truly an instrument of God?
Let's listen together dear friends, to the answer of our Lord Jesus Christ, you know,
to those who feel that they are with Him, well because, well maybe they were able to
cast out demons.
Maybe they're performing different kinds of wondrous works.
Here's the response of Jesus to them.
It's recorded here in Matthew 7:22-23, He said this:
“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name,
cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness!’”
Well here dear friends, according to what is written, Jesus Himself, well He cleared
up any misconception that if one is able to perform exorcisms, as Mr. Jose calls them,
or the casting out of demons, or any other miracle for that matter, even if one uses
the name of Christ.
The idea of many is well, then that automatically proves, or presents the evidence, that they
must be God’s messengers.
But we can see from what Jesus said here, that's simply not true.
Christ, who is, of course, the greatest messenger of God and He's the One who knows those who
truly God has sent, because He is the only Mediator between God and men in the first place,
He said of some who performed the casting out of demons and performed the grand healings
and other kinds of miracles, what did he say to them?
He said, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practices lawlessness!”
But you know.
Some might be wondering, “how is it than that, one who's not sent by God is able to
perform such kind of wonders and miracles and healings and casting out of demons and
all these things if he is not doing God’s work, then well, whose work is he doing?”
Let's turn to the writings of the scriptures once again, for the Bible's answer.
We turn, II Thessalonians 2:9-10 which says this:
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs,
and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because
they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
Here dear friends what we can see, what we're learning here is that Satan can use miracles.
Satan does use miracles, uses wonders, in his attempts to deceive.
This means that Jose’s, you know when Mr. Jose presented those doubts and skepticism,
it actually has some validity.
Why?
Because the devil himself uses these powers to swindle people.
To deceive people according to what we just read here from Apostle Paul.
So, if these miracles, signs or wonders are used by the devil to deceive people, one might
ask, “well why does God allow that to happen?
Why does he allow these things to take place?”
Listen again to the answer of the Holy Bible, here in Deuteronomy 13, let's read together
verses 1-3,
“Prophets or interpreters of dreams may promise a miracle or a wonder, in order to
lead you to worship and serve gods that you have not worshiped before.
Even if what they promise comes true, do not pay any attention to them.
The Lord your God is using them to test you, to see if you love the Lord with all your
heart.
So dear friends, according to the Bible here, if any one of us would witnesses somebody
performing what appears to be a miracle.
A miraculous event takes place or it's a grand wonder, they should not automatically listen,
automatically perceive that, that someone to be followed because they're from God.
No.
We already learned earlier that the devil could use these powers to deceive people.
And here now we learn that, well, why does God allow that to happen?
In order to test His people.
Why?
To see if they really love Him with all their hearts.
And they'll cling to this.
If that were the case, then how would one, how would any one of us, go about passing
God’s test?
If God does not want us to pay attention or be just so easily duped by Satan's deceivers,
He just wants us to pay attention to and not follow just anyone who might claim to come
from God.
Even if they perform miracles.
Even if they perform various kinds of wonders, then whom should we follow?
We find the answer in the very next verse of the Bible.
Deuteronomy 13, this time we'll read verse 4 wherein it says this:
“It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere.
Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”
So dear friends, the answer is very clear.
In order to pass God’s test, one must follow God by obeying His commands and as we can
clearly, and we already know that His commands are what are written here in the Holy Bible.
And so that this is the reason why performing miracles or wonders, like exorcism, the casting
out of demons, it's not a basis we can use to determine if someone is really from God.
Why not?
Because even if one is able to perform such miracles, it could easily be God’s enemy,
the devil, trying to trick us into going against God’s words.
We should understand that, well, those sent by God, they will speak God’s words.
They will teach God’s teachings and God's commands written here in the Bible.
Therefore that is what we should always follow.
That's what we should always use as a foundation of our faith.
This is what we should firmly believe in, because, That’s in the Bible.
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