Acts 16 tells us about a girl who had a demon. She followed Paul and his companions, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved” (v. 17). The words that she said were exactly correct. Elsewhere I have discussed how this could have hindered the gospel, but now our focus is on another issue. Someone could preach the same message that the apostles preached or promote the apostles as divine messengers, but he could be functioning by the power of the devil. If he is more obvious about his satanic influence, he could even preach a doctrine of cessationism. He could castigate the Pentecostals with full indignation. He could write a book to denounce charismatic chaos and defend the faith. It would all be very dignified, very precise, very demonic. And many who claim to be Christians would applaud him for it.

A cessationist theologian may say many things that sound right, but what spirit is driving him? If he truly believes the gospel, then why does he reject so much of it? Why does he draw people in with a few sound doctrines, only to slit their throats with unbelief? He may be one of the most respected personalities in Christian circles, but is he God’s gospel ambassador, or Satan’s double agent? Do you follow him because he says some good things, because he is so faithful to historic orthodoxy, and because he strives against non-Christian immorality? But he is a cessationist. He refuses even the basics of the gospel, things that even a new convert should pick up on the first day. The girl in Acts 16 also said some good things. She also announced the apostolic faith. And then Paul cast the demon out of her!