A book was just added to my wish list. This topic is very interesting to me due to the semi-religious background that my family has. I have heard much about demons and the devil and the role they play in a Christians life and struggles before I was ever converted. I have read much from Luther and have done a limited study of the thoughts and worldviews of the people during the middle ages and they had much to say concerning this, albeit tainted with inconsistencies. It seems that since the time of the Enlightenment many have abandoned or ignored the fact that there is a reality of the person and work of the devil. In many Christian circles it is nearly never mentioned and when it is, it is minimized to a point where many never give a deep thought of the enemy or his works and so cannot prepare for battle with him. A quote from the book:
It is astonishing that studies of the work of Christ have not yielded clearer and more systematic distinctions between the different dimensions of the work of his death. Evangelical Christianity does distinguish between sins and sin, fruit and root; but the third dimension, the work of Satan, is seldom acknowledged, even where Satan and his work are recognized. Yet for a total unmasking of evil in the human heart the third dimension is necessary, since the person and work of the devil is the greatest hindrance to mature Christianity. Satan loves it so. That is doubtless why it is so, and why so many are suspicious of talk about the devil and demons. Yet it is a strange blindness with which the god of this world has blinded so many professing Christians (2 Cor. 4:4).
-William Still, Towards Spiritual Maturity, pg. 14-5.
I found out about the book from another blog and got the quote from there. The link to it is as follows: http://thoughtsonthewayblog.blogspot.com
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