Paulo Coelho’s book The Pilgrimage recounts the story of Coelho walking the famous Camino pilgrimage route between France and Spain with a guide. I bought the book, but I wasn’t prepared for what I read.
“There are basically two spiritual forces on our side,” the guide tells Paulo early in his journey, “an angel and a devil. The angel always protects us and is a divine gift. . . . The devil is an angel, too, but he is a free, rebellious force.” Knowing Coelho isn’t a Christian, I wondered what would be said next.
After acknowledging the devil’s craftiness, the guide went on to tell Coelho that this devil knows a lot about the world and can therefore be a good messenger of information. “The only way to deal with our messenger,” he says, “is to accept him as a friend—by listening to his advice and asking for his help when necessary.” The book then included directions for the reader on how to make contact with their own personal devil.
I didn’t read any further.
Let’s be clear: The devil and his demonic companions are not messengers to be befriended, but forces to be resisted (James 4:7). The devil isn’t the possessor of truth, but a liar to the core (John 8:44). While he can present himself as benevolent, it’s only a disguise (2 Corinthians 11:14). Far from wanting our best, he is out for our death and destruction (John 10:10).
Jesus once encountered people who listened to the devil. After following the devil’s advice, they began to imitate him (John 8:38,41), making themselves deaf to the truth (John 8:43), and ultimately leading them to murder (John 8:40,44).
The advice in The Pilgrimage is naive at best and diabolical at worst. Thankfully, Jesus—Truth Himself—is ready to guide us (John 8:38, John 14:6).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Acts 8:26-40
More:
Read Matthew 6:13 and consider what Jesus presented in His prayer.
Next:
How have you seen error blind you in the past? What advice are you listening to that is ultimately deceptive?
ghchong on October 19, 2014 at 4:35 am
1 Sam 2:6-8 (NKJV) “The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes, and make them inherit the throne of glory.
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and He has set the world upon them.”
and
Heb 6:7-8 (NKJV) “For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God;
but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.”
ghchong on October 19, 2014 at 10:16 am
Seeing this in the Bible:
Revelations 21:8 (TLB) “…But cowards who turn back from following me, and those who are unfaithful to me, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those CONVERSING WITH DEMONS, and idol worshipers and all liars—their doom is in the Lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This is the Second Death.”
Tell it as it is:
Rev 22:15 (NKJV) But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and !!!whoever loves and PRACTICES a lie!!!.
Connected to v15 of the same chapter/book:
Rom 2:16 (TLB) The day will surely come when at God’s command Jesus Christ will judge the secret lives of everyone, their inmost thoughts and motives; this is all part of God’s great plan, which I proclaim.
Winn Collier on November 1, 2014 at 9:21 pm
My wife and I plan to journey this route one day. We’ll definitely watch out…