Tonight we are discussing Chapter 11, “Angels and Demons,” and Chapter 12, “Resist the Devil,” of Richard Beck’s book Reviving Old Scratch: Demons and the Devil for Doubters and the Disenchanted.
Holiness: (pp.119-24)
Beck begins this chapter with a discussion on personal holiness. The example Beck gives us is the
Summer of Love and its aftermath of drug overdoses (Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, etc.) and sexual exploitation. The lack of holiness, Beck points out, leads to personal destruction.
In his ministry at Freedom Fellowship and the French Robertson Prison Unit, most of the stories shared are about addiction and sexual trauma. These narratives reflect the pain, loneliness, and mental, spiritual, and emotional damage that result, alongside the uneven road to recovery. For the men in white (in prison), the devil is all about drug use, pornography, and violence. To “resist the devil” is to resist these ever-present temptations.
In Beck’s world (as in ours) of belonging to a nice middle-class mainline congregation, there is generally an embarrassment surrounding discussions of personal morality, particularly regarding sex. A culture of holiness and purity can lead to feelings of guilt, fear, shame, and judgmentalism; thus, we believe it is often best not to address the subject. However, Christianity possesses a personal and moral aspect that cannot be overlooked if we are to stay within the Christian tradition.
Paul writes, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved by anything.” 1 Cor. 6:12. Holiness is this struggle against being enslaved to, as Beck puts it, “a sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll” lifestyle. To become servants of Jesus and others, we must establish boundaries to prevent ourselves from becoming servants of something else.
The Moral is Political: (pp 125-28)
In the second part of the chapter, Beck wants us to understand how personal holiness directly relates to our love for one another. As James points out, the source of our fights and quarrels is our desire to satisfy our selfish cravings. James 4:1-2. Or, as Peter writes, we purify ourselves of our evil desires so that we can love one another deeply from the heart. 1 Peter 1:14, 22. To be holy means resisting our selfish desires so that we can love one another as God loves us. To be holy means to be able to direct our love outward.
More specifically, Beck highlights the damage that addiction inflicts on relationships and communities. The addict will go to any lengths to satisfy the craving. Similarly, Beck emphasizes that sex is more than merely consent. Biblically, sex represents a covenant rather than a transaction. Consent cannot shield anyone from the pain and disillusionment that arise from a transactional view of sex. God does not object to pleasure itself but to our self-centeredness. (As we have discussed previously, this inward turning of love is the foundation of the Seven Capital Sins.)
Beck writes that by resisting the devil in our self-centeredness and selfish desires, we open ourselves to a love that is wholly available to others. Holiness “is the discipline needed to protect our love in a world that is satanically antagonistic to love.” p.128. Holiness is not about removing ourselves from the world but rather about allowing us to become more radically available to it.
Singing Hope: (pp.129-132)
Beck concludes this chapter with a brief discourse on the power of singing. Our calling to resist the devil and satanic temptations is always difficult in the face of loss, pain, failure, and despair. Faith, hope, and love are difficult to maintain in the face of suffering and injustice. For Beck, the greatest tool of resistance (his crucifix and holy water, as he says) is singing. Singing lifts our spirits. Singing brings us together. Singing gives hope. Jesus and the disciples sang after the Last Supper. Mark 14:26. Paul and Silas sang in prison. Acts 16:25. The apostles teach us to sing on all occasions. Col. 3:16, Jam. 5:13. And it is in singing that the people of God celebrate victory over spiritual evil. Ex. 13, Rev. 5:9. Resistance to the devil is always found in song.
SCHEDULE: We are not meeting on Tuesday, June 24. That evening, at 5:30, Bishop Ruth is holding a Deanery meeting at St. Anne’s in Conway to discuss the strategic vision of the Diocese. Everyone is welcome to attend this meeting and take part in the conversation.
Dinner is at 6. The menu is tacos. Discussion about 6:45. Compline at 8. Father Mark Goodman is joining us this evening.
I waited patiently upon the LORD; *
he stooped to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *
he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God; *
many shall see, and stand in awe,
and put their trust in the LORD.