A Demons House And False Regeneration

Self driven change always falls short

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

Matthew 12:43-45

As I read this passage and think on the sadness of this reality, I think of many men and women and the utter hopeless feeling this reality can cause in lives. Jesus doesn’t say these things so we can know “how to cast out demons.” He is giving men and women a warning of the spiritual realities behind demons and human need.

These Pharisees think they are good because they have been moral. They kept laws and push others to do the same. They are “sons of Abraham” and Jesus has told them plainly that they are in trouble. He tells them:

1. You have fully rejected the one who can save you.

2. Your heart is evil. Your fruit is bad and your tree is bad.

3. You just want to “see more” even when all the evidence is plain.

And now he’s going to point out that they are in a worse place than when they started. They need someone stronger to “take over their house” because the demons always return without Christ.

The delusion of self righteousness

There are countless who believe that if they just lay aside alcohol, cigarettes, cussing, road-rage, stealing, and the list goes on. If they just stop that ONE thing, they’re good.

And indeed, many even try to take up something. They say, “Ah, I’ll go to the soup kitchen and help there.” Or “Ah, I need to get my life straight, I need to take my kids to church.” But that’s it. That’s what they think is the solution. They think that’s gonna spin their whole life in a different direction.

And then what do we see? Well, a few weeks or a few months they get discouraged. They go to the pastor or they go up front on the end of an emotional song and cry. They cry long and good. And they walk away thinking that was enough. Now life will be different. And soon life gets hard again and they say, “you know what, this is all a sham.” And they quit altogether. Ending up in worse sin than they were in before they started.

They swept the house and the evil spirit returns. They are worse than ever and their hearts are as diamond against Christ and the church. “It is all fake.” They say.

So why?

Why does this happen? Well, many men and women are indeed religious but not regenerated. The demon leaves and the house is empty. If nothing fills the house, then permanent change is quenched. Even impossible.

A person without the Holy Spirit will try their best to change behavior but will always have two outcomes:

1. They will be moral and proud. (Religious)

2. They will fail and turn to other things. (Non Religious)

This shows itself in men and women who go to church because it’s “the right thing to do” or because they think they make things right with God when they do. They may even dress better. They may even try to be pious. They may learn the lingo. But if we could look at their hearts, we wouldn’t see love for Christ. Men and women can be faithful with no affections for Christ or real salvation in their lives.

You also see men and women show up in the church who start out strong and then drift away into the darkest of places.

You see, demons don’t always make men go do drugs and party. No, some demons make men dwell in a church with false hope. They either drop out or begin to “try real hard.” and give it time and let hardship happen, these men and women will fall out all together. Either outwardly or inwardly. It’s a scary reality.

Without the Holy Spirit, men will think they are good and then end up worse than ever. Then, they will claim “It didn’t work.”

We need regeneration. We need someone to fill the house; the Holy Spirit. You see, you and I don’t need empty religion and “deeds.” This leads to hard hearts like the Pharisees that Jesus is addressing in this passage. To get our “house in order” is when we try to keep all the law and the rules. But we do it in our own power. But our hearts are far from full. Far from Gospel-Changed. They are empty from affections and love for Christ. We don’t need a new “outward look” we need a new heart!

You can’t fix yourself.

If you try, you will drive yourself further from God, not closer. We as Americans and even collectively as a human race have this idea that we have the power to “Reform” ourselves. We work hard to prove it to ourselves and others. We stop one thing for a week and we say “Ha! I knew I could do it!” Only to fall back.

We need a relationship with Christ. We need genuine love for him. We need to hear his invitation in the Gospel and have it so grip our lives that real change happens. We need to say “I can’t” and you are my savior, change me. Forgive me.”

We need someone to fill the house, we don’t need a tidy house of self-will, but a house that has the Holy Spirit as the resident.

We need his righteousness. We need Christ. He’s all we need. Lest we think we are good, only to have the demon return and we end up worse than when we started. To all who are struggling under the weight of sin, come to the One who is the Power of God—to the One who is stronger than your enemy.