Doctrines of Demons: A Biblical Warning for the End Times
In the last days, Scripture warns that many will fall away from the faith, led astray not by mere error or ignorance, but by seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. The Apostle Paul, under divine inspiration, foresaw this great apostasy and urgently warned the Church in 1 Timothy 4:1-3:
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”
(1 Timothy 4:1-3, KJV)
This passage outlines a chilling prophecy of spiritual decline and deception. As we examine these verses alongside related scriptures, we can gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of these demonic doctrines, their current manifestations, and the importance of Christians being spiritually vigilant.
1. Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils
Paul makes a clear distinction: this is not just false teaching from misguided humans—it is demonic in origin. The term “seducing spirits” implies a deceptive, alluring nature. These spirits subtly draw people away from the truth, often under the guise of “spiritual enlightenment,” “tradition,” or even “Christian mysticism.”
The devil has always used counterfeit religion to corrupt true faith. From ancient Babylon to the modern New Age movement, seducing spirits masquerade as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) to lead people into spiritual bondage.
2. The Characteristics of Apostasy
Paul identifies two practices specifically tied to these doctrines:
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Forbidding to marry
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Commanding to abstain from meats (foods)
Historically, these have manifested in religious systems that impose celibacy on clergy (forbidding to marry) and promote abstaining from certain foods for spiritual merit (such as during Lent or other religious fasts).
While fasting can be a biblical discipline, commanding abstinence as a requirement for holiness or righteousness is unbiblical. Paul emphasizes that God created all foods to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth (v.3).
3. The Root of Deception: Hypocrisy and a Seared Conscience
Verse 2 reveals another element of apostasy:
“Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.”
False teachers do not merely mislead—they do so while living in hypocrisy. They preach holiness but walk in darkness. Their consciences, once sensitive to right and wrong, are now seared, meaning hardened, numbed, and desensitized—like flesh burnt by a hot iron.
Such individuals become blind guides, spreading spiritual error without remorse. They are vessels used by seducing spirits to promote doctrines of devils.
4. The Old Testament Warning Against Spiritual Counterfeits
To understand how serious this spiritual corruption is, we look to God’s commands in Deuteronomy 18:9-14. When Israel was about to enter the Promised Land, God gave strict instructions:
“There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.” (Deut. 18:10-11)
These practices were abominations to the Lord. Engaging with occultic forces—whether through divination, speaking to the dead, or seeking secret knowledge—invited demonic influence.
5. Necromancy and Modern Religious Practice
Necromancy is the consulting of the dead, which is a clear violation of Scripture. According to Holman's Bible Dictionary, necromancy is "conjuring the spirits of the dead to predict or influence future events."
Yet, in certain religious traditions, especially within segments of Catholicism, we find practices that closely resemble necromancy—seeking apparitions and guidance from the deceased, particularly from “Mary.”
Though Scripture is silent about the later life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her death is not recorded, Catholic tradition claims her assumption into heaven and encourages believers to pray to her and seek her intercession.
According to Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating (Ignatius Press, 1988), the common view is that Mary died, although it is not dogmatically defined. Nonetheless, Catholics worldwide report ongoing appearances and messages from “Mary”—such as in Fatima, Lourdes, and Medjugorje.
But if Mary has died, and yet people are seeking her presence and messages, this aligns with necromancy, which God clearly forbids.
6. The Danger of Apparitions and False Visitations
The problem with apparitions is not merely that they are unscriptural—it is that they are demonic deceptions in disguise. The Bible teaches that the dead know nothing of the living (Ecclesiastes 9:5), and that communication with the dead is not from God.
Jesus Himself is our only Mediator:
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5)
To pray to or seek counsel from anyone other than Jesus is idolatrous and spiritually dangerous.
7. The End-Time Deception
These false doctrines are not just about theology—they are about eternal souls. As Paul warned, these teachings will lead many away from the faith, seduced by supernatural experiences, unbiblical traditions, and hypocritical teachers.
Many Christians today unknowingly dabble in spiritual practices that open doors to these seducing spirits—meditation, inner listening, New Age healing, astrology, and even so-called Christian mysticism that mirrors occult techniques.
8. The Call to Remain Faithful to Scripture
God’s Word is the standard by which all spiritual experiences and teachings must be judged. As 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
In the face of widespread deception, we must return to the authority of Scripture, discern spirits, and test every teaching by the Word of God.
Conclusion: Stay Rooted in Truth
The doctrines of demons are active and deceptive, often appearing religious, emotional, or even miraculous. But they are counterfeits meant to lead hearts away from Jesus. As believers in the last days, we must:
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Hold fast to sound doctrine
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Reject anything that contradicts Scripture
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Guard against spiritual deception
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Walk in the truth of Christ, our only Savior and Mediator
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
Let us heed this warning and cling to the truth, lest we be swept away by the seductive lies of demons masquerading as light.
See Scripture References
times some
> shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines
> of devils;
> 1 Tim 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience
seared with a
> hot iron;
> 1 Tim 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from
meats*, which
> God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which
believe and
> know the truth.
>
> As should be obvious, this passage is a warning to the church near
the end
> of time. It gives quite distinct characteristics of apostasy to
look for,
> that will distinguish corrupted Christianity. Just who is it
talking about?
> Let me present some evidence-
>
> GIVING HEED TO SEDUCING SPIRITS
>
> Deu 18:9 (KJV) When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy
God
> giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of
those
> nations.
> Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh
his son or
> his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination,
or an
> observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Deu 18:11 Or a
> charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a
wizard,
> or a necromancer.
> Deu 18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the
LORD: and
> because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out
from
> before thee.
> Deu 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
> Deu 18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened
unto
> observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD
thy God
> hath not suffered thee so to do.
>
> Lev 20:6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar
spirits, and
> after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face
against
> that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
>
> NECROMANCY, is defined in Holman's Bible dictionary as "Conjuring
the
> spirits of the dead to predict or influence future events." So a
> necromancer, as found in verse 11, is one who consults with the
dead, and
> this practice is strongly condemned by God. Scripture is quite
silent about
> Mary's later life, and most Catholic's will admit they are unsure
whether or
> not she died before her alleged assumption into heaven, due to the
lack of
> any scriptural evidence. However, on page 273 of Karl Keating's
Catholicism
> and Fundamentalism, published in 1988 by Ignatius Press, he states
that:
>
> ... Catholic commentators, not to mention the Popes, have agreed
that Mary
> died; that belief has long been expressed through the liturgy.
(The Church
> has never formally defined whether she died or not, and the
integrity of the
> doctrine of the Assumption would not be impaired if she did not
die, but the
> almost universal consensus is that she did in fact die.)
>
> Yet, around the world, in direct violation of scripture, Catholics
almost
> daily consult apparitions of Mary, who has actually been quite
dead for
> nearly 2000 years.
> To know this truth, (that Mary is dead) it is important to
understand
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