For this series, we have invited our brother, Drew Grumbles, to provide a response to a contemporary challenge in the field of biblical studies. Drew is a pastor of a confessional Reformed Baptist church and Old Testament scholar (he received his PhD in Old Testament from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary). While we grant the polemical nature of the subject, we have found the tone in the articles to follow is even and clear. The series will run to approximately nine (9) articles, published sequentially on Tuesdays and Fridays. We do not intend to enter an unending back-and-forth on this issue, but find that the articles stand for themselves as a clear answer to a modern exegetical problem. We pray that you are edified by them as you seek to confess that there is but one only, the living and true God (BC 8/WSC 5).
Writing to an early Christian church, James affirmed belief in one God, saying, “You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe and shudder!” (James 2:19) In his biting prosecution against his interlocutors, James brought in the demons as his witness. Even they believe that God is one! Yet today some maintain that the demons understand themselves to be gods. That is, some propose that other gods exist, namely demons (evil angels) and good angels, who are, according to them, to properly be considered gods. For brevity’s sake I will call this the “other gods” view, as this view propounds that other beings besides YHWH are “real gods.” Though influenced by the views of the popular late scholar Michael S. Heiser, this perspective raises special concern because it is now bandied about in the Reformed community. Jon Moffitt, pastor of a church and Board Member of a network which holds to the Second London Confession, and co-host of the popular YouTube channel Theocast, now hosts a YouTube Channel and a group called the Reformed Fringe. Moffitt also writes articles on the subject, and my articles will be interacting with these. Moffitt asserts unequivocally that “the ‘gods’ are real”[1] and that Reformed confessions do not reject the existence of other gods.[2] But should we say that other gods ontologically exist? Such a claim is at best confusing, and at worst a denial of the core belief in YHWH as the one God. Therefore, clarity on this subject is vital to our Christian faith. In a series of forthcoming articles, I seek to look exegetically and theologically at the question, “Do other gods exist?”
Clarifying the Question
I contend in this series of articles that other gods do not exist. That is, spiritual beings (good and evil angels) are not properly gods, but are “so-called gods” (1 Cor 8:5).[3] I have adopted the nomenclature of “proper” to clarify the claim under dispute. The modifier “proper” relates the truth that Scripture does at times attribute the term “god” to spiritual beings. Angels are analogically called gods. One cannot doubt this fact from a mere cursory reading of Scripture. However, this does not mean that the beings are “properly” (or actually) gods. By nature they are not gods (Gal 4:8). As an analogy, we can say that Scripture attributes an arm to God. But it is common for theologians to say that “properly” God is not made of body parts. In colloquial terms, people use the word “technically.” We can say that, though these beings are called gods sometimes, “technically” they are not gods.
To further clarify the point under debate, in the remainder of this article I will examine what I and the “other gods” view do not disagree about.
First, repeatedly Moffitt raises the concern that the modern church does not take seriously enough the power of spiritual forces in our lives. He writes, “Many conservative Christians acknowledge the existence of Satan and demons to some degree. However, the perceived danger they pose to their lives seems minimal, requiring little effort to stay protected.”[4]Moffitt wishes to heighten our awareness of forces seeking to devour God’s children. His desire is rightly placed. Western culture tends to de-supernaturalize the world, and we must see the spiritual warfare the way the Bible presents it. The denial of other gods’ existence should not diminish the truth that supernatural forces work powerfully in the world. Indeed, the prince of the power of the air is now at work among the sons of disobedience (Eph 2:2).
Moffitt seems to take his argument a step beyond merely asserting the reality of spiritual beings. In a later article he holds that it is crucial for us to understand that these beings are gods. After arguing that “the ‘gods’ are real,” he concludes,
We must let scripture shape our understanding of the world around us. For too long, modern Christians have read their Bibles with blurred vision, unable to fully grasp the picture of what God has revealed to us. Our world is filled with powerful beings that both serve us (Heb 1:14) and seek to destroy us (Eph 6:12). In this article, my goal is to open your eyes to recognize all the players in the spiritual battle. The beings we wrestle against in Ephesians 6:12 are not mystical or mythical; they are real. . . . [W]e have failed to see the world from God’s perspective. These spiritual beings appear frequently throughout Scripture, and once you recognize them, you can’t unsee them. They help us experience the story of Jesus with greater depth and power. We will grow to love and appreciate our King even more when we allow all of Scripture to inform our understanding of the story of redemption.[5]
Moffitt is intent on saying that these beings are “real gods.” He seems, therefore, to imply that if we do not consider these beings gods, we deny their true existence, or at the very least underestimate their power. In his words, if we do not hold to his view, our vision is blurred and we do not see all the players in the spiritual battle. In another article he says, “Critics contend that recognizing the ‘gods’ as real, created beings with power contradicts Reformed confessions . . . They assert this is heresy, it leans towards anti-trinitarianism, and they deny that these gods are actual entities.”[6] On face value, Moffitt appears to be claiming the actual existence of other gods. In response, we want again to certainly affirm that spiritual forces (angels and demons) are real and active. Angels and demons are “real, created beings” and “actual entities.” However, coming to this conclusion does not require us to recognize that these beings are gods. If Moffitt means that angels & demons are “real gods,” we must deny this claim.
Next, I do not dispute that real beings lie behind false gods and idols. Moffitt addresses those who claim that the term “gods” refers merely to “. . . graven images, idols, or mythical beings conjured up by pagan nations.”[7] In a more recent article, he writes, “Modern Christians often assume that monotheism means, by definition, that no other spiritual beings can exist at all.”[8] In other words, he argues against those who claim these beings (whatever you call them) are merely fictional. I, at least, do not hold the position that “gods” refers to fictional beings. While the metal or wooden object called an idol is “nothing” and powerless (Isa 44:9–11; 1 Cor 8:4), behind the idol is some being falsely worshiped as a god. These false gods—false because they are not truly gods, though the pagans reckon them so—are best understood to be demons and devils who deceive and enslave. Thus, my argument is not that “false gods” do not exist, but that these so-called “false gods” are spiritual beings which people falsely attribute to be gods.
Moreover, the “other gods” view makes much of a divine council. Because the classic texts like Job 1:6 and Psalm 82 use the word elohim in regards to an assembly before YHWH, the concept of a divine council is closely linked with the view that other gods exist. This series will not address the divine council in detail. Various positions can be taken on this question within the realm of orthodoxy. While God has all knowledge and sovereignly decrees whatsoever comes to pass, Scripture does describe some kind of assembly of heavenly beings in the presence of God (Job 1:6; Isaiah 6:2). This series will not concern itself with how an angelic assembly functions in relation to the execution of God’s decree. I simply say here that one can hold to a divine “council” of spiritual beings (angels) while rejecting the existence of other gods.
Finally, we are not debating here the truth that YHWH is the Most High God, the uncreated Creator of all things, including all other spiritual beings. Even those who wish to say that other gods exist also wish to affirm the absolute uniqueness of the Sovereign Lord, YHWH, the Triune God. Moffitt claims the Second London Confession, which attests that, “The Lord our God is but one only living and true God . . .”[9] For the “other gods” view, this means that other gods exist, yet only YHWH fulfills the two criteria of being both living (uncreated) and true.[10] I believe that the “other gods” view misunderstands the Confession on this point, as I will show later. However, we can celebrate that its proponents affirm YHWH as the uncreated Sovereign.
Conclusion
Sun Tzu famously said, “Know your enemy.” However, Sun Tzu went on to propose that to win a battle one must know his enemy and himself (the one fighting).[11] We have seen that the “other gods” view wishes for us to take seriously the reality of the enemy, a desire we should affirm. However, the claim that these beings are gods blurs the distinction between them and YHWH. Such imprecision leads to knowing neither the enemy rightly nor the Lord who fights for us. To successfully defeat our enemy, we must understand the power and the limits of these so-called gods. We also need to know the uniqueness of the God who fights for us. Our victory is certain because only he can rightfully say, “I am YHWH, and there is no other. Besides me there is no god [elohim]” (Isa 45:5).
Having now clarified areas of agreement and disagreement, we should aim for the root of the matter. The specific question to address is, “Do other gods actually exist?” In the next articles, then, I will exegetically examine the Scriptural affirmations in both Old and New Testaments that only one God (elohim/theos) exists. In a later article, I will explore the texts that mention the existence of other elohim/theoi and how they are to be understood. Then, I will address the theological understanding of our creed that only one God exists, including a look at what our doctrinal standards claim.
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[1] https://www.jonmoffitt.com/post/why-the-gods-are-real-and-why-it-matters-part
[2] https://www.jonmoffitt.com/post/do-reformed-confessions-reject-the-other-gods-part-one
[3] Francis Turretin, Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Vol. I, trans. George M. Giger, ed. James T. Dennison, Jr. (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 1992), 181, writes, “The question is not whether there are many Gods so called . . . . Rather the question is whether there are more than one in reality and as to essence. The question is not whether there are more participatively and improperly (for we confess that in this sense even angels and magistrates are often called ‘gods’ in the Scriptures . . . . Rather the question is whether there are more properly and originally (which we deny).”
[4] https://www.jonmoffitt.com/post/reading-with-spiritual-eyes-divine-council-part-1
[5] https://www.jonmoffitt.com/post/why-the-gods-are-real-and-why-it-matters-part
[6] https://www.jonmoffitt.com/post/do-reformed-confessions-reject-the-other-gods-part-one
[7] See also where Moffitt says, “Modern Christianity has three categories of spiritual beings that play a part in the divine story of redemption: God, angels, and demons. We often place lowercase ‘gods’ in the fictional category because our teachings have led us to believe that these are mere graven images, idols, or mythical beings conjured up by pagan nations” (https://www.jonmoffitt.com/post/why-the-gods-are-real-and-why-it-matters-part). Here Moffitt is clear that believing in angels and demons is not sufficient. We must also believe “gods” exist.
[8] https://www.jonmoffitt.com/post/the-many-faces-of-monotheism
[9] Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1677), Chapter 2, Paragraph 1.
[10] How they understand the descriptor “true” is unclear, since they also consider these “false gods” to actually exist as gods. Is YHWH, for them, the true god because he alone is sovereign and worthy of worship?
[11] Sun Tzu, The Art of War, III.18.