Yes—Satan uses religious people as an instrument to suppress the truth, often through people who are religiously sincere but who reject God's message.
When the religious leaders in Acts confronted Peter and John, they asked by what power or name they had done the miracle, and then they put the apostles in prison. Les Feldick teaches that religious people do not want the truth, that religionists hate the truth and deal with enemies by killing them, and that Satan has blinded the minds of those who believe not. Religious sincerity alone does not prevent someone from becoming an instrument of Satan.
2 Corinthians 4:4 — This identifies the satanic blindness that keeps religious people from seeing the light of the gospel.
Acts 5:33 — It shows the religious leaders responding to the truth by taking counsel to slay the apostles.
Ephesians 6:12 — It reveals that the real conflict is not against human opponents but against satanic spiritual rulers in high places.
The Bible says the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them (2 Corinthians 4:4). In Acts 5, when the religious leaders heard the apostles' testimony, they were cut to the heart and took counsel to slay them (Acts 5:33). The warfare is not merely physical: we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). Scripture also makes clear there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
Les teaches that religious people do not want the truth; they want their religion and tell truth-bearers 'leave me alone.' Religionists hate the truth and have only one way to deal with enemies—kill them. He emphasizes that Scripture never uses the term 'religion' in a good way. The rulers who opposed the apostles were Israel's religious leaders, the priests. Behind them is satanic influence: Satan can transform himself into an angel of light, and spiritual rulers in high places can come under his influence. The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, and only God can remove that blindness. Even sincere followers of cult leaders are not saved, because there is no other name under heaven. Most world conflicts have been precipitated by religionists, and a religious system can be satanic; just because something is religious does not mean it is godly.
When Peter and John healed the lame man, the religious rulers demanded, 'By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?' (Acts 4:7). Les points out that these rulers were Israel's religious leaders—the priests. Instead of accepting the truth, they were filled with indignation, laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. Les says religionists hate the truth and only know one way to deal with their enemies: kill them. The biblical record shows that when they heard the apostles' words, they were cut to the heart and took counsel to slay them.
Les acknowledges that there are good, sincere folk following a cult leader, Buddha, or Muhammad, but they are still lost because there is no other name under heaven. Religious people are comfortable in their religion and do not want to be troubled by the truth. Satan can transform himself into an angel of light, and spiritual rulers in high places have come under satanic influence. The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who believe not, and only God can take away that satanically inspired blindness. Therefore, sincerity and religiosity do not prevent a person from being a satanic instrument.
Les says this book never uses the term 'religion' in a good way; religion is a bad word according to Scripture. He points out that most world conflicts, including the situation in Yugoslavia, are basically religious. When a great religious system comes on the scene, it will be satanic, and just because something is a religion does not mean it is godly. Religionists try to force others out of their area or under their thumb, which is how Satan uses religious people to hinder truth.
Only One Name Saves
Les shows that many sincere religious people follow Buddha or Muhammad, but there is no other name under heaven among men whereby we must be saved—sincerity does not make another way valid.
Religious People Reject the Truth
Les explains that religious people are upset by the truth because they don't want it; they are comfortable in their religion and tell believers to leave them alone, which is how religion resists the gospel.
Religionists Hate the Truth
Les teaches that the religious leaders, when cut to the heart, only knew one way to deal with their enemies—kill them—and that religion is never used in a good way in Scripture.
Religious Conflict Is Satanic
Les observes that most world conflicts, including Yugoslavia, are precipitated by religionists, and that a religious system can be satanic—religion does not mean godly.
Rulers Were the Religious Leaders
Les emphasizes that the rulers Peter addressed were not political rulers but Israel's religious leaders, the priests, showing that religious authorities were the ones interrogating the apostles.
Satanic Influence in High Spiritual Places
Les ties the opposition to spiritual rulers in high places who have come under satanic influence, noting that Satan can transform himself into an angel of light.
Satan Blinds the Minds of Unbelievers
Les explains that the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, and believers must pray for God to remove satanically inspired blindness.
Why Did Jesus Only Go to Israel? Matthew 10:5-6 Explained
Satan does, and all you have to do is look back at history, and how Satan has constantly fought God�s dealing with the nation of Israel. Everything that comes about in the nation of Israel, in their unbelief, in their attacks from the Gentile world, anything that comes about, Satan does.
Acts 4:7: And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
This shows the religious rulers' interrogation focusing on the source or authority of the apostles' miraculous work.
Acts 4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Peter's declaration that salvation is only in Jesus stands behind the religious leaders' attempts to silence that name.
Acts 5:33: When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
The religious leaders' response to the truth was murderous intent, showing how opposition to the gospel escalates.
2 Corinthians 4:4: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
This is the satanic spiritual mechanism behind unbelief: the god of this world blinds minds to the light of the gospel.
Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
The battle is not primarily against human opponents but against satanic rulers in high places, which can include spiritual and religious authorities.
Les says nothing upsets religious people more than to hear the truth because they don't want the truth; they want their religion. They are comfortable and say 'leave me alone.' This is why religious people often refuse to listen when believers try to share the gospel.
No. Les acknowledges there are many good, sincere folk following a cult leader, Buddha, or Muhammad, but there is only one name under heaven whereby we must be saved. Satan can transform himself into an angel of light and influence sincere religious leaders, so sincerity is no safeguard.
Satan uses religionists who hate the truth and deal with enemies by trying to kill them, who precipitate conflicts such as those in Yugoslavia, and who are spiritually blinded so the light of the gospel cannot shine. Religion itself can be satanic; just because it is religious does not mean it is godly.
Watch the Teaching: Acts 4 Explained: The Only Name That Can Save You