To be delivered out of the authority of darkness is to be delivered from the Devil, who has the might of death (Heb. 2:14; John 17:15). We have been delivered from the Devil, Satan, by the death of Christ (Col. 2:15) and by the life of Christ in resurrection (John 5:24).
We have seen that the authority of darkness is the kingdom of Satan and that Satan himself is darkness. The kingdom of Satan is a system. Not everything in this system is evil. On the contrary, many things are good, or at least are considered good by society. Satan uses various things, both good and evil, to systematize people and to keep them in his system. For those who are fond of gambling, Satan uses gambling to systematize them. Therefore, in his kingdom there is a ministry, a department, of gambling. However, Satan realizes that others may appreciate knowledge. In order to systematize them, Satan has a department of knowledge in his kingdom. Most people condemn gambling, but hardly anyone condemns knowledge. If we encourage others to stay away from the evil aspects of Satan’s system, we shall be appreciated. Satan systematizes some people by luring them into practicing evil, but he systematizes others through their efforts to suppress evil.
Another department of the kingdom of Satan is the ministry of philosophy. After speaking of the authority of darkness, Paul goes on to mention ordinances, observances, philosophies, and the elements of the world, all of which are aspects of this satanic authority. Today a great many people are held under Satan’s control by philosophy. For this reason, it is often easier to bring a gambler to Christ than a person devoted to philosophy. In China we found it difficult to convert the followers of Confucius. Satan used the ethical teachings of Confucianism to systematize and to control large numbers of Chinese. Satan controlled them and kept them under his authority through ethical philosophy.
The Jews and the Moslems vigorously oppose the gospel of Christ. The Moslems are controlled not by evil things, but by the principles of Islam. In a sense, these principles are good; however, in another sense, they are dreadful.
Mormons, who are known to be honest, ethical, and moral in their daily living, also are controlled by seemingly good things. The Mormons not only refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages, but do not even drink coffee or tea. How strict and upright they seem to be! However, Mormonism is part of the authority of darkness, and the Mormons are held and controlled in darkness by Satan.
At the time of Paul, Judaism had become a major part of the authority of darkness. When Paul, a leading religionist in Judaism, was on the road to Damascus, he was fully under this authority. Then the Lord appeared to him and charged him to open the eyes of others so that they might turn from darkness to light. As a result of Paul’s confrontation with Christ, he was blinded temporarily. This blindness indicated that he was formerly among the blind. Now, having been brought to Christ, he must seek to turn others from darkness to light, from the authority of Satan unto God. Before Paul was saved, he was under the authority of Satan. The Jewish religion was the authority of darkness through which Paul was controlled.
If we would have the proper understanding of Colossians 1:13, we need to consider this verse in the context of the whole Epistle. Considering the book as a whole, we see that the authority of darkness includes the Jewish religion with its observances, especially circumcision; it also includes Gentile ordinances, philosophy, mysticism, and asceticism. Throughout the world today people are under darkness, just as they were when the book of Colossians was written. To be in darkness is simply to be without light. Every university and every social group is under the authority of darkness. Every aspect of society, including Christianity, is in darkness. Do not think that darkness is found only where there is evil. Paul was telling the Colossians that God had delivered them out from under the authority of darkness, that is, out from legalities, ordinances, practices, asceticism, mysticism, and philosophy. Although these include the highest products of culture, they are nonetheless the authority of darkness by which Satan controls people.
We need to ask ourselves how much we are still under the authority of darkness. We may talk a lot about living Christ, but how much do we really live by Him? In our daily lives, many of us are still under some aspect of the satanic authority of darkness. Unconsciously, subconsciously, and spontaneously we live according to the self, not according to Christ. How much of each day do you live in the spirit and walk according to the spirit? How much time do you still live and walk in the self? Whenever we live in the self, we are under the control of the authority of darkness and are systematized by Satan. We are under Satan’s control whenever we are in the natural man or live according to the self. Because of this satanic control, many have the sense that they are in darkness, that they have no light. The reason they are under darkness is that they are still controlled in some way by the authority of darkness. All of mankind, religious and nonreligious ones alike, are in darkness. In this darkness Satan’s authority is exercised in various ways to systematize people and to control them.
Satan has many ways to control Christians. New ones who visit our meetings may be under the authority of darkness, especially the darkness of doctrine and of doctrinal understanding. Most Christians are under some form of doctrinal control. They are not aware that this control is the authority of darkness.
Others are under the authority of darkness because they live according to some natural virtue. They may be kind or humble in a natural way. However, even through virtues such as these, Satan may control us and hold us under the authority of darkness. Some do not receive light because they are under the darkness of their natural virtue. Every natural virtue is an aspect of the authority of darkness.
Many saints are controlled by their disposition, either by a quick disposition or by a slow one. Whatever our disposition may be, Satan can use it to control us.
When you read this word about the scope of the authority of darkness and about all the ways Satan uses to keep us in darkness and to control us, you may wonder how we should live. It may seem that we have no way to go on. Whatever we are, whatever we do, whatever we think, and whatever we say—all is under the authority of darkness. This is our actual situation. The only thing we can do is go to the cross and allow the cross to deal with every aspect of the satanic authority of darkness. The cross is our unique way. We also must believe Paul’s word in 1:13. We have already been delivered out of the authority of darkness.