The Great Controversy according to Young Goodman Brown

In our own Christian struggles, people tend to believe that it is simple as good evil. People don't realize however that in this fight, the Devil can infiltrate a seemingly normal, Christian Human Being, but it's true. Better yet, in our own walk with God the Devil lurks near to test what might look like a strong relationship with Christ. As shown in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown," even a grounded, sincere Christian can have his or her faith tested.

Hawthorne's story refers to Brown's travel companion as 'the serpent,'; and though the story is allegory based the story itself raises an age old battle that is being fought to this day, the great controversy. The Great Controversy as it is formally known as, is the fight between good and evil…Michael and Lucifer. On the issue at hand Ellen White says 'The great controversy between Christ and Satan, that has been carried forward for nearly six thousand years, is soon to close; and the wicked one redoubles his efforts to defeat the work of Christ in man's behalf and to fasten souls in his snares. To hold the people in darkness and impenitence till the Saviour's mediation is ended, and there is no longer a sacrifice for sin, is the object which he seeks to accomplish.'; Within this fight, man, sinful in nature is in the middle of it. According to the Story Young Goodman Brown, Brown left faith or his faith to walk with the serpent, or the devil. He was so deep-rooted in his faith but disregarded it to walk with the devil. All throughout the walk the devil tried to test his faith by showing him harsh realities and telling Young Goodman Brown about his past and the negatives about his family's heritage. That is just one of the traps of the devil, more so the one of the greatest tests of faith can be the existence of evil spirits.

Ellen White says in her book The Great Controversy, 'There is a growing tendency to disbelief in the existence of evil spirits, while the holy angels that "minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14) are regarded by many as spirits of the dead. But the Scriptures not only teach the existence of angels, both good and evil, but present unquestionable proof that these are not disembodied spirits of dead men.';(White 111) In the story the devil used his evil minions to deceive Young Goodman Brown and to make it appear that the people that appear to be good and upstanding Christians aren't.