God is in Control?

OldWiseGuy said:

We're waiting for Satan to be deposed as ruler of this age. Christ is next in line for the job.

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Do you believe it is acceptable to speak of The Lord Jesus Christ as...."next in line for the job"?

I don't think Satan is in charge. He can influence. He can lie and persuade and tempt and accuse and disturb and compete for followers, but he is not in charge.

section9+1 said:

I don't think Satan is in charge. He can influence. He can lie and persuade and tempt and accuse and disturb and compete for followers, but he is not in charge.

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Relatively, he is in charge of all society. Remember society is pernicious, children of disobedience. (all society)

Only a few escape the devil's power. Most stay on the wide road to destruction.

ICONO'CLAST said:

Do you believe it is acceptable to speak of The Lord Jesus Christ as...."next in line for the job"?

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Hmmm...... if He is not next in line, who is ?

Darren Brown said:

• Hey everybody, the pastor at my church said something interesting yesterday, He said we often pray God is in control, which I have done myself, but there is no where in the Bible does that says God is in control of this world. He said that actually the devil is in control down here. He quoted "I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me." John 14:30 and " Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out." John 12:31. Just wondering your thoughts. Wondering if you guys agree and if not is there anywhere in the Bible that says God is in control of the world? Thanks.

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Hello Darren,

There was once a time when God granted some of the angels authority over us. But those days ended when Jesus rose from the grave and announced "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me". Jesus is now ruler over everything, both in this realm and in the next one. And that's a comforting thought because he's walked in our shoes and sympathizes with our weaknesses.

God doesn't control us, or the angels, as if we were robots. He created us all as free-will beings because he didn't want a family of automatons. So we, as does the devil, have some degree of freedom over what we do. But only as much as God decides to give. In the beginning of Job you can read how Satan could do only what God permitted him to do. Satan was forced to ask God's permission. So, who's in control?

Hope this helps.

Darren Brown said:

• Hey everybody, the pastor at my church said something interesting yesterday, He said we often pray God is in control, which I have done myself, but there is no where in the Bible does that says God is in control of this world. He said that actually the devil is in control down here. He quoted "I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me." John 14:30 and " Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out." John 12:31. Just wondering your thoughts. Wondering if you guys agree and if not is there anywhere in the Bible that says God is in control of the world? Thanks.

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Read Job 1 and 2. Notice how God and Satan talk about Job. God only lets Satan afflict Job so far. At first, he allows him to take away Job's possessions and family. Then, he allows him to take away his health but not his life--all as tests for Job's faith. The main lesson of the book is that "faith endures." However, Satan is under God's control so that believers can grow to be more like him.

Yeah.. if GOD has everything under control He really has things messed up. But as with everything He will get all the GLORY! All will turn out for His glory

Heart2Soul said:

You are too hung up on the word control. The Bible says He created everything and does the created rule over the creator? If you dont understand the Sovereignty/Authority that God alone has then you are ignorant of who and what He is. He gave Satan his power, Satan didn't get it for himself. God created good and evil for His purpose. Satan has no choice but to fulfill his destiny. Does that make God evil? Not at all...but evil can only manifest it's power through man's free will to choose to give in to his temptations. Satan cannot manifest any power except through man. His only power is to tempt mankind into committing sins against God's Commandments. Even Christians have authority over Satan and his demons through Christ.

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Its written as God was talking to Satan "sin was found IN you". God had nothing what so ever to do with it. God can not do evil.. has nothing what so ever to do with it. It never came from Him. Adam and Eve had a free choice. Even this GOD that knows all was asking "where are you, who told you, have you eat of the tree I told you not to?".. yeah.. God must have been just testing them. Same with Job when Satan shows up and God has to ask "where ya coming from". Anyway..

if we keep reading when Satan was tempting Jesus he said "this was given/handed to me and I can give it to anyone I want". Jesus said.. Satan is the god of this world. When they took Jesus.. He said "if this was my kingdom my servants would fight". And the NT talks about more of WHO the god of this world was. Everything created USE to answer to us. Because GOD gave it made it for us. We hand this over to Satan because of lie. This is still happening today. That simple tiny little lie can open a door give Satan the right to do things in our life. And GOD does not control Satan.. we know from the word there are fallen angels in chains because they will NOT listen to God.

God and I am sorry has no puppets. Every angel and all the other creations in heaven we know not of.. have a free choice.

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshiped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Blessings

Blade said:

ISame with Job when Satan shows up and God has to ask "where ya coming from". Anyway..

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The OT view of Satan is different than the modern view. The NT shows some of each. In Job, Satan is God's prosecuting attorney. It's his job to test people.

if we keep reading when Satan was tempting Jesus he said "this was given/handed to me and I can give it to anyone I want".

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Why would anyone assume that Satan is telling the truth here?

When they took Jesus.. He said "if this was my kingdom my servants would fight".

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Via Crucis already explained that "the world" is often used to describe a world order that is contrary to God, not the actual world. Furthermore, the actual quote is

"My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”"

Note, "from". Jesus' kingdom is from God, not from the world, the Roman world-order.

And the NT talks about more of WHO the god of this world was.

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This looks like a quote from 2 Cor 4:4. Again, Paul is using "world" in a restricted sense. After all, what he's claiming is that Christ is Lord, which means he is the true ruler of the world.

Darren Brown said:

• Hey everybody, the pastor at my church said something interesting yesterday, He said we often pray God is in control, which I have done myself, but there is no where in the Bible does that says God is in control of this world. He said that actually the devil is in control down here. He quoted "I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me." John 14:30 and " Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out." John 12:31. Just wondering your thoughts. Wondering if you guys agree and if not is there anywhere in the Bible that says God is in control of the world? Thanks.

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Nothing in creation, which includes everything except the Creator, happens unless God causes or permits it.

Darren Brown said:

• Hey everybody, the pastor at my church said something interesting yesterday, He said we often pray God is in control, which I have done myself, but there is no where in the Bible does that says God is in control of this world. He said that actually the devil is in control down here. He quoted "I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me." John 14:30 and " Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out." John 12:31. Just wondering your thoughts. Wondering if you guys agree and if not is there anywhere in the Bible that says God is in control of the world? Thanks.

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God is powerful, omnipotent and healing. For the long run, it is better to seek God than illicit gains. I read Acts about how God instructed a Gentile centurion to send for Peter who was staying with Simon the tanner by the sea in Joppa. God instructed Peter to not fear eating food that was not Kosher, nor refuse to associate with Gentiles, but to go with the men who were arriving. Peter met them as they arrived and went with them to Caesarea with some of his disciples. He preached the Gospel and people in the house of Cornelius received the Holy Spirit allowing God to pray to them too. God can not control those who refuse God’s advice.

The prophets are full of warnings about what God will do, if Israel doesn't mend its ways. The implication of that is that God is in control of events.

Darren Brown said:

Hey everybody, the pastor at my church said something interesting yesterday, He said we often pray God is in control, which I have done myself, but there is no where in the Bible does that says God is in control of this world.

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Colossians 1:16-17
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Daniel 4:35
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"

Psalm 97:9
9 For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

Psalm 24:1-2
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.

1 Chronicles 29:11
11 Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. ...

Psalms 135:6
6 The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths.

The pastor you were listening to sounds like he needs to study his Bible a whole lot more than he is. I would be very wary of sitting under the preaching of someone who is so unfamiliar with God's word.

Darren Brown said:

• Hey everybody, the pastor at my church said something interesting yesterday, He said we often pray God is in control, which I have done myself, but there is no where in the Bible does that says God is in control of this world. He said that actually the devil is in control down here. He quoted "I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me." John 14:30 and " Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out." John 12:31. Just wondering your thoughts. Wondering if you guys agree and if not is there anywhere in the Bible that says God is in control of the world? Thanks.

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Romans 6:20
When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.
1 John 5:19
We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose
Ephesians 1:9
he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ
Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose
Satan is controlled by God. He has to ask permission.
Also there is reap what one sow and God shows no favoritism.
God rains on the just and the unjust.
God draws and Jesus chooses who he reveals the Father to.
God hardened Pharoahs heart.
God chose David as king etc.
Jesus... everything that is made is for him, by him and through him.
Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lord's!
Faith is a gift not a choice.
God bless

Godwhispers said:

Faith is a gift not a choice.

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Or a gift, and a choice.

renniks said:

Is God controlling Satan's actions? Not according to the Bible. God says it never entered his mind that his people would sacrifice their kids to idols. Jesus said Satan is prince of this world. Really, man gave Satan rule, God only allowed free choices. Allowed and caused are very difference. Allow and control are worlds apart.

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Amen.
We are in a war, we win some battles and lose some. In the midst of which we learn to walk by faith and power, just like David the shepherd boy did.
Even Paul was not always successful in what he set out to do.-
1Thes2v18Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
If God is in control of everything, why didn't he just slap Satan out of Paul's way so he could carry on with the mission?

Darren Brown said:

maybe God had something better for Paul to do. Somewhere to go where God would get more glory

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You are making things up. If that was the case, Paul would have said so.

Obviously Paul did not sit in a sulk when Satan prevented his journey, but got on with other things, but not what he felt was God's intention for him.