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God obviously will win the ultimate battle in the end. But do we not need to personally be concerned about fighting against the enemy?
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The enemy strengthens us and helps form Christ in us. Just as the gym helps build health and stamina.Is our spiritual battle won? Do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?
Christ is now given all power and domaine. What does the war in the spiritual realm really look like? We do get some indications of that from the Scripture. The vision of Joshua when God allowed him to see the angelic armies who were also engaged in this very real material battle. The message was: "You've already won the victory; now go take the land". The vision of the "Valley of dry bones". They came to life and they are an exceeding great army. That army is the household of God.
"...the spiritual battle is a real one. "....that victory was had."
1 Timothy 5:15 talks about how widows who have already turned aside after Satan. You cannot turn aside from Satan if you are already in his grip.
Why bother to tell us to stand against the schemes of the devil, if it was nothing we do not need to worry about? There are certain aspects of our armor we need to put on in order to stand against the enemy. It doesn't sound like we have automatic victory here. We have to put on the whole armor of GOD in order to stand (have victory) against the devil.
But the enemy can tempt believers and draw them away from the faith. They have to pass the test and or go through the trial of fire involving their faith. Every believer will face tests within their faith.
He had nowere to go but GOD, but he had free will to leave and stop serving GOD.
But the enemy tries to get a believer to follow their own dark path or lustful desires that would draw them away from GOD.
So no. The battle is not won.
So what you are saying is that someone can be translated out of the kingdom of Satan into the Kingdom of His dear son and then.... back into the kingdom of Satan?
Who's doing the "translated out of the kingdom of...."?
The battle is over; Christ won the victory. The kingdom of Satan is in ruin and we are invading that kingdom plucking the elect out of the rubble. That doesn't mean there still aren't mine buried in places and snipers who don't want to acknowledge the war is over. Thus the reason to remain armored. This will go on until Judgement Day.
Again, your perspective here depends on what you believe about redemption. If you believe you can lose your salvation, than maybe you need to study the Scriptures more; because he who's redemption is based on the action of their own will (as opposed to human will being a reaction to the work of God) will always fail!
Do we really have "free will"?
If you have become a "new creature in Christ" than where is this "dark path of lustful desires"? Believers still sin; but don't live a lifestyle of sin. The awakening caused by the Holy Ghost totally changes a person's perspective on the purpose of their life.
Then Christ is a liar because He says He now reigns; having all power and dominion.
Ephesians 1
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Colossians 1
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
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.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Jude
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Is our spiritual battle won? Do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?
One who is within the kingdom of Satan does not have the authority or power to order an action from someone in the kingdom of God; because that person has been translated out of the kingdom of Satan. Which is true regardless of whether or not that saint is dead or alive.
You said:Satan may desire and attempt to get a saint to do something; but he has no power or authority to cause that action.
You said:Colossians 1:13
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Now I'm assuming here, you would not disagree with this verse?
One of the references you quoted was the book of Job. Note though in the passage that you quoted; Who ultimately gave Satan the authority to bring to pass all the calamity that transpired upon Job's possessions?
Is our spiritual battle won? Do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?
While we do know from the story of Job, and with Peter that the enemy had to ask for permission to test their faith,
there is nothing said that God has not given a general permission to the enemy to tempt or lead away believers by false teachings or by sin.
New believers can fall away due to temptation by the enemy or by false teachings.
The thing is that Jesus said He would pray so that his faith may not fail. Now, why would Jesus need to pray this if Peter's victory was guaranteed?
I can imagine it. Jesus is sitting on the throne, and there is a long line of prayers coming his way, and He just says, "Yep, I got the victory." "Next." "Victory" "Victory." "Next." Hours later: "Wait, why am I even doing this?" "The victory is assured, there is no need for me to pray if the outcome is assured." “This is silly and it is a waste of my time.”
A one time event of becoming a living son does not guarantee a person remains as a saint or as a living son of God.
A son can also die.
In the parable of the prodigal son: We learn that when the son came home and he sought forgiveness with his father, we are told that the son was “dead” and he is “alive again.” So the son was dead spiritually when he was living in sin (i.e. when he was prodigal), and when he came back home to the father and sought his forgiveness, he became alive again spiritually.
Being a son guaranteed him nothing in the fact that he could not die spiritually and put out of his inheritance (i.e. to inherit the kingdom of God).
For Galatians 5:19-21 lists certain kinds of sins that we should not do and says that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
@The Righterzpen:
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5:8).
If things are as you say, this verse would say, “the victory is won, so there is no concern that we have to be sober and vigilant because the devil may be a roaring lion, but he cannot devour us.”
But this is not what the Bible says.
@The Righterzpen
Jesus said that he prayed so that Peter’s faith will not fail (See Luke 22:32).
You seem to think Jesus says something else.
Note: Jesus doesn't say "I will pray...". He said "I have prayed..." When and how long has that prayer happened / taken place?
The phrase "I have prayed" is "aorist indicative passive" voice. "Indicative" indicates something that happened in the past and "passive" voice is an action enacted upon one other than the subject of the verb. Which what this means "theologically" is that Jesus has been led (in the past - now how far back in the past / all eternity?) to pray for Peter. Praying for Peter was not a conscious thing Jesus "decided" to do "in that moment"; it was driven by a need Jesus intuitively knew was there.
Other places in Scripture say the victory is won. You can't base the entirety of your doctrine on one or two verses. This is the point of studying the entire Scripture.
Just because the devil walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour doesn't mean he isn't defeated.
Matter of fact; Revelation says the wrath of the devil is great because he knows he has a short time.
Revelation 12:12
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
How is this (my) "seeming to think Jesus said something else"? I didn't say anything about what Jesus "prayed for"; I just said that He did it "in the past tense".
If you look at what Jesus prayed for; it's kind of a generic prayer. I can't imagine that Peter is the only person Jesus has interceded for in such a manner.