Christianity without Satan?

dqhall said:

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
The light shined in the darkness and the darkness did not perceive it.

If you trust in dishonest and murderous people, you might not receive salvation. If you believe Satan rather than God, some will depart from you.

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He is just saying he believes that Satan is real as the Bible states.

nopq said:

I believe in Satan/The Devil (but not as a red dude with horns etc.)

But many Christians don’t, even though he’s clearly in the bible

But can Christianity work (i.e. make sense) without the concept of The Devil?

I say it can’t

Light without darkness makes no sense

Does anyone here think Christianity can work without The Devil?

I say: Just because you don't like the idea of The Devil doesn't make it untrue!

Allow me to share a story:

Before I became Christian I attended a Unitarian chapel

I mentioned to the minister there that I believed in Satan

And he went and contacted my mother, telling her he was worried because I believed in Satan

How outrageous is that!

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Sounds like possibly he misunderstood what you meant .... you believe satan exists (ok, yes he does) .... not that you believe in satans ways ... If in fact this IS what you meant. If you believe it's ok to follow satans ways ... then I understand why he talked with your mother.

eleos1954 said:

Sounds like possibly he misunderstood what you meant .... you believe satan exists (ok, yes he does) .... not that you believe in satans ways ... If in fact this IS what you meant. If you believe it's ok to follow satans ways ... then I understand why he talked with your mother.

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I can see it now....... I walk to the front of the church and yell " I believe!!!" The crowd goes wild.......until I finish with " in Satan!" Usher escorts me through the church doors with a nice boot mark on my pants.

But it is nice to see there are some here who would welcome this.

RaymondG said:

I can see it now....... I walk to the front of the church and yell " I believe!!!" The crowd goes wild.......until I finish with " in Satan!" Usher escorts me through the church doors with a nice boot mark on my pants.

But it is nice to see there are some here who would welcome this.

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Ridiculous analogy ... not even comical

eleos1954 said:

Ridiculous analogy ... not even comical

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I find it equally ridiculous and not funny

nopq said:

As a person who was a Unitarian for around six years I'm pretty sure that if someone turned up to the church I went to and proclaimed themselves a Satanist that they'd be tolerated and maybe even welcomed

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This doesn't surprise me, as we live in a time where men call good evil and evil good. However there are many who just do not know they are on a wrong path. Many who server Satan while believing their Father is the Living God.

We must pray that truth comes to all when they are able to bear it.

nopq said:

Oh no!

I don't believe in Satan's ways - I am very much opposed to him!

If I remember correctly I vowed to explicitly shun him when I got confirmed earlier this year (in a Christian church)

But I believe he exists, and I believe the bible says he does too

As I said before, he was worried about my mental health

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well ... perhaps you should chat with him ... because I think he misunderstood ... about the satan thing anyways ... we all know satan exists ;o)

nopq said:

Oh no!

I don't believe in Satan's ways - I am very much opposed to him!

If I remember correctly I vowed to explicitly shun him when I got confirmed earlier this year (in a Christian church)

But I believe he exists, and I believe the bible says he does too

As I said before, he was worried about my mental health

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Its ok to talk about our enemies. The bible says not to be ignorant of the enemies tactics or something like that.

nopq said:

I believe in Satan/The Devil (but not as a red dude with horns etc.)

But many Christians don’t, even though he’s clearly in the bible

But can Christianity work (i.e. make sense) without the concept of The Devil?

I say it can’t

Light without darkness makes no sense

Does anyone here think Christianity can work without The Devil?

I say: Just because you don't like the idea of The Devil doesn't make it untrue!

Allow me to share a story:

Before I became Christian I attended a Unitarian chapel

I mentioned to the minister there that I believed in Satan

And he went and contacted my mother, telling her he was worried because I believed in Satan

How outrageous is that!

Click to expand...

It is very very important to know that satan is very very real in existence.

Satan is the very one who want us to think that he doesn't exist!

nopq said:

Does anyone here think Christianity can work without The Devil?

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Adam and Eve gave Satan, through his deception, the "in" to humanity. They both walked with the Lord prior to the fall. The work on the cross through Jesus Christ of Nazareth was for the restoration of the relationship once lost through disobedience by Adam and Eve. The Holy Spirit was restored to those who believe in Jesus Christ of Nazareth. God created the devil for one reason, to test our Love for Him. Satan seems to play a part in God's plan for the human condition from the beginning and until the end.
Be blessed.

Not to believe in Satan is an extremely dangerous position, one Satan prefers us to have. You don't defend yourself against an enemy you don't believe exists.

PaulCyp1 said:

Not to believe in Satan is an extremely dangerous position, one Satan prefers us to have. You don't defend yourself against an enemy you don't believe exists.

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And to not believe in Satan is not believing God's word.

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:

Don't fall for the Heresy of Universalism. It was officially condemned at The Fifth Ecumenical Council (Second Council of Constantinople) in 553 A.D.

CHURCH FATHERS: Second Council of Constantinople (A.D. 553)


• Second Council of Constantinople

Session I - Extracts from the Acts


The Anathemas of the Emperor Justinian Against Origen
_____________________________________________________

9.

If anyone says or thinks that the punishment of demons and of impious men is only temporary, and will one day have an end, and that a restoration (ἀποκατάστασις) will take place of demons and of impious men, let him be anathema.

Anathema to Origen and to that Adamantius, who set forth these opinions together with his nefarious and execrable and wicked doctrine and to whomsoever there is who thinks thus, or defends these opinions, or in any way hereafter at any time shall presume to protect them.


.

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Come on brother we've been through this before, the only remotely relevant Justinian anathemas against universalism that gained Conciliar ratification were those regarding 'souls only' restoration. The Nicene Creed leaves universalism open, and in fact the Cappadochians and other eminent Church fathers were avowed universalists.

It wasn't an issue until Jerome and Augustine with their latin mistranslations and Romish outlook. We know Justinian's anathemas were politically motivated, without the full support of even the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] 5th Council, as many including even the Pope refused to attend. In fact, Origen's contribution to theology was arguably greater than that of Augustine.

So please refrain from promoting the monstrous fable that universalism is a formal heresy. Who needs salvation more than the devil, after all?

Pedra said:

He is just saying he believes that Satan is real as the Bible states.

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If you tell people you believe in Satan, they might not understand you.

KateforChrist said:

And to not believe in Satan is not believing God's word.

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Where, in God's word, does it state to believe in Satan?

johnnywong said:

It is very very important to know that satan is very very real in existence.

Satan is the very one who want us to think that he doesn't exist!

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Actually it would be more beneficial to believe in him, and attach his likeness and form, to something other than he is........Only then, can our father be the Devil.......when we think our Father is the living God. Nay, not believing in him at all, would be preferred to believing in a self created image.

PaulCyp1 said:

Not to believe in Satan is an extremely dangerous position, one Satan prefers us to have. You don't defend yourself against an enemy you don't believe exists.

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Lets say, I dont believe in your image of Satan, and you do believe in it. Beside the satisfaction and praise you may receive from being a part of a large, likeminded group....What other benefits would you receiving from believing in the image of Satan?

nopq said:

I believe in Satan/The Devil (but not as a red dude with horns etc.)

But many Christians don’t, even though he’s clearly in the bible

But can Christianity work (i.e. make sense) without the concept of The Devil?

I say it can’t

Light without darkness makes no sense

Does anyone here think Christianity can work without The Devil?

I say: Just because you don't like the idea of The Devil doesn't make it untrue!

Allow me to share a story:

Before I became Christian I attended a Unitarian chapel

I mentioned to the minister there that I believed in Satan

And he went and contacted my mother, telling her he was worried because I believed in Satan

How outrageous is that!

Click to expand...

I would be very skeptical about any minister who is worried about a person who is believing in the word or God. There are many denominations out there that only consider some of the scriptures. You’ll never get the full true message unless you embrace all scripture.