Biblical Evils of Satan

[yajyu]

I'm glad. so did my posts help any?

 

[PRMan]

Here's something to consider. Let's say that Lucifer didn't know what would happen to him when he challenged God. He just didn't want to serve. OK, fair enough. In that case, he is only affecting himself (and 1/3 of the angels, but they also made a decision) when he finds out that he is going to hell (lake of fire), where he finds out he is eventually in for eternal punishment.

OK, now that he knows, he decides to stab his friend Eve in the back by deceiving her and causing her to be doomed to eternal punishment as well, in effect, "killing" an immortal, since she apparently was not subject to death at that time. Is that evil?

If that's not enough, he also doomed all her offspring (us) to hell as well. In effect, he wiped out billions. Not only the whole world but everyone from every nation in every era of history. Is that evil?

Then God came to earth as a man. Satan must have known something was up because God hadn't done that since the Garden of Eden days. He figured he would try to tempt Jesus into turning his back on God, thereby nullifying any plan God might have to save mankind (which in somewhat general terms had already been prophesied by several of the prophets). So in effect, after killing everyone, he is also trying to prevent Christ from raising them from the dead. Is that evil?

I don't know anyone in recorded history MORE EVIL than Satan.

 

[Rafael]

Sympathy for the devil is not new, as he will present himself to us as a messenger of light - even as a false prophet. In reality, he is proud and selfish.

2 Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

The basic sin of pride can grow and be transformed into hatreds and jealousies of all kinds. This, too, was one of satan's.

1 Tim. 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

Here's something to consider. Let's say that Lucifer didn't know what would happen to him when he challenged God. He just didn't want to serve. OK, fair enough. In that case, he is only affecting himself (and 1/3 of the angels, but they also made a decision) when he finds out that he is going to hell (lake of fire), where he finds out he is eventually in for eternal punishment.

OK, now that he knows, he decides to stab his friend Eve in the back by deceiving her and causing her to be doomed to eternal punishment as well, in effect, "killing" an immortal, since she apparently was not subject to death at that time. Is that evil?

If that's not enough, he also doomed all her offspring (us) to hell as well. In effect, he wiped out billions. Not only the whole world but everyone from every nation in every era of history. Is that evil?

Then God came to earth as a man. Satan must have known something was up because God hadn't done that since the Garden of Eden days. He figured he would try to tempt Jesus into turning his back on God, thereby nullifying any plan God might have to save mankind (which in somewhat general terms had already been prophesied by several of the prophets). So in effect, after killing everyone, he is also trying to prevent Christ from raising them from the dead. Is that evil?

I take your point, and it's vaild one. The only point (and I admit I'm also trying to stimulate conversation with this) I would make is that perhaps all of the acts following his fall were attempts to take over in an effort to rescue himself. If he overthrew God, or got Jesus to come to his side, perhaps he would be freed of his damnation...? Could he have believed that if Eve ate the fruit that she then would have the power that he did not to thwart God and release him?

Just a thought, and as I said, conversation stimulator.

 

[PRMan]

Interesting thought. I've always taken it that the only way he could get back at God at all is to take away what God has allowed to be taken away (our love and loyalty).

I really don't think Christ is separate enough from God to "fight" him, since they are one in the same. I would think Satan would have known that to be impossible. But, if Christ the man were not perfect, he could not have been used as the perfect sacrifice for all, and that surely would have spoiled that plan.

Also, if you read Genesis, you will find that Satan knew exactly what would happen to Adam and Eve when they ate the fruit, because he told them that they would know good from evil like God did.

Thanks, Satan, I really wanted to know all about evil.... This is one case where I think ignorance would have been bliss.

 

[Rising_Suns]

Also, if you read Genesis, you will find that Satan knew exactly what would happen to Adam and Eve when they ate the fruit, because he told them that they would know good from evil like God did.

Thanks, Satan, I really wanted to know all about evil.... This is one case where I think ignorance would have been bliss.

Mixed in with the little bit of truth, were direct lies to get adam and eve to fall; saying that they would become like God and would not die. Satan is not some dumb anarchist on a rebellious streak. He is the great deceiver, the source of all trickery and deception and evil. He knew exactly what he was doing.



....The only thing that is one step ahead of Satan, is God, and with God's graces, we too can be one step ahead of him as well.

 

[dpatrick]

Hi Mylinkay Asdara,

Thought I'd give a different spin on this.

As Satan is not a human being according to the Bible (he's an archangel after all), it is a little tweaked for us to treat him as a human and judge him by human standards of right and wrong. Rather, Satan is best understood by what the Bible says he is responsible for. According to the Bible, Satan is responsible for ALL wrongdoing. So, in other words, think of the worst, most evil thing a man can do, and understand that according to the Bible, Satan is the author of it. According to the Bible, human beings never act alone in their wrongdoing, but rather are merely carrying out the whims of Satan and his fellow devils and demons. According to the Bible, human beings are not the authors of evil, but the slaves to it, and Satan is the slave-master. Nice guy, eh?

But there's more. According to the Bible, Satan, through causing Adam and Eve to turn from God, brought sickness, calamity, and death into the world. If you are new to the Bible, you may be tempted to think that God did that, and not Satan. This is true only in the sense that God is all-powerful and so, we like to reason, could prevent anything. But the truth is, God is fully just and Holy and must (not because He is powerless, but because of His very just nature) bring punishment for sin. This is why He warned man not to violate the laws which he had established. As it turned out, man violated His laws anyway, God administered His just and necessary punishment, but it was Satan who authored the whole thing, and it was Satan alone who delighted in the outcome. God's punishment upon the world was Satan's license to terrorize and destroy mankind. Jesus said of satan, "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come to bring life and bring it more abundantly!"

So we can consider a few passages about Satan rebelling in Heaven, or persuading Eve in the Garden, and think, "Well, he doesn't seem like that bad of a guy!" But next time, think instead of dying AIDS patients, or children dying of Leukemia, or car wrecks, or serial rapists, or terrorist acts, etc., and realize that Satan according to the Bible is behind it all. It is what he lives for. These are his "Biblical Evils."

According to the Bible, Satan hates you. He is the perpetrator behind every calamity that affects and will affect your life. He has delighted in causing whatever heartache and pain he has been able to in your life, and he cannot wait for the opportunity to cause more in the near and long-term future. This is the proper perspective, Biblically, to understand who Satan is.

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

human beings never act alone in their wrongdoing, but rather are merely carrying out the whims of Satan and his fellow devils and demons

First, thanks for the response. Secondly, I see this statement as something of a cop out designed into the Bible to relieve man of responsibility for his actions. If I decide to steal, then I stole. Satan didn't steal, nor did he 'make' me steal. I thought I wanted something and I didn't want to do anything to get it so I stole it. Satan doesn't even come into play there. I have freewill and I exercise it. When I'm doing bad things my will is 'influenced' by Satan? I don't think my freewill is quite that flimsey.

I understand the the bible blames a lot of things on Satan.... I'm just wondering if that's legit. Seems to me that if God wanted us to use our freewill he wouldn't make it subject to the whims of Satan. Plus, it's not like Satan is a god, he's just an angel. Does he really have the power to weave evil throughout the world on such a regular basis? Why aren't the other angels doing anything to combat that influence? Why would God, in his ominpotence, allow Satan to have so much power?

These seem to be questions that don't get answered, or are brushed off with "the bible says this so it is so" well I need to know why the bible says that and why it makes sense before I'm going to buy into it.

That's just my opinion though.

 

[Rafael]

Take the worst possible sin a Christian can think of - the murder and crucifixtion of Jesus and then see what God does with the evil intent. We come to know God by His triumph over evil. We would not know Him if not for the existence of evil - not being able to perceive the light without the contrast of dark. God is sovereign and can use what satan does, reversing the effects were He wants. The part we play in this reveals who we are and choice we make in the war of good and evil as soldiers. We have these examples in physical life, but find it hard to believe that the battle in the spiritual realm is more real than the physical.

Why did God create satan? Perhaps this information is privy to Himself, but the Bible does say He suffers the existence of evil for the time being so that it will let Him be known - playing that part of contrast and glorifying Him. When all in time who will come to Him through His Son Jesus as Sons and daughters, His Son will return and deafeat the armies of the world assembled and fighting in the Middle East over Jersusalem, the Holy City of God. It kinda looks like that scenerio is lining up as we speak here at the forum.

Romans 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

 

[yajyu]

Seems to me that if God wanted us to use our freewill he wouldn't make it subject to the whims of Satan.

The only reason that are whims are subject to Satan, is because we are desensitized to him. At first, it was just take a look at that pretty lady, then look at the girl in the porno, and then it leads to rape, then murder, then genocide. This is just an example, but it is basicly how it works. at first it's something that's not that big of a deal, then it turns to sin, and sin only gets bigger if not taken care of. so that is how satan takes control of our whims.

Plus, it's not like Satan is a god, he's just an angel. Does he really have the power to weave evil throughout the world on such a regular basis?
That's just my opinion though.

Yeah, he is not a GOD, he is just one "person", but he has an army of fallen angels to do the weaveing for him.

Why aren't the other angels doing anything to combat that influence?
That's just my opinion though.

This question I don't really know the best way to awnser, so I'm going to let someone else awnser it.

Why would God, in his ominpotence, allow Satan to have so much power?

That's just my opinion though.

This all comes down to Freewill. GOD, wants us to choose between good, and evil. GOD, and satan.

These seem to be questions that don't get answered, or are brushed off with "the bible says this so it is so" well I need to know why the bible says that and why it makes sense before I'm going to buy into it.

You know I agree with you. these questions tend not to get awnsered. I believe the reason is because, most christians don't know about this. I had to study for years, to know what i know, and I am still a moron, when it comes to my faith.

 

[dpatrick]

Secondly, I see this statement as something of a cop out designed into the Bible to relieve man of responsibility for his actions.

Your welcome and thank you on the reply. Actually, the above observation is actually farthest from the truth (thought I see how you might conclude that). The Bible actually teaches that regardless of the nature of wrongdoing and evil, we are indeed to blame. I fully agree with you on that point.

If this seems contradictory, then consider the fact that not acting alone is very different from acting against one's will. If I steal, I have chosen do so (yes by my free will), and consequently I alone must pay the consequences for the action. But to assume that an exercise of my free will means that there is no spiritual dynamic to my actions, that I am not, for example, subject to any forces greater than myself in my choosing, is, simply put, to assume a lot about ourselves and the nature of this world.

The Bible teaches on the other hand that the spiritual roots of our rebellion are grounded in Satan and his demonic forces. We are, in short, slaves to sin and under his dominion. When we are thinking we are carrying out our own selfish and sinful desires, we are in fact carrying out Satan's. This has nothing to do with whose to blame but rather the nature of our rebellion and sin. Getting back to your initial question, our refusal to submit to God and seek other forms of pleasure, power, etc., gives Satan free license to destroy and ravage our lives. He has power, but he gives us just enough to hang ourselves. He may entice us and promise us many things, but he is ultimately only out to destroy us.

This would be a very sad, sad ending if it weren't for Jesus Christ.

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

Okay, I hear you. My cynical mind immediately throws up: So we are to be slaves of Satan or submit ourselves to God... Isn't that a bit like simply picking a master to be the slave of?

I know it's not the nicest phrasing, but it's honestly exactly what I thought reading your post, and if we have not honesty, then we have nothing.

 

[yajyu]

You Got it

 

[yajyu]

The bible says that we are either slaves to righteousness, or slaves to sin.

if we have not honesty, then we have nothing.

You know I agree totally.

 

[dpatrick]

Okay, I hear you. My cynical mind immediately throws up: So we are to be slaves of Satan or submit ourselves to God... Isn't that a bit like simply picking a master to be the slave of?

Yes, but try not to think in terms of being a slave to a person. This is God Almighty we are talking about, who created us and knows every part of us. Further, this is the God who loves us so much that He parted with His only Divine Son just to pay the price of sin to have us back. And his slavery is not the same as slavery to sin, i.e. Satan. Satan deceives us into slavery, and all the while has only our own harm in mind (not to mention, our eternal destruction). God on the other hand invites us to willingly be His slave, and has only our good in mind. And though He asks us to be His slave, in actuality He calls us to be His son/daughter. We choose slavery, but he exalts us to royalty. We choose slavery, but He grants us freedom (that is, freedom from sin and all the effects of Satan).

Imagine living the rest of your life living for the One who created You, knows your every thought, cares about your every concern, loves you enough that He died for You and took Your place, that you would not have to suffer sin's penalty. That is what being enslaved to God is like.

 

[Kookaburra_45]

Satan tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. Genesis 3:1 ( yay! I'm sooo happy I got my new Bible! )

 

[PRMan]

Mylinkay,

The other angels DO fight him. In Daniel 10, Michael the Archangel (one of the big three like Lucifer) says:

12 "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.
(NIV)

Most scholars believe that the Prince of Persia being referred to here is not the human prince, but the fallen angel assigned to Persia. Michael was slowed in answering Daniel's prayers because of this struggle.

Also, you are very astute to recognize that we are slaves either way. In Romans 6, Paul says:

16Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
(NIV)

 

[Follower of Christ too]

Why aren't the other angels doing anything to combat that influence?
That's just my opinion though.

Jude 9, Yet Michael the arch angel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses,..........................

 

[Follower of Christ too]

Angels have a ministry. Hebrews 1: 14

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

Thank you all for your replies. I am still conflicted about wether or not Satan is painted fairly by the bible and Christian dogma in general... but I have gained the knowledge of what your side is and for that I am grateful.

Again, thank you to all who contributed for keeping the judgementalism down to an extreme minimum. It was greatly appreciated.