Does Satan work for God?

[Autumnleaf]

Satan was God's brightest angel. He revolted and took a third of the other angels with him. Was God really so stupid or did he plan for this to happen? Did he count on Satan to counterbalance his influence on man?

 

[DeathMagus]

Which brings up an even more interesting question (IMO) : is Satan actually evil, or simply masquerading as evil to provide an "alternative" to God and allow for the fullness of free will?

 

[cantata]

Or maybe Satan is just a metaphor for disobedience and doesn't actually exist.

 

[Yusuf Evans]

Or maybe Satan is just a metaphor for disobedience and doesn't actually exist.

Probably my guess also. Sort of like the boogeyman for Christians.

 

[heavensangelwv]

I have actually wondered about this for quite some time. Yes, I believe that God knew what Satan would do before He created him. Then why would He create Him? That I cannot answer; however, God's ways are far above are ways and probably cannot fully be understood by us anyway. Everything is done to fulfill His will.

 

[Caitlin.ann]

Satan exists?

 

[Beanieboy]

The way that Christians often paint it, Satan is almost the dobleganger of God, but the evil twin.

However, in truth, Satan is only an archangel, just as Michael or Gabriel.

I don't know if we are tempted by some "Satan" who seems omnipotent in his ability to be everywhere at once. I think that we simply choose good or choose bad.

Recently, while meditating, I had some kind of insight. The "darkness" is not combatted by the light, but rather, the light makes the darkness no longer exist. Many people live in a "backsliding" kind of tape, criticizing them or others who fall to "sin", but the best way to fight it is not to fight it, but to illuminate it, and then it becomes no more. How? "This little light of mine" came up.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Satan is a powerful archangel and he rules over the one-third of the angels who went with him. Those angels are now called demons and they tempt people into doing bad things. Jesus dealt with at least a Legion or so of them during his walk on earth.

 

[Caitlin.ann]

Satan is a powerful archangel and he rules over the one-third of the angels who went with him. Those angels are now called demons and they tempt people into doing bad things. Jesus dealt with at least a Legion or so of them during his walk on earth.

Oh I get it! Like schizophrenia!

 

[tapero]

Satan was God's brightest angel. He revolted and took a third of the other angels with him. Was God really so stupid or did he plan for this to happen? Did he count on Satan to counterbalance his influence on man?

People say that satan was God's brightest angel, meaning highest angel, but I'm not sure that that scripture is about satan. But obviously satan was a powerful angel and angels have different strengths.

God did not plan for satan to deny him. That would make God desirous of evil and the next logical step to those who would believe such would be that well God made satan so that evil would exist so that God's goodness would be seen etc.

God created all with free will and satan and 1/3 of the angels sinned and God surely knew any created being could sin as he's given angels and humans free will, but that he knew satan would fall is not written, so to assume so is extrabiblical.

satan does not counterbalance anything. satan is not gods opposite, satan is merely a powerful angel.

God in no way desired all which is occuring in this world which is a result of evil of us all, sinners, and angelic beings. God loved us, gave us free will, we sinned, angels sinned, and one day evil will be no more.

Which brings up an even more interesting question (IMO) : is Satan actually evil, or simply masquerading as evil to provide an "alternative" to God and allow for the fullness of free will?

it is written in the bible that satan masquerades as an angel of light, so we know that the lies of satan and all whatever satan does can be seen as if to be of God, but is not, and so the need to know then is not to be decieved.

a read of ephesians 6 talks about the demonic realm, the structure if you will of the demonic realm. is fairly important to know about ephesians 6 which is often not on the forefront of many Christians minds; as we tend to underplay the part the demonic realm has on the world. again we also sin and so we also do evil. we do not know what occurs in the spiritual realm except what we're given in the bible.

one has free will which has nothing at all to do with satan. we were created with it, and we can do fine on our own doing evil without demonic beings, but certainly satan and the demons, the 1/3 angels or however many are not now currently in the abyss, as some currently are, are all evil beings.

I have actually wondered about this for quite some time. Yes, I believe that God knew what Satan would do before He created him. Then why would He create Him? That I cannot answer; however, God's ways are far above are ways and probably cannot fully be understood by us anyway. Everything is done to fulfill His will.

again, I do not believe God knew what satan or humans would do, though of course God knew we humans could sin, but still adam and eve had a choice, as we all have a choice of whether to do right or wrong as did the angels have a choice. God didn't create satan to sin to fulfill his will, God did not need evil, he created beings who could sin, as had free will..

The way that Christians often paint it, Satan is almost the dobleganger of God, but the evil twin.

However, in truth, Satan is only an archangel, just as Michael or Gabriel.

I don't know if we are tempted by some "Satan" who seems omnipotent in his ability to be everywhere at once. I think that we simply choose good or choose bad.

Recently, while meditating, I had some kind of insight. The "darkness" is not combatted by the light, but rather, the light makes the darkness no longer exist. Many people live in a "backsliding" kind of tape, criticizing them or others who fall to "sin", but the best way to fight it is not to fight it, but to illuminate it, and then it becomes no more. How? "This little light of mine" came up.

when we are tempted, it can be of our own doing, or another person's doing and that can come through that other person or ourself fine on our own, as again, we don't need satan for us to do evil. the adam and eve account gives an example of how satan lied about God and about what God said, and is part of what satan does. but again we do this as well on our own.

satan does not have the ability to be every where at once, satan is a created being.. again ephesians 6 gives a good idea of the structure of the demonic situation.

the darkness in fact is combatted by light. every time we choose to do good, to do God's will we are doing God will on earth as it is in heaven, we are in a struggle not against flesh and blood as ephesians six says and that passage is there for a reason..

in daniel we see daniel prayed and yet the angel sent in response to that prayer was delayed 21 days as a demonic power, a prince of asia or greece delayed the angel, (obviously battling) then Michael, a stronger angel went and relieved the angel who then spoke to Daniel and said now I must return as now another prince, of greece or asia, has joined the battle.. so the angel goes back.. meanwhile whatever michael had been guarding if he had been guarding or fighting a battle somewhere, while he took over for the angel to be freed to be able to bring answer to daniels prayer, what happened to whatever michael may have been guarding.

the demonic force is not something to put all one's focus in nor is it one to ignore.

As to your last few sentences let me illuminate some evil things.. sexual slavery, oppression, rape, torture, molestation, greed, etc.. okay, i've just illumanated some darkness..did it make such go away, no it didn't.

when we do Gods will, when we do right, we combat the darkness unawares as we do not often realize is what we are doing, though some certain are very aware is waht they are doing, when we return good for evil, we are fighting the darkness, when we free the oppressed, or work towards it, we are fighting the darkness the evil, and again ephesians 6 then gives us what of course you know but others may not, but the armor it's called for how we need to be and do in this struggle which is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and wickedness in high places (paraphrased.)

if you free one person from sexual slavery, a baby, a child, teen, man or woman, you are pushing back the darkness, fighting the evil in this world, and this evil done by people, and the demonic realm works to perpetuate evil we see in eph 6 in a sense as shows the levels of authority..

so evil is working to perpetuate greed, racism, and any and all sins you can think of, and anything which keeps people from God would be high on the list;

again we only have a few scenes in the bible as to the spiritual realm but there's a battle ongoing there.. and again, every time we choose to do right over wrong, choosing Gods ways will our will when is sinful, doing as Jesus has commanded us to do, we are doing Gods will as it is in heaven and ushering in the kingdom or building the kingdom. we fail, but we strive to do right.

You mention about backsliding, every single believer is at a different place in their walk, different understanding, different beliefs, one who is prejudice may never change even though they come to Christ, and every Christian fails, and we all mess up.. but we keep striving to do what is right, and again, that depends on our walk, our understanding, are we seeking to do Gods' will, no, many times we seek our own, we return evil for good, rather than good for evil.. everyone messes up..and so to help each other, disciple others, instead of putting others down, and mocking them; if one desires to grow, they will grow, if they stay where they are, they do, and though God is working in all our lives...and we can just be real, and open, admit and say we failed, yes, we're hypocrites, and seek to do right and pray for others..and i could go on and on...hehe..take care, tapero

being real speaks loudly.. yes, we're believers, a work in process and if i condemn another for their sin, my self righteous pride is huger than the largest mountain on the earth and compared to the dust of whatever I condemn, I pray God convict me so that I see just how prideful and self righteous I am to think I am better than another..

and that sin in our hearts will come up all our lives; pride, self righteousness, ad infinitum and God will continue to work in us until we are with Him and we will be growing when we are with Him face to face.. forever.

sometimes i'm not a very organized and well thought out writer..and this post is one of em..sorry.

 

[cantata]

Tapero, although I like your post, I think the notion of God's omniscience may be problematic for you. God is usually supposed to know everything; that is, at any given time and for every proposition P, God knows whether P is true or false.

If God doesn't know everything, he lacks some power - the power of omniscience - and therefore nor is he omnipotent. If he is neither omnipotent nor omniscient then he is not supremely perfect - or, in Anselm's words, he is not that-than-which-nothing-greater-can-be-conceived - and that's hugely problematic for many of the textbook arguments for his existence put forward by folks like Aquinas and Anselm. So I'd be very careful about limiting his knowledge or power!