Love thy enemy...

[cypher000]

Who is our greatest enemy of all? So, does this mean we should love Satan himself? Does God love Satan since he is one of God's lost children? Does Satan love God?

Let me also add that God is all-knowing and has left nothing to chance; therefore Satan's role on this earth was always part of the plan. The world is exactly as its supposed to be... Without Satan we would not have free will.... God offers us His life; the life He has always wanted for us, but Satan offers us a life of the world - it's our choice, it's our free will to choose that determines our own life... Where then does evil lie, by the fact that there are choices to be made or by the choices we make? Neither God nor Satan makes us choose one way or the other... I say, love yourself, for you are your worst enemy of all... I have no other enemies...

 

[elman]

Who is our greatest enemy of all? So, does this mean we should love Satan himself? Does God love Satan since he is one of God's lost children? Does Satan love God?

Let me also add that God is all-knowing and has left nothing to chance; therefore Satan's role on this earth was always part of the plan. The world is exactly as its supposed to be... Without Satan we would not have free will.... God offers us His life; the life He has always wanted for us, but Satan offers us a life of the world - it's our choice, it's our free will to choose that determines our own life... Where then does evil lie, by the fact that there are choices to be made or by the choices we make? Neither God nor Satan makes us choose one way or the other... I say, love yourself, for you are your worst enemy of all... I have no other enemies...

I have come to the point in my Christian walk that I do not believe in a literal Satan. I still believe in God, but it seems to me Satan become irrelavant if I have the victory over evil inside myself and am a child of God because then I can be sure God will protect my soul from Satan if he exists. You said: "Without Satan we would not have free will." I don't think that is correct. I think God gave us the ability to love our neighbors and in order for that ability to exist, He also gave us the ability to not love. When we fail to love we create evil so the only evil that matters to me is my evil. This sort of brings me around to agree with your bottom line. The only Satan or antiChrist that I need fear or be concerned about is me.

 

[MoonlessNight]

Without Satan we would not have free will....

I've never heard that one before. Well okay I have, but not explictly.

It assumes that every choice is a choice between good and evil. But that doesn't even begin to correspond to how I've experienced the world. There are so many counterexamples. For example say I need to write a letter and finish some homework by the end of the night. Is it evil to do them in a certain order?

 

[JGG]

I have come to the point in my Christian walk that I do not believe in a literal Satan.

I'd be careful who you say that to.

 

[Mrs.Sidhe]

I'd agree with ya JGG...never know what might happen.

 

[elman]

I'd be careful who you say that to.

I have said it at church in bibleclass and got a response from one person to the effect "I never heard that before" but many Christians are more tolerant than many athiest think and they did not tar and feather me. And the person who said that later engaged in extended discussion with me and although he probably still does not agree with me, we are still Christian brothers who love and respect each other.

 

[JGG]

I have said it at church in bibleclass and got a response from one person to the effect "I never heard that before" but many Christians are more tolerant than many athiest think and they did not tar and feather me. And the person who said that later engaged in extended discussion with me and although he probably still does not agree with me, we are still Christian brothers who love and respect each other.

Nevertheless, I'd be careful who you say such things to, one person is not everybody. From personal experience, its not good to disagree with the beliefs of the majority.

 

[Kleptin]

Nevertheless, I'd be careful who you say such things to, one person is not everybody. From personal experience, its not good to disagree with the beliefs of the majority.

I disagree. It's that type of thinking that kills progress and keeps people mentally stagnant. Disagreeing with the majority, provided that one has a logical basis for that disagreement, is generally better than just parrotting what you hear around you. It takes much more thinking to disagree than to agree.

 

[JGG]

I disagree. It's that type of thinking that kills progress and keeps people mentally stagnant. Disagreeing with the majority, provided that one has a logical basis for that disagreement, is generally better than just parrotting what you hear around you. It takes much more thinking to disagree than to agree.

I agree. But one must be prepared to make sacrifices if they wish to part with the opinions of the majority. Not everybody is.

 

[JesusWalks78]

The best way to rid your self of an enemy, is to make your enemy your friend....that what I think love your enemy means.

 

[JGG]

The best way to rid your self of an enemy, is to make your enemy your friend....that what I think love your enemy means.

So, what happened with that idea?

 

[justanobserver]

The best way to rid your self of an enemy, is to make your enemy your friend....that what I think love your enemy means.

I dont know about the loving my enemy idea; respecting perhaps if deserved, maybe even honoring if a good/talented adversary but the best way I was taught when I was active duty to rid yourelf of an enemy was as far downrange as possible.

But I think Sun Tzu said it best - Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

just my take on the loving your enemy thought.

 

[Emmy]

Dear cypher000, Jesus did tell us, " love thy enemy," we also know that we should hate the sin, but love the sinner. I say this with love and humilty, cypher, Satan is not only our enemy, he is also the embodiment of EVIL. We have the chance of loving our enemy, of doing good to our enemy, and perhaps make a friend of our enemy, but Satan will NEVER respond to Love, as EVIL cannot become Love. Jesus vanquished Satan on Golgotha, and Satan is completely routed, but he is still a most formidable enemy. I send greetings, cypher000, Emmy, sister in Christ.

 

[cypher000]

Dear cypher000, Jesus did tell us, " love thy enemy," we also know that we should hate the sin, but love the sinner. I say this with love and humilty, cypher, Satan is not only our enemy, he is also the embodiment of EVIL. We have the chance of loving our enemy, of doing good to our enemy, and perhaps make a friend of our enemy, but Satan will NEVER respond to Love, as EVIL cannot become Love. Jesus vanquished Satan on Golgotha, and Satan is completely routed, but he is still a most formidable enemy. I send greetings, cypher000, Emmy, sister in Christ.

Emmy - You are correct in saying that Satan will never be love. He hates us from the very depths of his being and will never care one bit about who he destroys. On the other hand, with hatred in your heart, it becomes an open door for Satan to enter and destroy... Love is to hate as good is to evil and each is the best weapon we have as we do battle each day on this earth... Let us not give the evil one a stronghold in our lives by leaving the door open to his evil ways... Thanks for your knowledge.

 

[cypher000]

I have come to the point in my Christian walk that I do not believe in a literal Satan. I still believe in God, but it seems to me Satan become irrelavant if I have the victory over evil inside myself and am a child of God because then I can be sure God will protect my soul from Satan if he exists. You said: "Without Satan we would not have free will." I don't think that is correct. I think God gave us the ability to love our neighbors and in order for that ability to exist, He also gave us the ability to not love. When we fail to love we create evil so the only evil that matters to me is my evil. This sort of brings me around to agree with your bottom line. The only Satan or antiChrist that I need fear or be concerned about is me.

Elman - I do not think it to be wise to pick and choose which parts of the Bible (the Word of God) are true to us and which parts are not. This world is under the rule of Satan - just look around and you will see his influence everywhere. Look and see how easy his job is to convince us to chase the world and not God. We live in one of the sickest of all nations where the pursuit of a materialist life far outweighs our pursuit of Christ... We cannot serve two masters! Do not be deceived.

 

[Lynden1000]

I've never understood this idea that satan has been "vanquished" and "routed" while simultaneously "ruling the world."

That's like saying "yayyyy, Sadam Hussein has been overthrown- but he's still in charge."

 

[MarcylovestheQuakers]

I have learned that my battles is not between God and Satan, but between God and my flesh. With that I believe satan temps my flesh, but I believe free will puts me in a position of power over satan as I have a choice. The problem is just when I dont choose correctly. In those situations I am not defeated by satan, but I failed myself. So yes, my flesh can be a worse enemy then satan.

 

[JesusWalks78]

So, what happened with that idea?

What happened to it?