Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Satan is still around for the same reason He allowed Satan access to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, and why God put the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil there: To test mankind. Do you want to live with God, trust and honor Him or not? The testing is still going on for all mankind.
What is "the devil"? satan? What is "satan"? satan = adversary.
Who/what is the adversary? The adversary is that which opposes.
Opposes what?? God.
What is God? God is LOVE.
What opposes LOVE?
WE DO. within each of us is the "adversary". You can call it "satan", you can call it "devil", you can call it "anti-christ". This adversary is Within ME. within YOU.
In any given moment, when we choose the non-loving path, our feet are walking on the wide path that leads to destruction. In any given moment, when we choose the loving path.... our feet are walking on the narrow path that leads to life.
WE are ALL in this together. We are learning. We are LOVED.
Everything trickles down. What affects one, affects us all.
We are ONE. (though we cannot understand or comprehend it right now.)
God IS destroying "the devil". By having mankind walk through this schoolyard of the knowledge of good and evil (knowledge of love and non-love). LOVE CONQUERS ALL. Eventually, the opposition to love will weaken and fall by the wayside. Eventually, when non-love has been exhausted and we as mankind finally understand the big picture of the weak, yet wholly destructive nature of non-love -versus- the all-consuming undeniable, overwhelming reconciling POWER of LOVE... then and only then will "the devil" finally be destroyed.
The message of the cross is misunderstood. Jesus wasn't God's whipping boy. Christ represented LOVE, Christ pointed the way to the FATHER. Mankind put Christ on a cross and tried to destroy LOVE... but LOVE (Christ) was resurrected. The message of the cross is: LOVE WILL TRIUMPH. LOVE WILL CONQUER. LOVE WINS. That is FAITH. Believing that ultimately, LOVE has the final word. LOVE WILL TRIUMPH. That is the message of the cross.
It is what is WITHIN each of us that is slowly being refined, the dross being burned out of us like a silversmith burns the impurities out of silver... until he sees his own reflection staring back at him.
We are all in this together.
The "devil" is slowly, yet persistently being destroyed.
That is what this life is all about.
just some thoughts.
peace,
sparrow
AMEN Sparrow...very nicely stated and I agree 100%!!!!
Since Satan (the devil, old serpent, Lucifer) is a created being, the answer to your question is: 'Because God's purpose for his creation is not yet completed.' (Satan is our enemy; he has no authority or power against God).
Sin, evil ... and Satan exists to give people a true, free-will choice between loving and serving God ... or not. But, "Satan is full of wrath because he knows that his time is short" --- He will ultimately be destroyed and cast into the eternal Lake of Fire. Until then, Satan is given the authority to fill the 'truth-gap' for those who refuse to accept God's forgiveness, love, and truth ... with lies and deceit.
Since Satan (the devil, old serpent, Lucifer) is a created being, the answer to your question is: 'Because God's purpose for his creation is not yet completed.' (Satan is our enemy; he has no authority or power against God).
Sin, evil ... and Satan exists to give people a true, free-will choice between loving and serving God ... or not. But, "Satan is full of wrath because he knows that his time is short" --- He will ultimately be destroyed and cast into the eternal Lake of Fire. Until then, Satan is given the authority to fill the 'truth-gap' for those who refuse to accept God's forgiveness, love, and truth ... with lies and deceit.
Great post! thank you for telling the Biblical truth on this Christian forum!
Satan is still around for the same reason He allowed Satan access to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, and why God put the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil there: To test mankind. Do you want to live with God, trust and honor Him or not? The testing is still going on for all mankind.
Do you really think it was to test mankind? I use to think that. But it was necessary for man to take of the forbidden fruit in order to become the God-kind. Man was UNABLE to pass that test, therefore I don't think we can call it a "test". The "test" would have to be something that could have two POTENTIAL outcomes.
Man was incapable of resisting the forbidden fruit. Man lacked perfection, for had he been perfect, then he wouldn't have done that which is not perfect.
God is creating HIS kind after its kind (God), and in doing so Man has to have the knowledge of Good and Evil just as God has.
Until then, Satan is given the authority to fill the 'truth-gap' for those who refuse to accept God's forgiveness, love, and truth ... with lies and deceit.
What is "the devil"? satan? What is "satan"? satan = adversary.
Who/what is the adversary? The adversary is that which opposes.
Opposes what?? God.
What is God? God is LOVE.
What opposes LOVE?
WE DO.
within each of us is the "adversary". You can call it "satan", you can call it "devil", you can call it "anti-christ". This adversary is Within ME. within YOU.
In any given moment, when we choose the non-loving path, our feet are walking on the wide path that leads to destruction. In any given moment, when we choose the loving path.... our feet are walking on the narrow path that leads to life.
WE are ALL in this together. We are learning. We are LOVED.
Everything trickles down. What affects one, affects us all.
We are ONE. (though we cannot understand or comprehend it right now.)
God IS destroying "the devil". By having mankind walk through this schoolyard of the knowledge of good and evil (knowledge of love and non-love). LOVE CONQUERS ALL. Eventually, the opposition to love will weaken and fall by the wayside. Eventually, when non-love has been exhausted and we as mankind finally understand the big picture of the weak, yet wholly destructive nature of non-love -versus- the all-consuming undeniable, overwhelming reconciling POWER of LOVE... then and only then will "the devil" finally be destroyed.
The message of the cross is misunderstood. Jesus wasn't God's whipping boy. Christ represented LOVE, Christ pointed the way to the FATHER. Mankind put Christ on a cross and tried to destroy LOVE... but LOVE (Christ) was resurrected. The message of the cross is: LOVE WILL TRIUMPH. LOVE WILL CONQUER. LOVE WINS. That is FAITH. Believing that ultimately, LOVE has the final word. LOVE WILL TRIUMPH. That is the message of the cross.
It is what is WITHIN each of us that is slowly being refined, the dross being burned out of us like a silversmith burns the impurities out of silver... until he sees his own reflection staring back at him.
We are all in this together.
The "devil" is slowly, yet persistently being destroyed.
That is what this life is all about.
just some thoughts.
peace,
sparrow
Hi Sparrow -
I agree with your post. I'm just very stressed at the moment and tired - very tired.
A lot of these terms thrown around, "SATAN" - "DEVIL" and such are a matter of semantics really.
I don't have time to worry about lofty questions these days - I'm just trying to eek out a living and keep mine and my kids' heads above water.
Until then, Satan is given the authority to fill the 'truth-gap' for those who refuse to accept God's forgiveness, love, and truth ... with lies and deceit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by .sparrow.
wait.. what?
Hmmm
Do people think that God gives Satan authority so that people will go to hell? That is what it sounds like.
"This is good and acceptable to God, who desires all people be saved"... ?
These are some good explanations. But based on some of these comments it seems like the devil is more of an abstract idea than a concrete being. I found these quotes online:
"The Bible, taken literally, clearly states the devil exists. Satan is mentioned by name in 47 passages (NIV). The devil is mentioned in 33 more."
"Some people don't believe the Bible is literally true. When they ask, "Is the devil real?" they must rely more on personal experiences in the world."
So, even though some peoples personal experiences equate the devil as evilness in general, the bible explicitly states that there is a devil and he is a real being. Which means that if god created everything indeed he created the devil and evil too along with love and goodness. Which also would mean that god allows the devil and thereby evil to exist too. Which also follows that god encompases all that is good and bad.
But if we have free will then maybe we are the ones that ultimately are to judge good and evil. After all, there are things today that we consider evil that were once considered ok, like slavery for example. So if the definition of evil changes then good and evil may not be a product of god after all. For why would god allow the definitions of good and evil to change over time? Just a thought.
elfstorage, this is a great discussion. Thanks for posting your thoughts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by elfstorage
But if we have free will then maybe we are the ones that ultimately are to judge good and evil. After all, there are things today that we consider evil that were once considered ok, like slavery for example. So if the definition of evil changes then good and evil may not be a product of god after all. For why would god allow the definitions of good and evil to change over time? Just a thought.
It's just ignorance versus knowledge.
Slavery has never been "ok". Ever. Slavery is non-love in action.
The only people that thought slavery was "ok" were those people who owned slaves and justified and rationalized their actions by saying that some humans were less than.
Good and evil is Love versus non-love.
This does not change.
Our perspectives change as we grow and learn and understand and gain knowledge of what LOVE is.
God is LOVE. What is of love, is of God.
What is NOT love is NOT OF God.
We are here to learn the difference...
It's a slow (painful) process.
But we're all in this together.
Not one will be "lost" in the process.
The light of knowledge (of love) will eventually come to us all and chase away the last traces of the darkness of ignorance.
imo.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
