From Where Does Evil Come?
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· 4 viewsCan the devil make me do it?
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I) Origin of evil
I) Origin of evil
Before the events recorded in , but we know nothing more and guessing is vain speculation
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Satan seems to be an angel that did not keep his proper domain – – and rebelled against the absolute authority of God – ; – so he was cast out (down) into a place prepared for him and those who followed his rebellion
And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Satan has no hope
How did Satan become evil? Was he created evil? Was he tempted by evil? Did he always know good and evil? Some of these questions can be reasonably inferred, but we must be careful that we recognize we are using human logic and not divine revelation
We know that Satan has been sinning since the beginning (probably of time – ie. creation) – ;
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
II) Satan’s power
II) Satan’s power
Satan is powerful and dangerous to man – ;
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Yet his power is limited by God – ; ;
But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
When Negro children in Little Rock were finally allowed to attend a previous Caucasian-only school, they were escorted by national guard troops, because it would have been dangerous for them to enter the school alone – it is spiritually fatal for us to face Satan alone – – we draw closer to God for our eternal security
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
III) Can Satan create life?
III) Can Satan create life?
Does Satan create people for evil? – , ; – a murderer does not create life, but destroys life
but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.”
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Only God can create life –
And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Satan seeks to destroy life – ,
And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.
Concl: There are things about this great struggle that are beyond our knowledge. But what has been revealed tells us much about the nature of Satan and the protection we have from God if we remain close to Him.