biblicalthought.com

How are we Christians to understand the devil? Let us examine our view of the devil.

UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS NOT:

1. He is not a comic book character with a pitchfork and a goatee. We must strive to rid ourselves of the caricature view of Satan! This is a great deception!

2. He is not a cartoon character. There is no place in this great battle of ours for cartoon or comic book theology.

3. Not eternal, therefore has a beginning.

4. Does not have the attributes of God.

5. He is not omnipotent.

6. He is not all-knowing.

7. He is not all-present.

8. He is not equal to God.

A popular misconception out of the religion of Zoroastrianism which is an ancient form of Dualism, is the idea that there is an eternal good principle and an eternally evil principle. Some within so-called Christian circles say that evil must be present otherwise we would not be able to know that good is good. So, if God is eternal and good, there would have to have been “someone around” in order for him to be known as “good.” C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity, does an excellent job of refuting Dualism. Dualism is self contradictive, and destroys itself.

UNDERSTAND WHAT SATAN IS:

Satan is an “it”/spirit creature. He has no sexuality. We attribute human qualities to him, this is known as an anthropomorphic statement.

He is a supra-dimensional energy being composed of mind; he can pop in and out of this universe. The known universe is limited by the five senses. You cannot touch, taste, smell, or see him. There are other dimensions co-existing with this universe at the same time.

He is extremely intelligent. Far more intelligent than you and I.

Satan is a creation of God.

He can only do that which is consistent with his nature.

He is undetectable to the five senses. (Recall when Satan entered Judas)

He is able to materialize in different forms.

He appears an an animal; Genesis 3:1. In Revelation he is described as a dragon and scorpion.

In Luke 10:18, Satan appears as a stroke of lightning.

He manifests as an angel of light, even as ministers of gospels (remember, there are many countereits out there!)

Satan and demons can materialize to have dealings with the physical realm. We are dealing with a crafty, superior, far intelligent being, but through the blood of Christ we are more than conquerers!

SATAN’S FIRST DEVICE:

To cause people to assume he does not really exist. This device affects religious and non-religious people alike.

People today tapping into psychic phenomenon have experienced powers they cannot explain because they do not believe or understand that Satan exists. Many have too low a view of Satan because most people have the comic book devil in view.

Children are to be instructed that the devil is not a comic book character down in hell with a boiling cauldron and a pitchfork. When people ask if we believe in a personal Satan, do not answer until they define what they mean by “Satan.” It should be our goal to remove the comic book theology because in the minds of people today, as is Santa Claus and the toothferry, so goes their view of Satan.

We should not think of Satan as having the attributes of God. So many people fear Satan, even Christians, and have fallen into the trap of applying to him what belongs only to God.

Meditate on what we have written. Let us increase in the understanding of the Adversary of our souls. Let us press on becoming more effective Christian soldiers remembering the words of one great hymn, “though Satan should buffet, though trials may come, let this blessed assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and has shed his own blood for my soul.”