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From: bob@itm.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: What evil is
Message-ID: <1023@itm.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 13-Jul-83 20:44:41 EDT
Article-I.D.: itm.1023
Posted: Wed Jul 13 20:44:41 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Jul-83 12:16:34 EDT
Lines: 140


To: Randy and et al,

Concerning: Satan

Randy states: "Just as there is no evil without good,
          so there cannot be good without evil( no rose
          with no thorns.)"
Randy, I would like to add that in the beginning there was good without
evil. Then Satan(adversary) fell and rebelled against God, taking along
a third of the angels in heaven. You see God gave all His creatures
a freedom of choice. Satan has the following:
        1.He possesses Intellect
          2 Cor 11:3  Here The apostle Paul shows that Satan had the
          ability to deceive. Which requires intelligence.
          "But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by
           his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the
           simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."
        2 He has emotions
           Rev 12:17 Satan is show as being filled with rage.
        which is a human emotion.
           "And the dragon(another name for Satan) was enraged with
        the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her
        offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the
        testimony of Jesus."

        3.He has a will 2 Tim 2:26
         "and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare
        of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will."

        4.He is treated as a Morally Responsible Person
        Lake of fire was created for Satan and his angels because
        God holds them accountable for their actions. God can not and
        will not allow evil to go on. "Then He will also say to those
        on His left, 'Depart from me, accursed ones, into the eternal
        fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels."


Randy also states thus:
            "Remember, God didn't create Satan (nor Allah America);
            Satan is merely the other side of God."

                            --Randy
                            rh@mit-eddie

Let me show you why I believe that is in total error.

 THE NATURE OF SATAN:

        A.His character:
            1.He is a creature.
              Eze 28:14 (in reference to Satan)"You were the anointed
              cherub who covers(guards), and I(GOD)placed you there.
              You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the
              midst of the stones of fire."

        B.He is a spirit being
            Eph. 6:11,12 "Put on the whole armour of God, that you
            may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
            For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against
            the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of
            this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness
            in heavenly places."

            This is a charge the Apostle Paul gave to the Ephesian Church.

        C.He is of the order of angels called cherubim. Eze. 28:14
            (verse quoted above)

HIS PERSONALITY TRAITS:

        A.He is a murder
            John 8:44 (Jesus speaks to the unbelieving Jews)
            "You are of you father the devil, and you want to do the
            desires of your father. He was a murder from the beginning
            and dose not stand in the truth, because there is no truth
            in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own
            nature; For he is a liar, and the father of lies."

        B. He is a liar John 8:44(see above verse)

        C.He is a confirmed sinner
            1 John 3:8 "the one who practices sin is of the devil;
            for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of
            God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy
            the works of the devil."

        D.He is an accuser
            Rev 12:10 "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 brethren has been thrown down,
            who accuses them before our God day and night.'"

            Satan accuses three ways; One he accuses us before God
            Two he accuses us before each other
            Three he accuses us to ourselves.
            This is for both believers and unbelievers.
            Plus he does accuse God to us. Saying If God really
            Loves you why did such and such happen?

        E.He is an adversary
            1 Pet 5:8 "Be of sober(serious) spirit, be on the alert.
            Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring
            lion, seeking someone to devour(destroy)."

HIS LIMITATIONS:

        A.He is a creature and therefore not omniscient or infinite.

        B.He can be resisted by the Christian.
            James 4:7 "Submit therefore to God. Resis the devil
            and he will flee from you.

        C.God places limitations on him
            Job 1:12 "Then the Lord said to Satan, `Behold, all that
            he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on
            him.' So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord."

            Before Satan can test God's children, he has to recieve
            permission from God. God allows the testing because it
            strengthens our faith in Him(God). God will not allow
            anything more than what each  one of us could stand.

            Satan is powerful but God is all powerful. Satan could
            do nothing except God allow it. No man can do anything
            except God allow it.

    Randy, I wrote this from a christian perspective. I know you and
others are not christian. The word of God(the bible) is the christians
authority. I pray that you will receive it as such, and at least
give consideration to what I have written and not just up and reject it.
So from the christian aspect Satan is not another side of God but a
spiritually fallen creature.

                        Bob Langdon
                        itm!-Alanta Ga
                        msdc!itm!bob

itm = In Touch Ministries