[NOTE: The following sermon was preached in Montgomery, AL in October 2019 by A.P. board member Frank Chesser.]

Sin is man’s worst enemy. It crouches at the door of the mind, eager to pollute the source of every human activity.  It maintains constant surveillance over the mind, knowing that its capture means the ruin of a man. Sin enters the mind by invitation and supplants its light with darkness.  An appalling enumeration of sins that characterized the Gentle world begins with the depiction, “their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:21). John asserts that a man who hates his brother “is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not where he goes, because that darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 John 2:11).

Only Christ and the Gospel can replace darkness with light. Jesus is the “light of the world” (John 8:12). The light of Christ is manifested through the Gospel and its appeal is to the mind, “for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). The sounds of physical conflict are heard in communities, states, and nations around the world. Entire countries are enmeshed in combat. Implements of war interrupt the routine of life, and peace and serenity are supplanted by chaos, suffering, and death.

But the battlefield of the ages is the mind of man. Satan knows that the Gospel is man’s only hope, and the Gospel addresses the mind. Satan exerts strenuous, incessant effort to keep man’s mind under the dark canopy of sin and error “lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The transition from darkness to light occurs when man obeys the Gospel.

The cross is the pivotal point of all human history. The past, present, and future have as their center, the cross of Christ. The Gospel is God’s power to save, but without the cross, there is no Gospel.  Remove the cross and all joy in birth, purpose in life, and hope in death have been destroyed. Erase the cross and every day of life is one unending tragedy. With the cross, everything matters; without the cross, nothing matters.

What is man’s greatest need?  Man’s greatest need is not sensational preaching; it is cross-centered preaching. It is not human philosophy; it is Jesus Christ crucified. It is not physical adornment; it is a spirit dipped in blood. It is not a social Gospel; it is the Gospel of the cross. It is not Moses and Sinai; it is Christ and Calvary. “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2).

From eternity, God knew the cross would be the price that would have to be paid for sin. Sin cannot correct itself. It cannot provide for its own cure. It cannot solve the problems it creates, heal the pain it causes, remove the barriers it constructs, restore the families it destroys, eliminate the suffering it produces, or stop the endless flow of unprepared souls into the world of eternal perdition. Man is powerless in the face of sin. The righteousness of all the righteous of all the ages cannot erase a single sin of a single sinner. The entire angelic host stood helplessly at the reality of Genesis 3:6. It took the perfect life of God’s Son in the flesh to qualify Him to conquer sin in the cross. The sinless life of Christ and His death on the cross enabled God to maintain His holiness, righteousness, and justice, and extend the blessing of reconciliation to all who would embrace the Gospel in the obedience of faith (Romans 3:23-26).

God foreknew the choice that man would make in Eden. How could this be? Because God is omniscient.  God confidently asserted to ancient Israel, “I know the things that come into your mind” (Ezekiel 11:5). God knows the number of hairs on every head, and not even a small sparrow can fall from the heavens apart from His knowledge (Matthew 10:29-30). God’s foreknowledge did not negate Adam’s and Eve’s free will. God simply knew the course that man’s free will would take.

Divine foreknowledge of man’s choice in Eden was accompanied by foreknowledge of its only possible cure. Peter announced this truth on Pentecost when he said that Jesus was “delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). When a man chooses God by submitting to His will, God chooses him in Christ according to the divine principles intrinsic to the scheme of redemption ordained “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4). God’s intent to save man by grace through the Gospel “was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2 Timothy 1:9).  God’s remedy for sin in the cross “was foreordained before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20). Jesus was God’s “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). God’s plan to reconcile both Jews and Gentiles unto Himself “in one body through the cross” (Ephesians 2:16) was according to the “eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:11).

Appropriating to one’s soul the sin cleansing power of the cross is accomplished “through faith in his blood” (Romans 3:25). The faith of the Gospel system that enables one to enjoy the forgiveness of sins by grace through blood is the faith that obeys God.  It is the “work of faith” (1 Thessalonians 1:3). It is the “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). The greatest treatise ever written on the scheme of redemption opens with the phrase, “obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5), and it closes with the phrase “obedience of faith” (Romans 16:26). Between these two massive spiritual pillars is a divine commentary on the Gospel system and the faith that permits man to participate in its provisions.

Paul proceeds to portray the exceedingly sinful state of the Gentile world and its need of Gospel that centers in Christ and the cross (Romans 1:18-32). He then verified the like state of his own brethren in the flesh and depicts the whole of humanity to be “guilty before God” (Romans 3:19) because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). He points to man’s only hope in God’s spiritual healing by grace “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24) appropriated to one’s soul “by His blood, through faith” (Romans 3:25). He describes this divine plan as a “law of faith” (Romans 3:27) system that looks to the cross for its liberation from sin. He utilizes Abraham as an example of one who exhibited the obedience of faith that appropriates grace and the need of all men to possess the “faith of Abraham” (Romans 4:16) and not the blood of Abraham.

Consequently, every act of obedience to the will of God is faith making its appeal to the cross of Christ. Such was characteristic of those under the Old Testament, even though they did not possess all of the pieces to the spiritual puzzle of redemption. It was God’s design from eternity to unite all men in the one church by means of the cross of Christ and man’s obedience to the Gospel of Christ. The spiritual remnant from Adam to Pentecost of Acts 2 was unable to grasp the totality of this truth because of insufficient revelation (Ephesians 3:1-6). Even the prophets who prophesied of things concerning Christ and the church did not fully comprehend their own prophecies. Peter speaks of intense, studious efforts by the prophets to unravel some of the mysteries regarding their own prophetic declarations of the “sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow” (1 Peter 1:11) and of angelic desire for deeper understanding of redemptive truths (1 Peter 1:12).

Though lacking a completed revelation, they were abundantly supplied with sufficient truths to enable them to live before God with a full faith. They understood the nature of God and sin. They perceived their sinful state and their inability to lift a finger to provide for their own redemption. They knew they were wholly dependent on God’s love, grace, and mercy. They understood that God was working toward the consummation of a plan that would secure their redemption. Jesus said, “Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56). Every act of obedience under the Old Testament and every drop of sacrificial blood offered by the righteous remnant was an act of faith appealing to God’s love and grace for salvation that would culminate in Christ and the cross.

If not for the cross, what value could be attached to Abel’s offering? What benefit could be assigned to Noah’s conformity to the will of God and physical salvation from the Flood, if the cross had never become a reality? Severed from the cross, what gain could one perceive in Abraham’s departure from Ur and the and the offering of his son on the designated mountain in Moriah? Without Calvary, what advantage was it for Moses to suffer four decades of abuse from a nation of ingrates?

Of what value was compliance with the priesthood and sacrifice of Levi without the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ? If Jesus had not assumed flesh, lived a sinless life, and died on the cross, would there be any point in accentuating the difference between striking and speaking to the rock?  What real gain could be cited for Israel’s battles and victory over her enemies in Canaan if Christ had not fought and conquered Satan and sin? Of what worth is the submissive disposition of Samuel, “Speak, for your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:10), if Jesus had not prayed, “Father, if it is Your will, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours be done”? (Luke 22:42).

Eliminate the cross and what profit could be advanced for Judah’s return to Canaan following the Babylonian captivity and restoration of the Temple? Apart from the cross, what was the point of Nebuchadnezzar’s confession of the oneness and sovereignty of God? Is not Nineveh’s penitence irrevocably connected to Calvary? Where lies the significance in the preaching of the prophets if Jesus had not traveled the lonely road to Golgotha? What blessings followed those giants of faith who “were slain with the sword” (Hebrews 11:37) if Jesus had not been slain on the cross?

A completed Gospel was preached on Pentecost of Acts 2. When the remnant complied with the conditions of the Gospel in the obedience of faith, they were added to the church (Acts 2:47). Relative to salvation, faith now assumes a backward posture. It looks back to a consummated scheme of redemption in Christ and the cross. The power of faith is not in the action of faith; it is in the object of faith. There is no power to cure sin in expressions of faith. If demonstrations of faith could remedy sin, man could solve his own sin problem by his submission to the will of God.

Every command in the New Testament and every act of obedience to that command is faith appealing to the cross for redemption. Repentance is a command of God. He “commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). Repentance is “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). A genuine change of heart regarding one’s sin followed by “fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8) is not an attempt at self-absolution. A penitent heart understands that its power source is Calvary. Repentance is faith looking to the cross for forgiveness.

Jesus Christ is fully divine. He is deity in all fullness and essence. He is the “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6). Thomas confessed Him as “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1); and that “Word” was Christ (John 1:14). Of His Son, God the Father affirmed, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom” (Hebrews 1:8). Confessing the full deity of Christ is indispensable to one’s salvation (Romans 10:9-10). Confessing Christ is an exhibition of faith, looking to the object confessed for release from sin.

The Gospel of Christ that centers in the cross of Christ produces the church of Christ. The Gospel that Peter preached on Pentecost of Acts 2 took the minds of the hearers and anchored them to the cross. Submission to the Gospel in the obedience of faith effectuated the church. Jesus purchased the church “with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Jesus earnestly desires for “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

God sent His Son “as Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14), but Jesus can save only those “all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). Those who obey Christ are added to the church of Christ (Acts 2:47), which is the “body” of Christ” (Colossians 1:18), and Jesus is “the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). Acceptance of the exclusive church, purchased by the exclusive Savior and produced by the exclusive Gospel is not bigotry. It is the humility of faith appealing to the cross for redemption.

Man is the offspring of God, made in the image of God. When man severs himself from God and pursues a life of carnal indulgence, he is spurning the most crucial aspect of his nature. Man’s need of God and of worship is as intrinsic to his nature as is heat in fire. Worship is requisite to man’s inner peace and spiritual serenity. It equips man to resist temptation and cope with adversity. It deepens conviction.  It intensifies man’s loathing for sin and error and heightens his love for God and truth.

Worship fortifies the mind, the object of satanic onslaughts. It enriches spirituality. It provides solace for the grieving, hope to the despairing, and joy to the dispirited. It grows faith. Worship is manna from heaven to the hungry soul. It is living water that streams from the Rock of our salvation. It elevates the mind from the earthly and temporal to the spiritual and eternal. It allays the burdens of life. It quickens anticipation for heaven. Worship is indispensable to one’s spiritual life and his habitation in that “city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10).

What man calls worship is often a humanly contrived, self-pleasing, emotional experience that placates the flesh and dulls the spirit. It removes God as the object and enthrones man. It is physical, theatrical, and superficial. It stimulates the pulse and idles the mind. It is dramatic and noisy. Jokes and human-interest stories issuing from the pulpit are met with laughter and clapping. The preacher is idolized and applauded, while God is minimalized and marginalized. The participants leave with a distorted sense of spirituality, unchallenged minds, diminished convictions, appeased consciences, and a comfort zone for sin and enhanced toleration for those of varying religious persuasions. “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9).

Acceptable worship conforms to God’s pattern. It involves the right object, right act, and right motive. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). One cannot come into God’s presence with an unauthorized act of worship that he likes and expect God to accept it. Nadab and Abihu attempted such presumptuousness, and God slew them. Unauthorized acts of worship insult the grace of God, nullify faith, and demonstrate irreverence for the cross of Christ.

Spirit-and-truth worship looks to the cross for its validation. The power of acceptable worship is in the power of the cross, not the act of worship. For two millenniums, “this do in remembrance of Me,” has reverberated in the minds of men in Sunday’s commemoration of the Lord’s Supper. Material gifts on the first day of each week reflect the goodness of God and His gifts to man, the pinnacle of which was the gift of His Son as the remedy for sin.

Prayers of faith on wings of grace take flight from the worship assembly and soar through the blood of Christ into the presence of God. With permission from Calvary, songs of the heart are allowed entrance into the throne room of heaven to join with the melodies of angels in praise and adoration to the majesty of God. Preaching that saves and edifies pivots around the cross and demonstrates its application to the whole of biblical instruction.

When Adam’s and Eve’s lips were soiled by the forbidden fruit, God commenced His journey toward Calvary. This redemptive voyage enjoyed its fruition in the death, burial, and resurrection of the sinless Christ. Prior to His return to the Father, Jesus decreed that the Gospel was to cover the earth. Upon hearing the Gospel, man was to believe and be baptized (Mark 16:15-16). The preponderance of humanity has never consented to the words of Christ. They declare their love for Christ while rejecting the will of Christ. They view teaching on the necessity of baptism for salvation as an affront to the grace of God and the cross of Christ. They assert that such teaching annuls faith and transforms the free gift of salvation into a meritorious system of works.

One can no more separate baptism from grace, blood, and faith than he can cleave blue from the sky. Baptism is faith complying with the teaching of grace. Baptism is the obedience of faith appropriating the provisions of grace in the cross. Baptism is a spiritual reenactment of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:3-4). The power of baptism is in the cross, not in the act of baptism. Baptism is the eye of faith riveted on the cross. It is the heart of faith beating for the cross. It is the trust of faith centered in the cross. It is the hands of faith laying hold of the cross. Baptism and all other acts of obedience to God is faith reaching for Calvary.

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However, the Bible tells a true story about an evil prince. This evil prince does not ride on a white horse or bravely rescue damsels in distress. On the contrary, this prince is wicked. He lies, steals, and even murders. His name is Satan. The Bible says that Satan walks around on this Earth looking for people he can devour (1 Peter 5:8). Satan is so very powerful that he is able to deceive most all the people in the world. In fact, Jesus said that only a few people will escape this powerful Prince of Darkness (Matthew 7:13-14).

When we think about Satan (also known as the devil); we picture a tall, red demon with a pitchfork in his hand, horns growing out of his head, and a long, pointed tail. But that is not how the Bible describes Satan. Actually, the Bible says that Satan can look just like an angel of light. He can turn himself into something that looks very good, even though underneath he is very bad.

Satan is powerful. In fact, he is much more powerful than any human being alive. He would love to use that power to murder every soul in the world, but he can’t. The reason the devil cannot annihilate all humans is because Jesus came and destroyed his works (1 John 3:8). Even though the devil still lives and continues to try to trap humans, he cannot force them to do anything that they do not choose to do.

Many people will be tricked and trapped by Satan. Millions of people will decide to follow this wicked Prince, but some people will decide to follow Gee. And Satan cannot harm the souls of those people who decide to follow God, because God is much more powerful than the devil (1 John 4:4).

Whose side will you decide to join? Will you decide to serve in God’s kingdom and overcome the devil, or will you join Satan’s army, and be defeated by Almighty God. The choice is up to you.

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However, the Bible tells a true story about an evil prince. This evil prince does not ride on a white horse or bravely rescue damsels in dis­ tress. On the contrary, this prince is wicked. He lies, steals, and even murders. His name is Satan. The Bible says that Satan walks around on this Earth, looking for people whom he can devour (1Peter 5:8). Satan is so very powerful that he is able to deceive most all the people in the world. In fact, Jesus said that only a few people will escape this powerful Prince of Darkness (Matthew 7:13-14).

When we think about Satan, we sometimes picture a tall, red demon with a pitchfork in his hand, horns growing out of his head, and a long, pointed tail. But that is not how the Bible de­ scribes Satan. Actually, the Bible says that Satan can look just like an angel of light. He can turn himself into something that looks very good, even though underneath he is very bad.

Satan is powerful. In fact, in some ways, he is much more powerful than any human being alive. He would love to use that power to murder every soul in the world, but he can’t. The reason the devil cannot annihilate all humans is because Jesus came and destroyed his works (1 John 3:8). Even though the devil still lives and continues to try to trap humans, he cannot force them to commit any sin.

Many people are tricked and trapped by Satan. Millions of people decide to follow this wicked Prince. But some people decide to follow God. And Satan cannot harm the souls of those people who decide to follow God, because God is much more powerful than the devil (1 John 4:4).

Whose side will you decide to join? Will you decide to serve in God’s army and overcome the devil, or will you join Satan’s army and be defeated by Almighty God? The choice is up to you.

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While we should never take lightly Satan’s power and ability, neither  should we underestimate the power and ability of our great God and His Word. Satan may have the power to tempt us, but God Almighty has the power to remove us from that temptation. That is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray: “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one [Satan]” (Matthew 6:13). The Bible emphasizes that “the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation” (2 Peter 2:9). We must understand that even though God will not necessarily act to prevent our temptation by Satan, neither will He allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear (read 1Corinthians 10:13).

As Satan’s enemy, we cannot be ignorant of his schemes. Rathe1; we must actively “resist the devil,” and know that he will flee from us (James 4:7).

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In the 1800s, westward-bound wagon trains were sometimes the target of raiding Indians. The pioneers would “circle the wagons” in an effort to have as much protection as possible while they fought off their attackers. The Indians would shoot flaming arrows at the wagons-arrows whose tips were wrapped with cloth and set on fire. The arrows would set the wagons on fire and burn their contents. The poor travelers would be discouraged and heartbroken. Paul spoke of Satan’s “fiery darts” (Ephesians 6:16). Satan pelts us with daily discouragement designed to deter our dedication to God.

Who is Satan, and what is he like? He once appeared as a snake (Genesis 3:1). Though powerful, he does not have God’s abilities (Job 1:12). He is the….

·         Devil(false accuser/slanderer-Matthew  13:39)

·         Adversary (1 Peter 5:8)

·         Tempter (1 Thessalonians 3:5)

What is Satan trying to do? He wants people to disobey God and go to hell. He wants to keep people from being with God in heaven. He, and his angels, will one day be placed in hell (Matthew 25:41). Until then, he wants to take with him as many people as possible. He “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He wants to cause people to be condemned. He tempted Jesus, to try to cause him to sin. He tries to keep the Word of God out of people’s hearts (like 8:12). Satan wants to get us! He is looking for ways to hurt us spiritually. Don’t give in! And don’t give up!

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Some people believe that Satan is just another boogeyman. Is this true?

Most of the tales we know are very old, and have been passed down from parents to their children. Some have been written down (like Grimm’s Fairy Tales), while others are still only spoken. None is as old as the story of the devil, though. We read of the devil in the Bible, which comes from God. Since God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), we know this devil character is for real. His first appearance is in the Garden of Eden, and he reappears throughout the whole Bible. In every case, he is always referred to as a real person, not as a fairy­tale character. God warnschildrenandadultstobecarefulofthedevil,because he is the father of all lies (John 8:44).

One of his greatest lies has been to convince people that he is only a myth. Television shows and movies often show Satan as a funny guy in a red costume with a pointed tail and a pitchfork. If people think of the devil as a vampire, or werewolf, or some other imaginary creature, then they won’t take him seriously. This is a great mistake, for the devil is very powerful. Because of his influence, many millions of people have lost their souls. This is more than a simple bedtime story!

Unlike the brute manner of witches and ogres of mythology, Satan is very sneaky. He often gives people nice things, and tells them what they want to hear. He is more like the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood, disguised as the innocent grandmother. The difference is that the devil is very real. And just like that imaginary wolf, Satan is ready to devour our souls (read 1Peter 5:8). Let us be careful to take the devil very seriously, because our souls depend on it!

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Unlike  God, the devil has not  always existed. He had a beginning just like you and me and everything else that exists other than God. The Bible says that Jesus  created  all things “that  are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and  invisible” (Colossians  1:16). But, that does not mean that He created the devil as an evil being. Rather, God created him good and he chose to become evil. The Bible seems to indicate that Satan was one of the angels who lived in Heaven, but he (along with other angels) became evil when they rebelled against God (read 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6). Since the Bible also refers to the devil as “the ruler of demons” (Matthew 12:24), and speaks of “the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41), it is likely that the devil is the leader of a group of rebellious angels who were expelled from heaven to eventually spend eternity in hell.

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Jesus did say in Matthew 5:44 “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” He also said just a few verses before this one “not to resist an evil person” (5:39). However, the devil is not any ordinary “person,” but rather a spirit. When the Bible talks about how we are to treat the devil, it uses words just the opposite of those above. It says that we are to “resist the devil” so that he will leave us alone (James 4:7; 1Peter 5:9). It says to “not make room for the devil” in our lives (Ephesians 4:27, NRSV). And we are told to “stand” firm against the devil’s evil tricks (Ephesians 6:11). In Matthew 5, Jesus was talking about other human beings, not spirit beings like the devil. And so, God expects us to do good to all people, even our enemies (which is not easy to do, yet it’s something we have to do), but Jesus was not talking about the devil.

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Is Satan Real?

A.

Several years ago, after teaching a Bible class on the book of Genesis, a longtime Christian indicated to me that he did not believe in the reality of Satan. This gentleman acknowledged the existence of good and evil, but he thought that “Satan” was simply a word used in Scripture to describe evil, rather than refer to an actual wicked being.

It is true that Satan is evil. (Have you ever noticed that you cannot spell “devil” without spelling “evil”?) He tempts, deceives, destroys, lies, murders, etc. But, he is not merely a word used by the Holy Spirit and His inspired penmen to symbolize evil; he is, as Jesus and Paul referred to him, “the evil one” (Matthew 6:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:3, emp. added). He is not just wickedness; he is “the wicked one” (1 John 3:12, emp. added). He does not merely represent dishonesty; “he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).

Although Satan is not deity and in no way has the infinite, eternal attributes of God, the devil is as real as God. That is, the same God-inspired book that describes the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, omni-benevolent, glorious Creator, also tells us about a real, fallen spiritual being called Satan. His name appears 14 times in the first two chapters of Job (perhaps the oldest book of the Bible). Scripture reveals that God confronted Satan in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:14-16). Jesus spoke to him in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). And Michael the archangel contended with him about the body of Moses (Jude 9).

Satan is not a fairytale character on par with the Big Bad Wolf or Captain Hook. He is not a little red cartoon figure with horns and a pitchfork who gleefully sits on a throne in hell (see Butt, 2012). The sooner that Christians take seriously “the adversary” (Satan), “the accuser” (devil), who goes “to and fro on the earth…walking back and forth” (Job 1:7), “like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8), the better prepared we will be to withstand his schemes (Ephesians 6:11) and snares (2 Timothy 2:26). We should neither underestimate him nor overestimate him. He is not deity (and thus not all-powerful or all-knowing), but he is also not a figment of our imagination. Unlike God, he desires all men to be lost (cf. 1 Timothy 2:4). Thankfully, “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

REFERENCE

Butt, Kyle (2012), “Satan is Not the Ruler of Hell,” /apPubPage.aspx?pub=1&issue=1026.

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In the context of Matthew 10, Jesus warned His followers that wicked men would persecute them unjustly. As He sent them out to preach, He admonished them to boldly speak the truth without fearing the repercussions. In the course of His forewarning, He said: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28; cf. Luke 12:4-5). Many Bible students who have read this verse have incorrectly assumed that Jesus was saying that Satan has the power to destroy the soul and body in hell. They have mistakenly attributed to Satan power that he never has had.

Satan is not the ruler of hell, and he does not have the power or ability to cast or drag anyone into hell. In fact, when we read about Satan’s ultimate end, we see that God is the Being who will cast Satan, also called the devil, into the “lake of fire and brimstone” (Revelation 20:2,10). Furthermore, the apostle Paul explained to the Christians in Rome that no “angels nor principalities nor powers” could separate them from the “love of God which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:38-39). Those in Rome could choose to reject God of their own free will, but no power in existence, including Satan, could pluck them from God’s hand and cast them into hell.

In truth, God will cast Satan into hell at the end of time in the same way that He will cast all those who have lived unrighteously and rejected Him (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:15). There is no indication in the Bible that suggests that Satan will be “in charge” of hell anymore than any other unfaithful creature of God. He will find no delight in his eternal second death, and he will not enjoy any type of authority or special privileges there. Jesus’ admonition to fear the one who can cast both the soul and the body into hell was designed to encourage His followers to rely on God, be strong in the face of persecution, and trust that as long as they are right with God, no force in the spiritual world has the power to harm them.

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When God created the world and made the Garden of Eden, He placed two trees in the garden. One was called the tree of life, and the other was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God then told Adam: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). God allowed Adam and Eve to eat from all the other trees in the garden—including the tree of life—but not from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. One day, Satan came to Eve in the form of a snake and asked her about the command God had given them concerning the trees. WhenEve told Satan what God had commanded, Satan lied to her and said: “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5).

Adam and Eve then had a choice to make: would they obey the command of God, or listen to the words of Satan? This was a big choice, and they made the wrong one. The first man and woman made a choice based on a lie, and committed the first sin in human history. In the big choices we make, there are times when people lie to us and pressure us to make the wrong choices, just like Satan did with Eve. But we need to learn from the choice Adam and Eve made, and always remember to make the right choice based on what God says in His Word, not on what man or Satan may say.

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You have asked a question that the Bible does not answer (at least not specifically). We first must understand that simply because Satan is wicked today does not mean that he was created that way. God is supremely good (Mark 10:18), and everything He made during the Creation week was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Similar to how evil people exist in the world today because they choose to become evil, Satan was once good, but chose to become evil.

Satan was probably part of the group of “angels who sinned” that were cast out of the presence of God (read 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). Jesus even talked about “the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41) who will eventually live eternally in hell.

Thanks for writing, Nickolas. 

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What’s the most dangerous snake in the world? Is it the 400-pound anaconda, or the 33-feet-long python? Is it the king cobra of Asia, or the rattlesnake of North America? It certainly would not be good for your health to get squeezed by an anaconda or bitten by a king cobra. These are very dangerous snakes. But, spiritually speaking, the most toxic, deadly “snake” of them all is the serpent of old—Satan.

When Adam and Eve were still living in the Garden of Eden (before they sinned), Satan appeared to them as a snake. Then, similar to how God allowed Balaam’s donkey to speak to him “with a man’s voice” (Numbers 22:28,30; 2 Peter 2:16), Satan spoke to Eve while in the form of a snake. His words may not have seemed all that dangerous, and may have been spoken in the gentlest manner, yet they were full of the most deadly poison.

Earlier God told Adam that he could freely eat “of every tree of the garden…, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Later, however, when the snake spoke with Eve, he lied, saying, “You shall not surely die” (3:4). The sneaky snake convinced Eve that it would be okay to eat from the tree that God had forbidden. Adam and Eve sinned by listening to Satan and disobeying God, and they were separated from the tree of life (3:22). Satan was sly and crafty in the Garden in his temptation of Eve. He added one word to God’s command and changed the world forever (read Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18-19).

This story shows us how skillful Satan is at lying. The “father” of lies, as Jesus called him (John 8:44), tries to get people to see a lie as truth, and evil as good (Isaiah 5:20). Consider how he has led so many to believe that abortion is not murder, but just a choice. Think about how many people lie everyday who think it is okay “just as long as no one gets hurt.” Instead of having this attitude, we must “resist the devil,” oppose his lies, and “draw near to God” by obeying His eternal truths (read James 4:7).

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Thanks for this interesting question. First, remember that Eve, not Adam, was “deceived” (1 Timothy 2:14; 2 Corinthians 11:3). Eve probably did not sense the danger of the serpent or see through his false argument.

We cannot be sure why Satan took the form of a snake to tempt the first woman, but there are some good possibilities. Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord had made.” He knew what he was doing; perhaps he became a serpent in order to be in the right position in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to speak to Eve.

But there’s probably more to it. Snakes have the appearance of being very fascinating, but also very tricky and smart. Plus, people generally think that snakes look interesting. Perhaps Satan felt that he could capture Eve’s attention best by looking like a snake.

In the New Testament we read that Satan walks about the Earth “like a roaring lion”        (1 Peter 5:8). Whatever form he is in, Satan is dangerous. Even though God always provides a way to resist and defeat Satan, many people refuse to let God help them. Let’s make sure we trust God to help us defeat Satan.

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Although little is suggested in the Bible about Satan’s beginning, we can know that Satan is a created being. Unlike God, the Bible teaches that Satan is not omnipotent (1 John 4:4), omnipresent (cf. Job 1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Luke 4:6; Revelation 20:1-10), or eternal (cf. Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 102:27). Furthermore, in speaking of Jesus, Paul wrote: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16, emp. added). The apostle John was inspired to write: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3, emp. added). Who made all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible? Jesus (the Word—John 1:14). Thus, the Bible teaches that Satan is one of God’s created beings. He had a beginning just like you, me, and everything else that exists other than God.

But just because God created Satan, does not mean that He created him as an evil being. Rather, God created him good, and then he chose to become evil. The Bible indicates that Satan was one of the angels who lived in heaven, but he (along with other angels) rebelled against God and was cast out of Heaven. The apostle Peter said that “God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment” (2 Peter 2:4). Another inspired writer wrote: “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6). Since the Bible also refers to the devil as “the ruler of demons” (Matthew 12:24), and speaks of “the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41, emp. added), it is very likely that the devil is the leader of a group of rebellious angels that was expelled from heaven to eventually spend eternity in hell.

Thus, unlike the philosophy of dualism (made popular by the Persian—Zoroaster), which teaches that an eternal good being and an eternal evil being exist and oppose one another, the Bible teaches that the Godhead is the only eternal entity. Although Satan is not to be taken lightly, it is a blessing to know that he cannot snatch us from the love of God if we are unwilling to allow him to do so (Romans 8:37-39), nor can he tempt us beyond what we are able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). God alone is deity, and He alone deserves our praise and adoration.

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How does one respond to the charge that the New Testament endorses superstition by its occasional references to demon possession?

A.

Demon possession was a real, historical phenomenon of the first century. Spirit entities, known as demons [the KJV “devils” is an incorrect translation], did inhabit and afflict human bodies during that age.

The question of demon origin is not spelled out in the Scriptures, though several theories have been proposed by Bible scholars—some of which may be dismissed out of hand. A few writers have suggested that demons were the disembodied spirits of a pre-Adamic race of men who lived upon the Earth in an alleged “gap period” between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. There is, however, no evidence of any such gap period. Furthermore, Adam is clearly identified as the “first man” (1 Corinthians 15:45). Others speculate that demons resulted from the cohabitation of angels with antediluvian women (based upon a misunderstanding of Genesis 6:1-4), even though Christ plainly taught that angels are sexless beings incapable of such unions (Matthew 22:30).

The two more plausible views surmise that: (a) demons may have been the spirits of wicked dead men whom God, in harmony with His divine purpose, permitted to leave the Hadean realm to indwell some people (see, for example, Alexander Campbell, “Demonology,” Popular Lectures and Addresses); or (b) demons may have been fallen angels who were allowed to escape their confinement (Jude 6) for a similar purpose (see Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology). Regardless of their origin, the existence of demons is recognized within the pages of the New Testament.

In regard to their nature, demons are portrayed as spirits (Matthew 8:16), and thus did not possess a corporeal existence (Luke 24:39). In regard to their character, demons are portrayed as unclean spirits that were evil, and under the immediate control of Satan (Matthew 12:24,43,45). Demons also were intelligent beings (Mark 1:24), and could exercise both volition and locomotion whenever permitted (Matthew 12:44-45). Demon possession of human bodies frequently resulted in physical and/or mental illness (although such ailments clearly were distinguished from the demon itself (see Matthew 4:24). Dumbness (Matthew 9:32), blindness (Matthew 12:22), and supernatural strength (Mark 5:4; Acts 19:16) sometimes were characteristic of demoniacs.

The New Testament supplies no reason as to exactly why demons entered particular individuals, but makes clear that they inhabited men (Matthew 9:32), women (Luke 8:2), and children (Mark 7:30). Apparently, demon possession was permitted temporarily by God in order that the authority of Christ might be made manifest. As the Lord revealed control over nature (Mark 4:41), disease (Mark 2:12), material things (John 2:9), and even death (John 11:44), so also did He demonstrate power over the spirit realm (Luke 11:20). In fact, the authority of Jesus over evil spirits amazed His contemporaries, who exclaimed: “What is this? a new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him” (Mark 1:27). Christ’s disciples, by His authority, also could expel demons (Luke 10:17), except on one occasion when hindered by their weak faith (cf. Mark 9:28 and Matthew 17:20).

With the termination of the supernatural era of the early church, demon possession, and the corresponding gift of expulsion ceased. Satan’s supernatural power was bound (Matthew 12:29). Certainly, the devil exerts great influence today. However, just as God no longer works miraculously, but influences men through His Word and providence, so also, Satan wields his power indirectly and non-miraculously through various media. Modern cases of supposed demon possession are doubtless the results of psychosomatic problems, hysteria, self-induced hypnosis, delusion, and such like. They have natural, though perhaps not always well-understood, causes. When the Bible discusses demon possession, it is always from a specific, historical vantage point. As such, it does not endorse myth or superstition.

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