Posted on 01/08/2012 7:35:38 AM PST by GiovannaNicoletta
“We either choose God or we choose Satan”—wrong. G-d created satan, there is no equal status. this is a pagan concept...We have the ability to choose good over evil, as evil is crouching at the door. G-d has allowed us that choice. But do not be deceived, satan has no equal status with the G-d of Abraham, Issach and Jacob.
"Similar titles are found elsewhere in Scripture concerning Satan. Satan is called the "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2. He is called the "ruler of this world" in John 12:31. These titles, and many more attributed to Satan throughout Scripture, signify his capabilities. To say, for example, that Satan is the "prince of the power of the air" is to signify that in some way he rules over the world and the people in it."
"This is not to say that he rules the world completely; only God does this. But it does mean that God, in His infinite wisdom, has allowed Satan to operate in this world (within the boundaries God has set for him) and has allowed Satan to operate with an agenda. When the Bible says Satan has power over the world, it must be made clear that God has given him domain over unbelievers alone. Believers are no longer under the rule of Satan (Colossians 1:13). Unbelievers, on the other hand, are caught "in the snare of the devil" (2 Timothy 2:26), lie in the "power of the evil one" (1 John 5:19), and are in bondage to Satan (Ephesians 2:2)."
"So, when the Bible says that Satan is the "god of this world," it is not saying that he has ultimate authority. It is conveying the idea that Satan rules over the unbelieving world in a specific way. In the case of 2 Corinthians 4:4, the unbeliever follows Satan's agenda. According to 2 Corinthians 4:4, the "god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ." Satan's agenda includes pushing a false philosophy onto the unbelieving world—a false philosophy that blinds the unbeliever from the truth of the Gospel. Satan’s philosophies are the fortresses in which people are imprisoned, needing to be set free and brought captive to Christ in obedience to the truth."
http://www.gotquestions.org/Satan-god-world.html
So, according to God, unbelievers, by virtue of the fact that they have rejected the only Person Who can give them access to the Father, are by default under the dominion of Satan.
Not a pagan concept at all, but a very Biblical one.
My priest talked about this choice this morning. It’s about making choices every day; finding a path lighted by Him and staying on it...no matter what happens or who likes it or doesn’t like it.
As he pointed out...it’s not easy nor should it be...but the result is eternal life...in this life made perfect.
Isn't that what this article is about?
/johnny
What exactly in the article do you perceive as telling others how to live their lives?
Oh.. most every word of it.
Including the suggestion to not tell people how to live their lives.
That was rich with irony.
/johnny
Can you give me something specific where the writer, without referring to what God said, told people how to live their lives?
Amen.
Sooooooo? We’re all to accept Jack Kelley’s judgment and interpretation of the Bible? Thanks just the same, but I’ll pass on having a fellow human judge me. God is the author of my salvation - not Jack Kelley.
Which of the Scriptures in the article are you disputing?
I disputed scripture? When? How? Scripture says that Jack Kelley (or any other human) is the author of my salvation or my judge? Please give the Biblical reference for your claim.
So which Sciptures that Jack Kelley used to validate what he wrote are you disputing?
The point that I was making is that a lot of people try to make satan coequal with G-d, and that is a falsehood. Satan only does what G-d allows him to do. He was created as the deceiver, which is what he does. Any power that satan has is given to him by the people that fall under his deception. We are given clear choices between good and evil, but G-d gives us the power to overcome evil. Therefore, it is not a battle against satan, but a sprint towards the G-d of the universe.
The only way a person has the power to overcome evil is if he has accepted Christ as Savior and has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to equip him with the strength to overcome evil. A person who is unsaved, who does not know Christ as Savior, is a slave to sin and is in bondage to sin and is not only helpless to overcome sin but can never have the hope of meeting God's standards for righteousness and being acceptable to God on his own, without the covering of the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
So, as the Bible says, the enemy of God and all those who know Him and have a personal relationship with Him is indeed Satan, aka the "god of this age" as the Holy Spirit refers to him.
According to Jesus, people who are not born again will be denied entrance into the Kingdom (John 3:3)
ah, but traditionally, this “born again” was not a warm fuzzy experience but baptism.
These people have been baptized, love Jesus, and chose to live in faith, but because they haven’t had a warm psychological experience, you condemn them? So a passive emotional experience is more important than choosing to follow Jesus?
As for Jesus, in Matthew 25:40 he suggests that actions speak louder than words. And those who say “lord lord” will not enter into his kingdom. Matthew 7:21.”but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.{
You need to read the whole bible, not just spout verses out of context.
Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”/b> (John 3:3)
Jesus said nothing there that baptism saves anyone, and, in fact, there is nothing in Scripture anywhere that even hints that a person has to be baptised in order to be saved.
When tradion contradicts the God-written Scriptures, then the tradition has to be discarded. When tradition aserts that one has to be baptised to be saved, but there is no validating Scripure, then we know that the tradition, while giving those who believe it a warm and fuzzy feeling, is false.
We pretended we were having a wedding, but you wouldn't dance. We pretended we were having a funeral, and you wouldn't cry. How can you be christian believer without dancing to our tune and weeping at our disapproval? At least the stake and the rack don't exist any longer...formerly the final word in the 'who's the real believer now' department.
Love Jesus. Flee His representatives.
We pretended we were having a wedding, but you wouldn't dance. We pretended we were having a funeral, and you wouldn't cry. How can you be christian believer without dancing to our tune and weeping at our disapproval? At least the stake and the rack don't exist any longer...formerly the final word in the 'who's the real believer now' department.
Love Jesus. Flee His representatives.
LOL!! Especially those who teach Biblical truth, right?
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