Replies

Agreed. No one can tell me that illness and death aren't Satan's tools.

According to the Westminster Confession of Faith, everything that happens to the extent that it happens, in the order that it happens, and who it happens to, is all for the Reformed God's pleasure. I have also been instructed by the Reformed that satan is a tool of the Reformed God who uses him for His pleasure and to do His will. Indeed, it appears that satan can do no other than what the Reformed God has predestined for him.

“Indeed, it appears that satan can do no other than what the Reformed God has predestined for him.”

I agree with your point to the extent that the Bible doesn’t
teach Satan’s acts are predestined. The outcome of any act
he takes, however, falls within God’s sovereignty.

If Satan can act outside the sovereign will of God, then God
isn’t sovereign.

That is quite different than “predestining” all acts.

blessings,
ampu

I have also been instructed by the Reformed that satan is a tool of the Reformed God who uses him for His pleasure and to do His will. Indeed, it appears that satan can do no other than what the Reformed God has predestined for him.

That is what the Bible says.. Have you read Job?

In Job, Chapter 2; God says, "Have you considered My servant Job? And he says, Let me at him again." And so in verse 6 chapter 2 the Lord said to Satan, "Behold he's in your hand, this time you can hit him but you can't kill him....you can't kill him. Satan went right out of the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to his crown."

, Satan stands at the throne of God accusing the brethren, as he did with Job here. But God must give permission to Satan before he can act.

Not only that in Job we see God not only permit the testing of Job, God Himself suggests Job

Consider the role of God in the temptation of Christ.

Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
That temptation was foreordained, Satan acted only with the permission of God

Consider this well known verse

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

He may not just devour anyone. God uses Satan for his purposes.

Is God God of all His creation or only God over some of His creation? Are we dualists believing that Satan is an equal warrior to God ?

How then can you be sure that in the end Satan will not win? __________________