To beleive there is a Devil is to assume that there is someone in competition with God for human souls, and there is the posibility he can win. NO ONE can compete with God and no can win God. The devil is a human (christian) creation to control.
2006-12-10 04:51:46 · 31 answers · asked by Carl A 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
In ancient Jewish tradition Satan is simply an angel doing the work that God assigned to Satan to do.
The word Satan means challenger. With the idea of Satan challenging us, or tempting if you will. This description sees Satan as the angel who is the embodiment of man's challenges. This idea of Satan works closely with God as an integral part of Gods plan for us. His job is to make choosing good over evil enough of a challenge so that it becomes clear to us that there can be only one meaningful or logical choice.
Contrast this to Christianity, which sees Satan as God's opponent. In Jewish thought, the idea that there exists anything capable of setting itself up as God's opponent would be considered polytheistic or setting up the devil to be an equally powerful polarity to god or a demigod.
Oddly, proof for The Christian satan/devil mythology is supposedly found in the ancient Jewish texts that were borrowed to create the bible. One can’t help but wonder how Christians came up with such a fantastically different interpretation of Gods assistant Satan in their theology.
Other hints about Satan’s role in human relations can be seen if you look at the name Lucifer. It’s meaning in the original tongue translates as Light bearer or light bringer. Essentially the bringer of enlightenment. The temptations of the Satan idea bring all of us eventually into Gods light. Hardly the Evil entity of Christian mythology.
Love and blessings
don
2006-12-15 14:59:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have wondered about this myself. Someone I know who is Jewish says that Jews don't believe in the devil or satan. I don't think they believe in a literal hell either.
I'm glad the Bible says "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved." I have not got a problem believing in Him. I don't think we have to know or understand everything written in the Bible. I believe it. Yes. Do I understand It? Not always. Some things are symbolic or have another meaning than the literal one.
A lot of these kinds of disagreements cause churches to divide and I know this is wrong. We are to be one in Christ, as Jesus and the Father are one in the Spirit, so are we to be.
When we don't know it is ok. When we think we know and try to force everyone to see it our way that is when new denominations start. A man should keep his own conscience before God. We will all understand one day. But Jesus is the basic and essential ingredient for relationship with God and eachother.
Lots of love,
Cathy
2006-12-10 18:12:50 · answer #2 · answered by cathyhewed1946 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The idea of Satan, the red man with the pitch fork, is just as silly as the idea of the Christian god, the old white man with the white beard - yet if you are a Christian you must believe in them both, either that or take some ridiculous modern view that the bible is all symbolic - in that case so is Jesus and bye bye Christianity.
None of it makes sense to an intelligent mind which is why education is gradually wiping out religion.
2006-12-10 13:04:23 · answer #3 · answered by airmonkey1001 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The devil made of fire is God's own creation, he was a devout follower of God but refused to bow down to Adam (PBUH) while all the angels did as they were ordered. The Satan was told to leave the heavens by God but he requested God to leave him alone till the day of judgment and let him make many more Satan's on the earth. God told him that be it so he will fill Hell with him and his followers
2006-12-10 13:03:20 · answer #4 · answered by akband 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you beleive in the God of the bible, then you muist beleive in Satan, satan did not start of as satan he was an angel and turned into satan because he opposed Gods authority and resisted him. The bible says in the book of revelation chapter 12 verse 9 that Satan was thrown down to the earth and the result would mean woe for the earth. We also read many experiences in the bible where satan trkied to tempt man. satan does exist
2006-12-10 12:59:35 · answer #5 · answered by Emma 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes there is a Satan - however, it's not like you see in cartoons. He isn't on one side trying to get all the souls he can and God is on the other side trying to thwart him. Satan was the most beautiful of all of the angelic beings. He had the highest place amongst them. Satan's problem started with pride. He believed Himself as good as God. He got a rude awakening when God cast him from heaven. Now, he's a little peeved. He is evil incarnate and still works to do anything he can against God. Obviously he will not win - in fact he has already lost - he lost when Christ rose from the dead in victory over death.
Should God want to, because He is all powerful, He could make every single one of us believers. However, God has granted humankind a wonderful gift. He has given us free will. It is now your choice. Satan can do his best, but in the end, it is up to each one of us whom we will choose to serve. As for me and my family, we choose to serve the Living God. And you?
2006-12-10 13:02:35 · answer #6 · answered by padwinlearner 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When I was four or five years old.I woke up.there was a greenish light in the bed room? I woke up. terrified. trembling with fear?I remember not wanting to look over but I did. there were five or six little demons flying around my brothers bed. one looked over at me. I screamed but no sound came out.I put my head down till the green light went away.I will never forget those evil evil looking eyes.I am 52 yrs old now. my brother told me once that he was afraid to die. because he felt evil. and might go to hell.but he never changed his ways.. he Had done many evil things in his life.They will follow and influince him the remander of his life and drag him to hell when he dies.I believe in the Spirit of God that helps me and guides me and I have seen and witnessed a number of true supernatural miracles.these miracles were very mighty ones.that came from God. thru his Spirit.
.My mother once when my wife applied for Job with a veterinarian. when he called all he said was may I speak to Dawn.mother had answered the phone. as she held the phone away from her.mother said, don't have anything to do with this man he is evil. she took the job though. he killed his step parents later and he did drugs and I met him. he was evil. I felt it. when you have the spirit of God in you you can recognize evil influences.Yes there is an influence on this earth. In the bible it is called the Prince of the power of the air. and there is another influence and power.and that is the Spirit of God.Peace
2006-12-10 13:11:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a CONTROVERSY not competition as it relates to the heart/soul of humans. HUMANS - not God or Satan - freely choose the object of their allegiance. Therefore, we all by free choice determine on which side of the controversy we will stand.
It is not scriptural to suggest that God imposes His will on anyone. It is a law of nature that for every action there is a reaction (reward/consequence). If so, in the natural world, why not in the spiritual?
P.S. Ask your questions and forget the embellishments, please.
2006-12-10 13:06:52 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lucifer is a created being in rebellion against God, first sinned in Eden, and is destined to eternity in the lake of fire.
His counterfeit kingdom, like its counterpart (God's Kingdom) has four gates into which people are flowing at an alarming rate.
Genuine Christians don't believe "The Lie" because it is the antithesis of God's order, but the deception is so strong, those who believe it are seldom shaken from it because of their total investment in it.
In spite of the fact that the lie is easily disproven, those who believe The Lie prefer to remain in darkness because their deeds are evil. They would rather believe it than come to the light of truth.
2006-12-10 13:04:00 · answer #9 · answered by s2scrm 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you even opened the Bible you would see Satan exists. No, Satan can't win. He may win some battles by gaining followers, but he will not win the war. God created Satan, God kicked him out of heaven -- God has power over Satan.
2006-12-10 12:56:43 · answer #10 · answered by WonderWoman 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋