Doctrine of Satan

[BanjoPicker]

WHAT HE IS NOT
He is not an evil principle, an error of the mortal mind, a disease germ, an abstract power, or a being with hoofs, horns, tail, and Persian shoes with a pitchfork presiding over a lake of fire and the realm of the dead.
WHAT HE IS ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE.
The Bible makes it very clear what Satan is, and answers any question one could ask about him that needs to be known.

He is a real person: Personal statements in Scripture prove he is a person. We read that "Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked [enticed] David to number Israel" 1 Chron 21:1. Satan has access to Heaven according to Job 1 :6-12; 2:1-7; Rev. 12:7-12. He stands up against people to resist them as any other person can Zech. 3:1, 2; 1 Pet. 5:8, 9; Ps. 109:6.

Jesus Christ dealt with him as with a person. In the temptation Satan tested Christ for forty days before he was permanently dismissed Mt. 4:1-11; Lk. 4:1-13.

Jesus Christ waged war on Satan as on a person. He about destroying the works of the devil and delivering men from his power 1 Jn. 3:8; Acts 10:38; Lk. 13:16.

Christ taught that Satan was a real person. He said that He had seen him fall from Heaven Lk. 10:18, that he was the deceiver of the whole world and the personal leader of many angels Rev. 12:7-12, that he will give his power to Antichrist and receive personal worship Rev. 13:1-4, that he will fight at Armageddon and will be taken and bound by a chain and cast into a literal prison for 1,000 years Rev. 20:1-3, and that he will lead one more rebellion against God and then he will be put into the lake of fire to be tormented forever Rev. 20:7-10.

The apostles fought with Satan as with a real person. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" Eph. 6:10-18. Paul said concerning his trying to get to Thessalonica that "Satan hindered us" 1 Thess. 2:18. Peter referred to Satan as an "adversary" and that he, "as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour" 1 Pet. 5:8, 9.

The apostles warned men against a personal devil and told saints to not "give place for the devil . . . stand against the wiles of the devil . . . Resist the devil" Eph. 4:27; 6:11; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8, 9. Statements of this kind could refer only to a person.

Personal singular pronouns are used of Satan as are used of any other person, such as "he" Mt. 12:26, "himself" Lk. 11:18, "him," "me," "thou," and "I" Mt. 4:7-11.

Personal statements are made to him as to any other person: "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan" Zech 3:1, 2;. see many personal statements made to him in Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Mt. 4:1-10; Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:11-17; Jude 9.

Personal conversation is carried on with him as with other persons Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Mt. 4:1-10; Isa. 14:12-14; Judge 9.

Personal descriptions are given to him Ezek. 28:11-17; Isa. 14:12-14.

 

[BanjoPicker]

Personal names and titles are given to him. He is mentioned over 175 times in Scripture by many names Lucifer Isa. 14:12-14; Devil and Satan Rev. 12:9; Beelzebub Mt. 10:25; 12:24; Belial 2 Cor. 6:15; Adversary 1 Pet. 5:8, 9; Dragon Rev. 12:3-12 13:1-4; 20:1-3; Serpent 2 Cor. 11:3; Rev. 12:9; The God of this World 2 Cor. 4:4; the Prince of this World Jn. 12:31; The Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2:1-3; The Accuser of our Brethren Rev. 12:10; The Enemy Mt. 13:39; Tempter Mt. 4:3; the Wicked One Mt. 13:19, 38; and That Wicked One 1 Jn. 5:18.

 

[BanjoPicker]

Personal acts are ascribed to him.
THE WORK OF SATAN.
His works are of a varied nature. He is a religious leader Rev. 2:9; 3:9; 2 Cor. 11:14. He has been worshipped as god through the ages, and worship of him will be revived in the future under the Antichrist in a greater measure than ever before Rev. 13:1-4. His work in general is to oppose God in any age when possibly can. For this reason, his work varies in some respects with the purposes of God in the different ages and dispensations. His great work in the Old Testament was to cause the fall of man and to rule his dominion. Above all this, His work was designed to prevent the coming of the Messiah into the world in order to avert his own defeat and pending doom.

 

[BanjoPicker]

Personal attributes are ascribed to him.
He is an angel with a body, soul, and spirit like all other angels.
He is described as a most beautiful creature who fell through personal pride over his own beauty Ezek. 28:11-17; 1 Tim. 3:6. He has been seen with a body 1 Chron. 21:1; Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Ps. 109:6 Zech. 3:1, 2; Matt. 4:1-11; Rev. 20:1-3. He will be bound bodily with a chain and cast into a prison Rev. 20:1-3. He has a heart Isa. 14:12-14; pride Ezek. 28:17; 1 Tim. 3:6; speech Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Matt. 4:1-11; knowledge Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Matt. 4:1-11; Rev. 12:12; power Job 1:6-22; 2:1-7; Acts 10:38; 2 Thess. 2:8-12; Acts 26:18; Rev. 13:1-4; a kingdom Mk. 3:22-26; desires Lk. 22:31; a dwelling Rev. 2:13; lusts Jn. 8:44; Eph. 2:1-3; access to Heaven Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Rev. 12:9-12; and many other bodily parts, soul passions, and spirit faculties. He goes from place to place in a body like anyone else Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Matt. 4:10, 11; Mk. 4:15, and does many things that others can do, proving he is a real person with a body, soul, and spirit.

 

[gordon 2]

Did you actually check the scripture references you typed as proofs for you claim? For example Mk 4:15 as a proof of having a body as a real person :

Mk 4:15 reads:

"And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts."

I fail to see that Satin as a real person comes to the people in body who " immediately after the word is sown, when they have heard, the word that was sown in their hearts is taken away. The folks that I have seen this happen to immediately after hearing the word usually can convince themselves very well without any " real person" visitor?

In all the examples you give why can't the real person that you understand to be is in fact a personification of " spirit of havoc" & confusion and said Satin which imprisons real people and from which they need to be set free?

For example again: What makes you understand that the "person" the in body messenger of havoc that tempted Christ was not the veru fallen humanity which is common to all human beings-- and so equally to Christ as the son of Mary and so to save text it is personified and given the name Satin?

Who is tempted as Christ was tempted? I suggest that we do the tempting all by ourselves without much assistance from a "real person" visitor except we are that person in debate with ourselves.???

 

[gordon 2]

Some aspects of the human internal dialogue, even of the saints, seems sufficient to be classed as demonical all by itself and so without a physical visitor to fire start the dialogue. The simple fight or flight response will feed all kinds of wrong headed and wrong hearted responses on some occasions.

And this is not just science saying it, it is also biblical!

"I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong." Rom. 7:21

So in the occasions where a man decides he's got to do and what a man's got to do and then injures his neighbor and it is found it was without just cause... I messed up all by his own.

 

[Waddams]

I don't have access to the online bible stuff at work (they blocked it all recently which is honestly a turn off for me towards my employer now), but I think it's Gen Chpt 3 where God curses the serpent to have his head crushed by the offspring of the woman (ie - humanity). I saw an article that talked about how that wasn't so much related to why people don't like snakes, it was instead making a claim that the curse extends to Satan - that his head will be crushed by the offspring of Eve one day. It was claiming a connection that in a manner, Satan's eventual destruction will come a result of his interactions with humanity in the End Days. And that's why Satan now tries to lead humanity to ruin, so we'll destroy ourselves instead. Basically Satan wants us destroyed before we complete going through God's ultimate plan for us because that plan ends in Satan's destruction.

I actually thought it was a pretty good take on Satan when I read it.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Personal attributes are ascribed to him.
He is an angel with a body, soul, and spirit like all other angels.
He is described as a most beautiful creature who fell through personal pride over his own beauty Ezek. 28:11-17; 1 Tim. 3:6. He has been seen with a body 1 Chron. 21:1; Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Ps. 109:6 Zech. 3:1, 2; Matt. 4:1-11; Rev. 20:1-3. He will be bound bodily with a chain and cast into a prison Rev. 20:1-3. He has a heart Isa. 14:12-14; pride Ezek. 28:17; 1 Tim. 3:6; speech Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Matt. 4:1-11; knowledge Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Matt. 4:1-11; Rev. 12:12; power Job 1:6-22; 2:1-7; Acts 10:38; 2 Thess. 2:8-12; Acts 26:18; Rev. 13:1-4; a kingdom Mk. 3:22-26; desires Lk. 22:31; a dwelling Rev. 2:13; lusts Jn. 8:44; Eph. 2:1-3; access to Heaven Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Rev. 12:9-12; and many other bodily parts, soul passions, and spirit faculties. He goes from place to place in a body like anyone else Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Matt. 4:10, 11; Mk. 4:15, and does many things that others can do, proving he is a real person with a body, soul, and spirit.

If Satan has a body, does scripture tell us where he dwells? We do know that Jesus has a body and dwells in Heaven but what about Satan?
I guess Satan's spirit can leave his body in order to do his dirty work if we compare that act with Jesus leaving his body to meet Paul on the road to Damascus.

 

[gordon 2]

" I guess Satan's spirit can leave his body..... if we compare the act with Jesus leaving his body to meet Paul"?

???

 

[Artfuldodger]

" I guess Satan's spirit can leave his body..... if we compare the act with Jesus leaving his body to meet Paul"?

???

The OP said Jesus Christ waged war on Satan as on a person.
Jesus Christ dealt with him as with a person.
If the entity of Satan is a person and the entity of Jesus is that of a person, then can we compare how those "persons" interact within and without their bodies?

 

[Israel]

Is there anything of this that doesn't take place personally?

 

[BanjoPicker]

Did you actually check the scripture references you typed as proofs for you claim? For example Mk 4:15 as a proof of having a body as a real person :

Mk 4:15 reads:

"And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts."

I fail to see that Satin as a real person comes to the people in body who " immediately after the word is sown, when they have heard, the word that was sown in their hearts is taken away. The folks that I have seen this happen to immediately after hearing the word usually can convince themselves very well without any " real person" visitor?

In all the examples you give why can't the real person that you understand to be is in fact a personification of " spirit of havoc" & confusion and said Satin which imprisons real people and from which they need to be set free?

For example again: What makes you understand that the "person" the in body messenger of havoc that tempted Christ was not the veru fallen humanity which is common to all human beings-- and so equally to Christ as the son of Mary and so to save text it is personified and given the name Satin?

Who is tempted as Christ was tempted? I suggest that we do the tempting all by ourselves without much assistance from a "real person" visitor except we are that person in debate with ourselves.???

The seed sown on wayside ground being eaten by the fowls illustrates a class of people who hear the Word of the kingdom and refuse to obey it because of indifference and lack of understanding. The devil immediately catches away the Word sown in THE HEART LEST IT SHOULD GERMINATE AND BRING FORTH FRUIT, to do this he would have to be there in body.

2 Cor. 4:4 In whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

 

[BanjoPicker]

If Satan has a body, does scripture tell us where he dwells? We do know that Jesus has a body and dwells in Heaven but what about Satan?
I guess Satan's spirit can leave his body in order to do his dirty work if we compare that act with Jesus leaving his body to meet Paul on the road to Damascus.

What do you mean IF Satan has a body?
Gen. 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head [of Satan] and thou shalt bruise his heel. [of Jesus]. If God said Satan has a head, then he has a body. I would believe that God know what he was talking about. Amen

 

[BanjoPicker]

I don't have access to the online bible stuff at work (they blocked it all recently which is honestly a turn off for me towards my employer now), but I think it's Gen Chpt 3 where God curses the serpent to have his head crushed by the offspring of the woman (ie - humanity). I saw an article that talked about how that wasn't so much related to why people don't like snakes, it was instead making a claim that the curse extends to Satan - that his head will be crushed by the offspring of Eve one day. It was claiming a connection that in a manner, Satan's eventual destruction will come a result of his interactions with humanity in the End Days. And that's why Satan now tries to lead humanity to ruin, so we'll destroy ourselves instead. Basically Satan wants us destroyed before we complete going through God's ultimate plan for us because that plan ends in Satan's destruction.

I actually thought it was a pretty good take on Satan when I read it.

Gen 3:14, 15 1st prophecy in Gen. (3:14-15 Part has been fulfilled; part is being fulfilled; and part will be fulfilled in all eternity.

 

[BanjoPicker]

He is a great celestial and terrestrial ruler Eph. 2:2; 6:10-18; 2 Cor. 4:4; Jn. 12:31. He rules the business, social, political, and religious activities of the majority of mankind. His realm is divided into organized principalities and powers in the heavenlies Eph. 6:10-12; Dan. 10:12-11:1; Mt. 12:24-30. His subjects are fallen angels, fallen men, and demons of various kind's Mt. 25:41; Rev. 12:7-12; Jn. 8:44; 1 Jn. 3:8-10; Jas. 2:19. He must be a person in order to rule such a vast dominion of free moral agents. He is head of man's religion and is leader in religious affairs Rev. 2:9; 3:9; 2 Cor. 11:14.

 

[BanjoPicker]

Some aspects of the human internal dialogue, even of the saints, seems sufficient to be classed as demonical all by itself and so without a physical visitor to fire start the dialogue. The simple fight or flight response will feed all kinds of wrong headed and wrong hearted responses on some occasions.

And this is not just science saying it, it is also biblical!

"I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong." Rom. 7:21

So in the occasions where a man decides he's got to do and what a man's got to do and then injures his neighbor and it is found it was without just cause... I messed up all by his own.

You left out Rom. 7:16, and 23
Rom. 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warning against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
This is the law of sin (v 23, 25, 8:2) That law is stronger than the law of the mind, for it captures man regardless of the protest of the law of the mind.
(v 23, 25) This victory is not occasional, but complete (v 24).

 

[Israel]

When a man is truly hungry he won't care whether it's fish shot in a barrel or decades of effort providing him.

It's one thing when a man doesn't hear his neighbor clearly, quite another when he doesn't even hear himself.

 

[gemcgrew]

What do you mean IF Satan has a body?
Gen. 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head [of Satan] and thou shalt bruise his heel. [of Jesus]. If God said Satan has a head, then he has a body. I would believe that God know what he was talking about. Amen

This is showing us what God does, not what Satan is.

Anthropomorphism

 

[Spotlite]

What do you mean IF Satan has a body?
Gen. 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head [of Satan] and thou shalt bruise his heel. [of Jesus]. If God said Satan has a head, then he has a body. I would believe that God know what he was talking about. Amen

I don’t think that is referring to a physical head. Taking a few things into consideration;

1. Satan was a fallen angel.
2. There’s nothing fleshly beyond the pearly gates - not even angels.
3. Bruising his head is symbolic to victory over it, the same as Jesus sitting at the right hand of God - that’s symbolic of power and authority since God is a spirit.
4. We are told we fight a spiritual warfare.
5. If Satan had a physical body I think after a few thousand years there’d be physical traces.

But, just my opinion.

 

[Artfuldodger]

I don’t think that is referring to a physical head. Taking a few things into consideration;

1. Satan was a fallen angel.
2. There’s nothing fleshly beyond the pearly gates - not even angels.
3. Bruising his head is symbolic to victory over it, the same as Jesus sitting at the right hand of God - that’s symbolic of power and authority since God is a spirit.
4. We are told we fight a spiritual warfare.
5. If Satan had a physical body I think after a few thousand years there’d be physical traces.

But, just my opinion.

I agree with most of what you are saying but you do believe that Jesus has a body?