Satan adversary

Satan—the Hebrew word means “adversary”-- wants the Christian to fail, as we read in First Peter, concerning the adversary, also called the “devil”: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

The trials and temptations of life are used by the Satan to bring the Christian to failure in his faith and walk. If Satan can get the Christian to fail, he can use it to have a negative impact on others--just as we read about David after his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah: “...by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme.“ 2 Samuel 12:14

It could be the difficulties of persecution for your faith, or some tragic event in your life--such as the death of a friend or family member, or struggles with philosophical and theological issues that you can't resolve. Satan wants to use these things in your life to get you to fail, to be bitter, to give up, to throw it all away.

I have read of those who have fallen away from the faith because of the suffering and death of a family member, or because they couldn't understand suffering in general, or they could not any longer accept a teaching of Scripture. There are those who have given into immorality, living a hypocritical life that was eventually found out, resulting in disgrace and loss of an effective ministry, possibly for the rest of their lives.

Life is full of trials and temptations. They will come, and you can be sure Satan will use them, because he wants you to fail.

Jesus said to Peter: "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. ³² But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." Luke 22:31-32

The Apostle Paul was concerned about the young believers in Thessalonica, (referring to Satan as the “tempter”):

“​¹ Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone,

² and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,

³ that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.

⁴ For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.

⁵ For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.” 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5

Paul said that affliction and tribulation will come; they are the believer's appointment in this life. But how will you endure them? How will you keep Satan from having the victory and not turn you into a spiritual mess, being confused, angry, bitter, unforgiving, and unbelieving?

Jude says that God is able to keep you from falling: ^“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” Jude 1:24

Paul says that God will provide what's needed to bear the temptation (there's no promise that temptation or trial will go away): “¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Others have suffered the same thing. This is why believers need one another, because those who have suffered the same can help those who suffer. Paul writes: “³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. ⁶ Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. ⁷ And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Believers need one another to encourage and be accountable to one another: “²⁴ And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ²⁵ not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25

As the end of this age approaches, its only going to get more difficult as people get farther away from God, and life becomes difficult in several ways. Even more-so, believers will need one another.

The believer needs to “walk in the light as He is in the light”--being open and honest before God, confessing sin as God reveals it to him: “...if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:7-9

We need to make use of what God has given us: “...His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, ⁴ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:3-4

We need to be transformed through the renewing of our minds in the word of God, so that we can know God's will and recognize that it is best: “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

Keep in mind that Satan wants to defeat the Christian, but he can be resisted: “⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. ¹⁰ But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” 1 Peter 5:8-10

Abraham's seed

 Jesus said to the Jews:

“...if you believed Moses, you would believe Me;

for he wrote about Me.

But if you do not believe his writings,

how will you believe My words?" John 5:46-47

“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day,

and he saw it and was glad." John 8:56

To Abraham:

^“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,

because you have obeyed My voice." Genesis 22:18

To Isaac:

“... in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;

because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge,

My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." Genesis 26:4-5

To Jacob:

“... in you and in your seed all the families

of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 28:14

Apostle Paul to the Church in Galatia:

“Now to Abraham and his Seed

were the promises made.

He does not say, 'And to seeds,'

as of many, but as of one,

'And to your Seed,'

who is Christ.” Galatians 3:16

“... just as Abraham

'believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

Therefore know

that only those who are of faith

are sons of Abraham.

And the Scripture,

foreseeing that God

would justify the Gentiles

by faith,

preached the gospel to Abraham

beforehand, saying,

'In you all the nations shall be blessed.'

So then those who are of faith

are blessed with believing Abraham.” Galatians 3:6-9

Scripture benefit of doubt

 I recently read a book by Greg Boyd titled “Inspired Imperfection,” in which he sets forth his belief that the Scriptures are Divinely inspired but have a multitude of errors. These errors served the Divine purpose to show the nature of God who delights in showing mercy, and especially His mercy in the cross of Christ. God, as Boyd sees it, accommodated all the human error and tall tales in Scripture for that purpose. Boyd came to this conclusion after a crisis of faith in which he suffered “shipwreck” (spiritually speaking) when he could not refute his evolutionary professor—as a young believer he thought he could take on the evolutionist, but he lost, which led to him departing from the faith for a time. He eventually returned to the faith, but he concluded that Scripture had a multitude of errors, yet he still chose to believe in its Divine inspiration, and so he came up with his Divine accommodation model.

Having Boyd's accommodation view of Divine inspiration, one can chose what is true and what is not true. Anything that you think is historically questionable or objectionable, you can dismiss it as error that God allowed to be included in Scripture. One has to at least believe in the death and resurrection of Christ as being historical, or otherwise, what's the point of even being a Christian? (Read First Corinthians chapter 15.) Unless you are that kind of Christian (like Martin Luther King) who just sees Jesus as a good example to follow (Jesus is not God, and there is no resurrection) and your gospel message is liberation theology: seeking the deliverance of the oppressed, emphasizing social justice and the plight of the poor.

I'm about halfway through a 730-page book on the “Historical Reliability of the New Testament” by Craig Blomberg. This is just on the New Testament, and I'm sure he had to limit his material, but it amazes me the issues that he has to address—the many claims of critics against the reliability of Scripture. The critics never end. I understand that the Bible can't be true, if you don't want to believe it. I have the Atheist Richard Dawkins' book “The Blind Watchmaker,” and he says that to believe in a “Designer” of life “who has always been there” is to take the “lazy way out.” I understand why he says that—because he is an atheist, and he wants to believe in his theory of how life came about through his “cumulative selection” theory, regardless of the astronomical odds against it—which he admits: he believes in a whole lot of “luck.” But if God is the creator, then it doesn't matter, even if it is the lazy way out.

I recently read Greg Boyd's book “The Benefit of the Doubt,” in which he believes faith includes doubt, and doubt is a good thing. He believes that certainty, or the pursuit of certainty, is or can be a form of idolatry. It's not doubt that is bad but wavering. I'm still a little uncertain on the difference between doubt and wavering. He believes that faith is trusting God in spite of your doubts; trust God and do not waver. OK, but maybe it depends on how we define all those terms: faith, trust, certainty, doubt, and waver, and it also depends on what the object of your faith is.  It's possible that two objects are in view, one of which you are certain and another in which you have uncertainty:  such as I am certain God can heal me, but I don't know for certain he will.

But when it comes to the “benefit of the doubt,” I would apply that to Scripture. I am going to give it--Scripture-- the benefit of the doubt: I'm going to believe it is accurate even though the extra-biblical evidence is not available or lacking. If we still lack extra-biblical verification of some biblical account, I'm going to give Scripture the benefit of the doubt. I once heard that the “Bible Answer Man,” Hank Hanegraaff, doubted that the veil in the Temple tore in two when Jesus died, because there wasn't any extra-biblical reference to it. I would give Scripture the benefit of the doubt on that.  

I would look to how Jesus and Paul understood and used Scripture. Did they believe in its authority and accuracy? Didn't Jesus say that “the Scripture cannot be broken?” Didn't Jesus say to the Sadducees that they were "mistaken not knowing the Scripture?"   Wasn't Jesus accepting the accuracy of Scripture when he spoke of God in the beginning making mankind as "male and female" or when he spoke of Moses writing about him or when he spoke of the people of Nineveh repenting with the preaching of Jonah or that he came to fulfill all that was written of him in the Law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms (there was no debate among the Jews what writings were Scripture when Jesus referenced them as Scripture)? Didn't Paul use the Scriptures to demonstrate to the Jewish people in their synagogues that Jesus was the Christ? Didn't Paul say that all Scripture is “God-breathed” and “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17?

Jesus, quoting Moses, said “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4  And where do we find that “every word?” I'm going to give Scripture the benefit of the doubt.

70 weeks summary

The “70 Weeks” prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27 is one of the most significant prophecies of Scripture, being a timetable for the first coming Of Christ, the destruction of Jerusalem, end time events, and the restoration of Daniel's “people” [the Jews] and “holy city” [Jerusalem], and yet, it seems, most Christians are either ignorant or apathetic about it.

This may be due to a “Preterist” view of prophecy, being a view that all prophecy has been fulfilled in the past, including the 70 Weeks prophecy--which may or may not include the Second Coming of Christ, though most Preterists believe in the Second Coming of Christ as a future event. It may be that little is said or taught on it in the Church today because of the Preterist view, or it is just avoided because of a general ignorance and apathy.

The Futurist view is that the 70 Weeks prophecy has not all been fulfilled, and some significant end times events fit within the timetable of that prophecy, particularly the 70^th or final Week of the prophecy, being a period of 7 years (the “weeks” are understood as a unit of 7, and that of years, and so the 70 Weeks are 490 years: 69 Weeks have been fulfilled, being 483 years, terminating at the first coming of Christ; and the 70^th or final Week of 7 years is yet future—according to the futurist view, but it is already fulfilled, according to the Preterist view).

The second half of the final Week or 7 years is that period of “Great Tribulation” spoken of by Daniel (Daniel 12:1) and Jesus in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew and Mark (and also referenced in Revelation 7:14), being referenced in Daniel and Revelation as 1260 days or 42 months or time, times, half a time, each time reference being the 3 ½ years of the second half of the 70^th or final week of the prophecy.

Preterists believe that great tribulation was fulfilled long ago, while futurists believe it is yet future, the completion being with the second coming of Christ.  Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse: ²⁹ "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31

Daniel 9:20-27: ²⁰ Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, ²¹ while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. ²² He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. ²³ At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are  highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.”

²⁴ “Seventy  weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. ²⁵ So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a  decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until  Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. ²⁶ Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. ²⁷ And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of  abominations [the abomination of desolation] will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” NAS

Daniel 12:1: ¹ “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress [tribulation] such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. “

Matthew 24:15-23: Jesus said: ¹⁵ “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), ¹⁶ then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. … ²¹ For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. ²² Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”²³

Revelation 7:9-14: ⁹ After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; ¹⁰ and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ... ¹³ Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” ¹⁴ I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

The Great Tribulation time references of 3 ½ years:

Daniel 12:6-7: "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?" ⁷ Then I heard the man..."it shall be for *a time, times, and half a time*; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.'”

Revelation 12:13-14: ¹³ Now when the dragon [Satan/ The devil] saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman [Israel/ a remnant] who gave birth to the male Child [Christ]. ¹⁴ But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for *a time and times and half a time,* from the presence of the serpent.

Revelation 12:4-6:  And the dragon [Satan/ Devil through King Herod] stood before the woman [Israel] who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child [Christ] as soon as it was born. ⁵ She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up [the Ascension] to God and His throne. ⁶ Then the woman [Israel/ a remnant] fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there *one thousand two hundred and sixty days*.

​Revelation 11:1-3: ¹ Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. ² But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for *forty-two months*. ³ And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy *one thousand two hundred and sixty days,* clothed in sackcloth."

Revelation 13:5-7: ⁵ And he [the beast] was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for *forty-two months*. ⁶ Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

watched not heard

We can't control what people may think of us, but we can be sure that people are in some way affected by how we act and what we say—or don't say.

I've had some curious encounters with people over the years, and it's not because I said anything to them, but because they have observed something about me and come to whatever conclusions.

When I first started working for my present employer in '86, I was in our breakroom by myself, and a woman walks in and comes up to me and says, “It's OK to use profanity, as long as you don't use God's name in vain.” I don't recall having said anything to her, or what motivated her to even say that to me.

I was operating a stamping press with another man, and for some reason, I showed him a picture of me when I graduated from High school. He thought it was funny that I had kind of long hair—the back touched my collar, and the sides were below my ears. He goes and shows it to one of the supervisors at work. That supervisor comes up to me and points his finger in my face and exclaims: “And that is why I don't go to church!” I don't know what that was all about. I don't recall talking to him about anything before.

One day at work, while running a press, the fork truck driver pulls up near me and says, “stop trying to be perfect, there's only one who is perfect!”   

One day at work (many years ago), I was in a meeting, and everyone who worked in the transfer press department were in that meeting. The group leader put up on an overhead projector something sexually obscene as a joke. The group was all men except for one woman in our group. After the meeting, she comes up to me and says how inappropriate and embarrassing it was for her and asked me if I didn't think it was wrong. I did. And I should have said something about it.

One day a co-worker comes up to me and asks me, “how can a man of God have the tongue of the devil?” I knew who he was talking about. I didn't have an answer for him. It seems that some Christians must think it's ok to use coarse language. I suppose that's why the guy asked me the question, since I didn't believe it is ok.

No too long ago a co-worker comes up to me and says, “I'm not pro-abortion, but pro-choice.” I suppose he approaches me and makes this declaration, because he assumed I am prolife. But I said to him that those who are prolife don't see it that way. If abortion is taking a life, then it is wrong to do it.

Someone once said to me that I say more by what I don't say than by what I do say. I suppose that has been my experience. I could have a lot to say if people wanted to actually have a conversation, but I think most want to avoid talking about things they know little about. So, I usually keep a lot of what I believe to myself, and maybe my conduct speaks in some way.

A co-worker once said to me that he had to put up with “Bible Thumpers” where he used to live. I've never given him a reason to think I'm a Bible Thumper. I don't think I have ever discussed anything spiritual with him. About a year ago, he came up to me and asked, “you are a church goer, aren't you?” I said that I was. He asked me to pray for him, because he was getting a certain surgery. I said I would. He has always treated me respectfully.

I think people are afraid to engage me in spiritual conversation, but they are watching me and my conduct.

Political Philosophy

 I heard someone recently refer to another man as being political, and I took that as being a negative assessment of the man. I have wondered if there is a difference between being political and having a social philosophy that one seeks to promote. To say someone is political seems to have a negative characterization to it, and I wonder if it is being used correctly in its application. I don't think it is as negative as calling someone a “hypocrite”--which is obviously a negative characterization that is used quite often towards those people someone disagrees with, even if they are only being inconsistent in some way as opposed to be deceptive--which hypocrisy more accurately denotes.

I could see a person being “political” if they side with their political party contrary to their beliefs, but if one has a specific social philosophy and sticks to it, regardless of their political party that they align with, is that being political? 

On YouTube, one can often find the opposing side of a view supporting that view at one time. Of course, people have the right to change their minds on an issue, but is it what they believe or is it simply their party's view that they are now supporting?

Is it right to dismiss someone's views that you don't like by claiming they are being political?  Do you know for sure that it isn't their social philosophy? Both sides of an issue have the freedom and right to claim their social philosophy.  To accuse someone of being political on an issue you disagree with could be political itself.

every answer

Several years ago, a pastor asked me to give the sermon in his place, and he asked me not to say anything controversial. I don’t remember if I had a response to that particular request, but since then, I have thought “what's not controversial?”

I came up with the saying a few years ago that “every answer has an argument against it.” I found that no matter how good of an answer you have on a particular issue, someone has an argument against it.

You can't go anywhere without finding people who you will disagree with.

So, you need to know what you believe, and why you believe it, and decide what you are going to divide over, for you can't go anywhere without finding disagreement.

It's good to be willing to be persuaded--to have a change of mind--but that takes humility, honesty, and objectivity, and I'm afraid we are too often too far removed from these qualities of character. Of course, we don't want to be “tossed to and fro” by every “wind of doctrine” or new idea or argument. Most likely, one won't have a change of mind about anything unless they begin to doubt what they believe. Doubt can be an uncomfortable and scary thing. It can lead to being ostracized.

I don't think it is necessarily bad to be certain of something if you are convinced by the evidence but be just as certain that someone will disagree with you and maybe find fault with what you believe. Every answer has an argument against it.