DOES SATAN CAUSE EVIL?
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Why does God allow Evil and Suffering?
a) The reasons why a loving God would allow so much evil in the world are a mystery and a stumbling block to faith for many people. Why do good people sometimes suffer terribly while evil people live lives of ease? These are very difficult things to understand, but the Bible does give some clues.
2. Does Satan Cause Evil?
a) Satan is an evil being opposed to God and mankind. Satan is also called:
i) "The devil" (Matthew 4:1),
ii) "The ruler of this world" (John 14:30),
iii) "The god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4),
iv) "Beelzebub" (Matthew 12:24), and
v) "The ruler of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2).
b) 1 John 5:19 says, "the whole world lies under the power of the evil one."
c) Satan's primary methods are temptation (creating a desire to do what is wrong) and deception (persuasion that wrong is actually right) (Matthew 4:3, John 8:44, 1 Thessalonians 3:4-5, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, 1 John 4:1).
d) But Satan's power is limited by God. With faith, prayer and determination we can resist temptation (Matthew 6:13, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Ephesians 4:25-27, 6:11-12, 1 Peter 5:8-10).
e) Satan, with his powers of temptation and deception, may be indirectly responsible for moral evils. But that does not excuse those people who allow themselves to fall under Satan's influence (Matthew 18:7-9, 26:41, Mark 9:42-48, Luke 17:1-2).
f) Satan may also cause some physical evils (Job 2:3-7).
The End ...
1. Why does God allow Evil and Suffering?a) The reasons why a loving God would allow so much evil in the world are a mystery and a stumbling block to faith for many people. Why do good people sometimes suffer terribly while evil people live lives of ease? These are very difficult things to understand, but the Bible does give some clues.
2. Does Satan Cause Evil?
a) Satan is an evil being opposed to God and mankind. Satan is also called:
i) "The devil" (Matthew 4:1),
ii) "The ruler of this world" (John 14:30),
iii) "The god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4),
iv) "Beelzebub" (Matthew 12:24), and
v) "The ruler of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2).
b) 1 John 5:19 says, "the whole world lies under the power of the evil one."
c) Satan's primary methods are temptation (creating a desire to do what is wrong) and deception (persuasion that wrong is actually right) (Matthew 4:3, John 8:44, 1 Thessalonians 3:4-5, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, 1 John 4:1).
d) But Satan's power is limited by God. With faith, prayer and determination we can resist temptation (Matthew 6:13, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Ephesians 4:25-27, 6:11-12, 1 Peter 5:8-10).
e) Satan, with his powers of temptation and deception, may be indirectly responsible for moral evils. But that does not excuse those people who allow themselves to fall under Satan's influence (Matthew 18:7-9, 26:41, Mark 9:42-48, Luke 17:1-2).
f) Satan may also cause some physical evils (Job 2:3-7).
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