is it always the devil?

[Classik]

So when people do bad things like fight, steal and get caught, get involved in fornication, tell lies, fail exams, commit murder, etc, is it always the devil's work? Is he ever involved in all the numerous evils that take place? Is it possibly his fault when someone does the wrong thing?

They are of their father: the devil - a scripture says.

 

[Eugene]

.

 

[Brother Mike]

So when people do bad things like fight, steal and get caught, get involved in fornication, tell lies, fail exams, commit murder, etc, is it always the devil's work? Is he ever involved in all the numerous evils that take place? Is it possibly his fault when someone does the wrong thing?

They are of their father: the devil - a scripture says.

1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

The source is the devil, but we get the blame for listening to him and following after the lust of our own flesh.

 

[ezra]

we give the devil to much credit... we do it because we want to

 

[Edward]

The heart is deceitfully wicked and the lustful desires of the flesh make Satan's job easy for him.

we give the devil to much credit... we do it because we want to

You can say that again.

Never be afraid to own up to your own mistakes. Personal responsibility is a virtue. I did do it, it's my fault. :neutral

 

[ezra]

The heart is deceitfully wicked and the lustful desires of the flesh make Satan's job easy for him.



You can say that again.

Never be afraid to own up to your own mistakes. Personal responsibility is a virtue. I did do it, it's my fault. :neutral

when i pray about something i done i never hide the fact i did it of my own will. then i ask the Lord help me overcame and he does but when i go back repeat it it helps again and sometimes he shows you in a rather rough way. what your doing is wrong even though you acknowledge it .i call this the rooster crowing

 

[Classik]

we give the devil to much credit... we do it because we want to

So can we trace everything back to the Fall of Man or self will/freewill

 

[Classik]

The heart is deceitfully wicked and the lustful desires of the flesh make Satan's job easy for him.



You can say that again.

Never be afraid to own up to your own mistakes. Personal responsibility is a virtue. I did do it, it's my fault. :neutral

I did do it, it's my fault. As a result of the Sin nature? What can we trace it back to?

 

[evenifigoalone]

I recall in the small group Bible study I attended yesterday one of the verses from the passage we were discussing said that Satan does provide temptations. (And God provides a way out. The choice is our's.) I can't remember what the passage was, though.

I do remember a thought that occurred to me during that study/discussion. If sin is defined on our treatment of God and our treatment of others, then our sin nature is a fundamental part of the world we live in where everything, including ourselves, reacts to stimuli. Animals cannot sin because they don't have a concept of it, but if we acted like animals we'd be sinning. Because they live only for their own pleasure. They are purely pleasure seeking.
We also live in bodies like that, that are subject to this as well. But God says while you live like this, keep my commandments. The commandments involving honoring God and treating others well.
If someone committing sin makes them of the devil, then the devil must be pleasure seeking, himself.

Idk. Them's my thoughts.

 

[JohnDB]

Of course it's the Devil....

I'm innocent I tell ya.
You ain't got nothing on me...I got the righteous of Christ. I'm as pure as the driven snow.

So if you think I done it....that's the Devil at work.

 

[ezra]

Of course it's the Devil....

I'm innocent I tell ya.
You ain't got nothing on me...I got the righteous of Christ. I'm as pure as the driven snow.

So if you think I done it....that's the Devil at work.

the devil is behind it but to say i/ we did not do it .then the devil has full control over us .. all this does not mean we are not the righteous of Christ. I'm as pure as the driven snow.

 

[JLB]

we give the devil to much credit... we do it because we want to

4 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. James 1:14-15

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

...for the devil has sinned from the beginning.


This shows the devil sinned.

The devil is not sin.

Lucifer himself, desired to be exalted as God.

Does the devil tempt people? Yes.

However, it is the person himself who sins, that is of or aligned with the devil.

The devils power is in deception.

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:7-10


JLB

 

[smaller]

If the Word of God tells us that a foreign unseen entity(s) operate in this world, blinding people's minds and hearts to the Gospel, it is pointless to overlook that fact, if we believe Gods Words.

If the Word of God tells us that both God in Christ, and ourselves have a disobedient spiritual adversary/enemy, it is pointless to overlook that fact, if we believe Gods Words.

If the Word of God tells us that we ourselves and all people have evil present with us, sin dwelling in our flesh and that sin is of the devil, it is pointless to overlook these facts, if we believe Gods Words.

IF the forgiveness, Grace and Mercy in Christ is needed because of the above, it is pointless to overlook any of these matters from Gods Words, if we believe.

Where Gods Words and actions get very interesting on a personal level is when we realize that God in Christ condemns what we have in our own flesh. Whatever relationship we "think" we have with God in Christ will not avoid this condemnation of God in Christ. We are all blindly led to overlook our faults, and think this is done in the Name of Jesus.

It's not. It's done in blindness because we do not see the facts, as they are.

 

[smaller]

Of course it's the Devil....

I'm innocent I tell ya.
You ain't got nothing on me...I got the righteous of Christ. I'm as pure as the driven snow.

So if you think I done it....that's the Devil at work.

When I witness Jesus to anyone, I flat out tell them that

A. I am no better than anyone else. (Romans 3:9),

B. That there is "no excuse" for me or anyone else, period, Romans 3:19.

C. That all people have "evil present" within them. Romans 7:21

These are why we turn our hearts to Jesus Christ, to save and divide us from the working of evil in our own hearts.

It is quite easy to witness the LOVE of God in Christ to any person. It is quite easy for them to believe that God in Christ DOES LOVE them, IF we ourselves believe this.

Engaging the "evil present" with people to loose these captives, the "evil" that blinds and captures them, is quite another matter altogether.

"Evil present" is our enemy. It does not cooperate, and won't. When I witness Jesus Christ to anyone, I tell them that it is the evil present with them, that makes them NOT believe that God in Christ actually does love them.

But Jesus does not love the evil present with any person. And they will "feel" that resistance to His Love, if they are made aware of it. People are naturally repelled by slaveship, once it is exposed.

They are naturally blinded to the fact that slaveship is internal, invisible, and NOT of themselves. This, the Light of the Gospel, exposes to be a lie. The slaveship is internal, and not of themselves or ourselves.

No natural man can see these things. Only God in Christ can make any person see. We "witness" of/to Truth, in the HOPE that God in Christ will reveal Himself to those we witness to. But His revealing is HIS JOB.

We are to love the person, and simultaneously hate the evil present within them, ourselves or any other person.

 

[JLB]

If the Word of God tells us that a foreign unseen entity(s) operate in this world, blinding people's minds and hearts to the Gospel, it is pointless to overlook that fact, if we believe Gods Words.

Yes agreed, those who are unsaved are blinded by the god of this world and his emissary's.

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

If the Word of God tells us that both God in Christ, and ourselves have a disobedient spiritual adversary/enemy, it is pointless to overlook that fact, if we believe Gods Words.

Yes we who are born again do have an enemy, and we deal with that enemy as Christ did.

We have been given authority over the devil and his emissary's, as we have this glorious treasure of Christ within our body, as His temple.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20


14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-16

and again

We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. 1 John 5:18


Unlike the unbelievers, we are set apart unto God, as our body is the Temple of God.

Please don't mix the two conditions together as if they were one.


JLB

 

[JLB]

When I witness Jesus to anyone, I flat out tell them that

A. I am no better than anyone else. (Romans 3:9),

B. That there is "no excuse" for me or anyone else, period, Romans 3:19.

C. That all people have "evil present" within them. Romans 7:21

These are why we turn our hearts to Jesus Christ, to save and divide us from the working of evil in our own hearts.

It is quite easy to witness the LOVE of God in Christ to any person. It is quite easy for them to believe that God in Christ DOES LOVE them, IF we ourselves believe this.

Engaging the "evil present" with people to loose these captives, the "evil" that blinds and captures them, is quite another matter altogether.

"Evil present" is our enemy. It does not cooperate, and won't. When I witness Jesus Christ to anyone, I tell them that it is the evil present with them, that makes them NOT believe that God in Christ actually does love them.

But Jesus does not love the evil present with any person. And they will "feel" that resistance to His Love, if they are made aware of it. People are naturally repelled by slaveship, once it is exposed.

They are naturally blinded to the fact that slaveship is internal, invisible, and NOT of themselves. This, the Light of the Gospel, exposes to be a lie. The slaveship is internal, and not of themselves or ourselves.

No natural man can see these things. Only God in Christ can make any person see. We "witness" of/to Truth, in the HOPE that God in Christ will reveal Himself to those we witness to. But His revealing is HIS JOB.

Do you tell them that Satan will dwell within them when they turn to Christ?


JLB

 

[smaller]

Unlike the unbelievers, we are set apart unto God, as our body is the Temple of God.

Please don't mix the two conditions together as if they were one.

We've had this conversation many times, and obviously see differently. I do not view the evil present with me or any person as themselves, but an inhabitation of the spirit of disobedience in the flesh. Most believers will claim they do not engage the spirit of disobedience in their own flesh/mind/heart.

I just happen to know better, from experience and believing Gods Words on these matters. But I, like you, for a long enough time, thought the same way. It was not until I saw that adverse thoughts were not from me, did I recognize the reality of Gods Words in the conveyances of these matters of our adversary.

Everyone engages evil present in their own minds. It is not an option. And since this working is not forensic and not a "material" fact that can be scientifically proven, then it moves to the realm of "disobedient spirits." This is what the Word of God tells us.

There is not a man of us who doesn't excuse "adulterous" thoughts. We blindly think that if we do not "act" on them or entertain them, then we're OK with Jesus.

That's NOT how God in Christ sees it. It is an action of evil present with us, of sin dwelling in our flesh. And these things remain under the condemnation of God in Christ, even if not acted upon or entertained.

Believers just don't care to face this fact, and instead, cover it up, falsely thinking God doesn't know every thought we've ever had. Even before we have them.

 

[smaller]

Do you tell them that Satan will dwell within them when they turn to Christ?

JLB

We all deal with evil present with us until the day we actually die. And this is a working of the spirit of disobedience, not ourselves as Gods children.

 

[JLB]

We all deal with evil present with us until the day we actually die. And this is a working of the spirit of disobedience, not ourselves as Gods children.

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, Ephesians 2:1-2

The scripture says the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.

It does not say the "spirit of disobedience".

JLB

 

[JLB]

We all deal with evil present with us until the day we actually die. And this is a working of the spirit of disobedience, not ourselves as Gods children.

Do you tell them that Satan will dwell within them when they turn to Christ?

Do you believe Satan dwells within Christians who belong to Jesus Christ?


JLB