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Who is the devil

Some people say he resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. :lol

Joking aside. Whenever we have to fight against the evil within ourselves we actually fight against the devil. That's important to remember, so we know how important it is to keep fighting.

Sparrowhawk, thanks for the link. Definitely gonna read that!
 
1 John 3:1-10

English Standard Version (ESV)

3 See <SUP class=crossreference value='(A)'></SUP>what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called <SUP class=crossreference value='(B)'></SUP>children of God; and so we are. The reason why <SUP class=crossreference value='(C)'></SUP>the world does not know us is that <SUP class=crossreference value='(D)'></SUP>it did not know him. <SUP class=versenum>2 </SUP>Beloved, we are <SUP class=crossreference value='(E)'></SUP>God's children <SUP class=crossreference value='(F)'></SUP>now, and what we will be <SUP class=crossreference value='(G)'></SUP>has not yet appeared; but we know that <SUP class=crossreference value='(H)'></SUP>when he appears <SUP class=crossreference value='(I)'></SUP>we shall be like him, because <SUP class=crossreference value='(J)'></SUP>we shall see him as he is. <SUP class=versenum>3 </SUP>And everyone who <SUP class=crossreference value='(K)'></SUP>thus hopes in him <SUP class=crossreference value='(L)'></SUP>purifies himself as he is pure.
<SUP class=versenum>4 </SUP>Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; <SUP class=crossreference value='(M)'></SUP>sin is lawlessness. <SUP class=versenum>5 </SUP>You know that <SUP class=crossreference value='(N)'></SUP>he appeared in order to <SUP class=crossreference value='(O)'></SUP>take away sins, and <SUP class=crossreference value='(P)'></SUP>in him there is no sin. <SUP class=versenum>6 </SUP>No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; <SUP class=crossreference value='(Q)'></SUP>no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. <SUP class=versenum>7 </SUP>Little children, <SUP class=crossreference value='(R)'></SUP>let no one deceive you. <SUP class=crossreference value='(S)'></SUP>Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. <SUP class=versenum>8 </SUP><SUP class=crossreference value='(T)'></SUP>Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was <SUP class=crossreference value='(U)'></SUP>to destroy the works of the devil.<SUP class=versenum>9 </SUP><SUP class=crossreference value='(V)'></SUP>No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. <SUP class=versenum>10 </SUP>By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, <SUP class=crossreference value='(W)'></SUP>nor is the one who <SUP class=crossreference value='(X)'></SUP>does not love his brother.

Those who practice sin is the Devil. As stated ,Jesus saves from sin, not in sin.
 
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1 John 3:1-10

English Standard Version (ESV)

3 See <SUP class=crossreference value='(A)'></SUP>what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called <SUP class=crossreference value='(B)'></SUP>children of God; and so we are. The reason why <SUP class=crossreference value='(C)'></SUP>the world does not know us is that <SUP class=crossreference value='(D)'></SUP>it did not know him. <SUP class=versenum>2 </SUP>Beloved, we are <SUP class=crossreference value='(E)'></SUP>God's children <SUP class=crossreference value='(F)'></SUP>now, and what we will be <SUP class=crossreference value='(G)'></SUP>has not yet appeared; but we know that <SUP class=crossreference value='(H)'></SUP>when he appears <SUP class=crossreference value='(I)'></SUP>we shall be like him, because <SUP class=crossreference value='(J)'></SUP>we shall see him as he is. <SUP class=versenum>3 </SUP>And everyone who <SUP class=crossreference value='(K)'></SUP>thus hopes in him <SUP class=crossreference value='(L)'></SUP>purifies himself as he is pure.
<SUP class=versenum>4 </SUP>Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; <SUP class=crossreference value='(M)'></SUP>sin is lawlessness. <SUP class=versenum>5 </SUP>You know that <SUP class=crossreference value='(N)'></SUP>he appeared in order to <SUP class=crossreference value='(O)'></SUP>take away sins, and <SUP class=crossreference value='(P)'></SUP>in him there is no sin. <SUP class=versenum>6 </SUP>No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; <SUP class=crossreference value='(Q)'></SUP>no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. <SUP class=versenum>7 </SUP>Little children, <SUP class=crossreference value='(R)'></SUP>let no one deceive you. <SUP class=crossreference value='(S)'></SUP>Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. <SUP class=versenum>8 </SUP><SUP class=crossreference value='(T)'></SUP>Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was <SUP class=crossreference value='(U)'></SUP>to destroy the works of the devil.<SUP class=versenum>9 </SUP><SUP class=crossreference value='(V)'></SUP>No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. <SUP class=versenum>10 </SUP>By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, <SUP class=crossreference value='(W)'></SUP>nor is the one who <SUP class=crossreference value='(X)'></SUP>does not love his brother.

Those who practice sin is the Devil. As stated ,Jesus saves from sin, not in sin.


Trained by Saving Grace

<SUP class=versenum>11 </SUP>For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, <SUP class=versenum>12 </SUP>teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, <SUP class=versenum>13 </SUP>looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, <SUP class=versenum>14 </SUP>who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
<SUP class=versenum>15 </SUP>Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Grace teaches us. Titus 2:11-15
 
Most people attribute extreme power to this being.

However; It is God who grants ALL power to ALL beings. Job 1:12 "The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD."

Remember, he is a created being, just like us. He cannot be everywhere at once like God can, he cannot create his own power like God can, and he does not have true free will. God permits everything he does. In every sense of the word, he is OUR greatest enemy. Most people attribute EVERYTHING with the devil. You get cancer, it's the devil. Someone gets angry at you, it's the devil. The fact of the matter is simple. Since the devil is a created being, you can be sure he is careful on where he expends his energy. You can rest assured that he does not bother with drug addicts, fornicators...ect. Why would he? Those people are creating their own downfall, without his help. Christians are his biggest target, so he is always at work creating new religions, and trying to derail our faith.

One day very soon, he will be defeated, and destroyed.
 
the devil is the appearance of the "darkness" and its main spirit/deity, and as all its appearances/spirits so satan has no soul, but is an inanimate entity

Blessings
 
the devil is the appearance of the "darkness" and its main spirit/deity, and as all its appearances/spirits so satan has no soul, but is an inanimate entity

Blessings

Inanimate???? Then how did jesus have a conversation with him?

Matthew 4

King James Version (KJV)

4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
<sup class="versenum">2 </sup>And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
<sup class="versenum">3 </sup>And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
<sup class="versenum">4 </sup>But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
<sup class="versenum">5 </sup>Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
<sup class="versenum">6 </sup>And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
<sup class="versenum">7 </sup>Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
<sup class="versenum">8 </sup>Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
<sup class="versenum">9 </sup>And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
<sup class="versenum">10 </sup>Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
<sup class="versenum">11 </sup>Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
 
the devil is the appearance of the "darkness" and its main spirit/deity, and as all its appearances/spirits so satan has no soul, but is an inanimate entity

Blessings

Thanks. However, would it be appropriate to say (judging from your definition) that he is the opposite of another deity??? If yes...then to what extent is he the opposite of that deity??? :dunno :shrug :confused
 
Thanks. However, would it be appropriate to say (judging from your definition) that he is the opposite of another deity??? If yes...then to what extent is he the opposite of that deity??? :dunno :shrug :confused


we meant that the devil is the main appearance/spirit/deity of the "darkness"

Blessings
 
How did you prove that to yourself, or by what scriptures do you rely for your interpretation?


we as a rule testified by faith in God and Jesus, not by scripture, but the sanity can also figure out that the evil spirits are inanimate appearances/things of the "darkness", while the souls are things of the true God, because also it is written that He created the human/ensouled beings, while there is no verification in the Scripture that satan was made of God, then He would have been unrighteous if He was the creator of any evil thing

Blessings
 
The devil is inanimate? There's sense in it. I've never thought about it before.

He isn't man! We have life. The devil's a spirit
 
This is going off at a bit of a tangent but your question prompted this thought...

Imagine you are walking alone in some dark and misty alley or country pathway and you meet a gravelly voiced stranger. There is the smell of sulphur and smoke in the air and small unseen creatures scurrying all around you. He tells you that he is the son of Satan come to earth to give you whatever your heart desires - and then you see his eyes glow red. What is your reaction? I think few of us would remain completely calm. Most of us would be spooked to some extent. All of us would have an adrenaline rush and a great many of us would just turn and run but it was of course just a good halloween trick carried out on a cold February night.

Now imagine a beautiful day in a lovely park or countryside. The sun is shining and the birds are singing. A quietly spoken stranger approaches you, claims to be the son of God and asks is there anything he can do for you? What is your reaction? I suspect that most of us would think, uh, oh, another nut-job, how can I get rid of him? We wouldn't be scared of him, he seems harmless enough and we can tolerate him as long as he doesn't get too intrusive.
The point I am trying to make is that we are probably far more likely to believe that someone is the devil or a demon than we are to think that someone is the son of God or an angel. We seem far more ready to think ill of people. I wonder why that is? Do we expect the evil but not goodness?
 
The devil is inanimate? There's sense in it. I've never thought about it before.

He isn't man! We have life. The devil's a spirit


yes, the "darkness" is the uncaused dark side of the divine, and all its primordial appearances/spirits are inanimate entities: satan, the "beast", the "death", the "hell", the "whore", the devils/evil spirits, etc. - all they are not ensouled beings

Blessings
 
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