Why Do we Need Christ?

Nothing is more important to the Christian faith than the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the ONE upon which the hope of eternal life for sinners is anchored. Moreover, the event of the cross of Christ and its proper interpretation at the heart of the Christian faith - this is why many churches have the sign of the cross visibly displayed in their church premises.  So Paul summarized the message he preached as “the word of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18), and again he said that “we preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23).  The only message he had to preach in Corinth was Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).  If the cross is not central it is not the true gospel message.

A.     JESUS’ LIFE FULFILLED ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS

The human spiritual problem is two-fold – (1) lack of righteousness and are (2) sinful therefore liable to punishment! All human beings lack righteousness. All have sinned and have fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) because none is righteous no, not one (Romans 3:10). All attempts at working out personal righteousness by human effort, produces an abomination before the Lord that is considered as filthy rags, i.e. tampons! Therefore sinners needed a saviour who will bring them righteousness that is acceptable in the sight of God. Therefore, Christ was born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those under the law (Galatians 4:4). When Jesus went to John the Baptist for baptism, He told him John that He wanted to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, see the following passages:

ü  1Corinthians 1:30 –           Christ became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption

ü  2 Corinthians 5:21 –  knew no sin

ü  1 Peter 2:22 – He committed no sin

ü  Hebrews 4:15 – He was tempted in every way as we are yet without sin

Before His death, all the leaders took Him through a trial that found Him not guilty of the charges against (Luke 23:14).

This means that when you trust in Him, you give Him the full burden and weight of your sins and in exchange He gives you His righteousness! Faith in Christ means that you stopped trusting in yourself to obey God’s law (because you can’t obey perfectly anyway) and obtain the merit of Christ own obedience. Consider these passages:

ü  Rom. 3:21,22 – the righteousness of God is revealed apart from the law… the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

ü  Gal. 2:16 - yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ…

B.     JESUS’ DEATH PAID THE FULL PENALTY OF OUR SINS

1.      THE CRUCIFIXION

You must make sure you know about the following:

(1)   The prophecies that were fulfilled.  Here are the Old Testament reference that is quoted in

ü  Matthew 27:46 – Psalm 22:1;

ü  Luke 22:37 -  Isaiah 53:12;

ü  Luke 23:46 – Psalm 31:5;

ü  John 19:24 – Psalm 22:18;

ü  John 19:28 – Psalm 69:21;

ü  John 19:36 – Exodus 12:46;

ü  John 19:37 – Zechariah 12:10.

(2)   Crucifixion was a form of death that signified a person was cursed by God (Galatians 3:13).

(3)   The three hours of darkness, at the end of which He shouted, “it is finished!” (John 19:30).  Darkness is a sign of God’s judgment that Jesus fully endured, so He was able to shout that He was victorious, having done all the Father planned for Him to do.

(4)   The curtain of the temple was torn from the top to bottom = by God (Matthew 27:51) to show that through the death of Christ the way into His presence was now open.

2.      THE MEANING OF CHRIST’S DEATH

The Bible uses the following words to explain the death of Christ:

(1) Sacrifice (Hebrews 9:26, 10:12).  He fulfilled the Old Testament sacrifices; for example, He is the true Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), and Hebrews 9:25-26 compares His sacrifice with the temple priestly sacrifices (in Leviticus 16).  Most of the sacrifices were because of the offerer had sinned and was asking God for forgiveness.  The animal was killed instead of the sinner.  So Christ was a sacrifice “in our place”, “for” us (John 10:11, 15:13, Romans 5:6,8, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15,21, Galatians 1:4, 2:20, Hebrews 10:12, 1 Peter 2:21, 3:18).

(2) Blood (Romans 3:25, 5:9, 1 Corinthians 11:25, Ephesians 1:7, 2:13, Colossians 1:20, Hebrews 9:14, 10:19, 13:12,20, 1 Peter 1:2,19, 1 John 1:7, Revelation 1:5, 5:9, 12:11).  The blood of animal sacrifices was poured out around the alter (Leviticus 1:5, 3:2, 4:7) to show that it was dead. 

The “blood of Christ” means that Christ died as a sacrifice, not that there is something special about the blood in His body.  His blood was just like ours.

(3) Obedience (Romans 5:19, Philippians 2:8).  He came from the Father to do His will, and He perfectly obeyed (Hebrews 5:8-9).  As one without blemish He could die for us (Hebrews 7:26-27), just as the animals were to be without “spot or blemish” (1 Peter 1:19).

(4)Propitiation (Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2, 4:10).  God’s wrath is upon sinners, but Christ has suffered the punishment sinners deserve, and so God’s wrath is removed from them.  As an illustration, in traditional religion the elders would seek to turn away the supposed wrath of God in times of drought and disease by offering a certain sacrifice. 

(5)   Ransom (Matthew 20:28, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 1:18-19).  A ransom is a price paid for release.  We are released from our bondage to redemption because Christ gave His life as a sacrifice for us.

(6)   Redemption (1 Corinthians 6:20, Galatians 3:13, 4:5).  The word ransom emphasizes the price that was paid; redemption emphasizes that the price paid brings release.  When we say that Christ is our Redeemer, we mean that by His death we are set free to serve God!

(7)   Reconciliation (Romans 5:10-11, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Ephesians 2:16, Colossians 2:20-22).  God Himself has removed all obstacles to our fellowship with Him through the death of Christ, so that we are now at peace with God.

Note:  Propitiating God, dying for our sins, redeeming us by a ransom price, and reconciling us to God, are all things that Christ accomplished by His death.  Nothing needs to be added.  Do not miss the assurance in Romans 5:1-2,9-11, 8:33-34!  Christ’s death is powerful.

3.      FOR WHOM DID CHRIST DIE?

This is what our 1689 Confession of Faith states about Christ the Mediator:

“By His perfect obedience to God’s law, and by a once-for-all offering up of Himself to God as a sacrifice …, the Lord Jesus has fully satisfied all the claims of divine justice. He has brought about reconciliation, … for all those given to Him by His Father” (Sect.5).

The Confession states that Christ died for the elect, for those given to Him by the Father (John 6:37-39, 17:24).  Many people think this means that Christ’s death was not able to save everyone.  But the real question is, “What was God’s purpose in giving His Son to die?” 

According to the following verses, for whom did Christ die?

Isaiah 53:11, Matthew 20:28, 26:28        many; 

John 11:52                                            children of God;

Ephesians 5:25                                     the church;

Hebrews 2:16                                      offspring of Abraham; 

Hebrews 2:17                                      his brothers

If Christ died for the purpose of saving everyone, then why is not everyone saved?  If His death was a ransom for all, then why is not everyone ransomed?  If Christ died for everyone, and everyone is not saved, it means that Christ’s death is not sufficient to secure the salvation of anyone.  It would then depend on Christ’s death plus something else in man, such as faith. Such a thought is blasphemous as it shows that His death is not sufficient or powerful enough.

There are a few verses that appear to teach Christ died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 1 Timothy 2:6).  Others verses use the word world and supposedly teach that Christ died for everyone (John 1:29, 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:19, 1 John 2:2).  Note that “all” can mean all types of men without distinction (1 Timothy 2:1), or many people (Matthew 3:5-6).  “World” can mean Gentile as well as Jew (John 1:29, 4:42), sinners as opposed to God’s people (John 17:9).

  PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

(1)   Let us have full confidence in Christ and His work to save us completely.  Spurgeon likens Christ’s work to a bridge.  One bridge is wide enough for everyone to go on it but it only goes half way across the river.  The other bridge is narrower but it goes all the way across to glory! Which one is more effective?

(2)   The Bible never presents the gospel as “Christ died for you.”  Rather we must present Christ as a Person who, by His finished work, is fully to be trusted to save any sinner who comes to Him in faith and repentance.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The subject of the Holy Spirit is a very emotional and divisive one in today’s church.  This is because it concerns the experience that people have.  However, our claims must always be tested by the teaching of the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:21, 1 John 4:1).  This does not quench the Spirit because it is what the Spirit has commanded in the Word!  We have been warned to expect there will always be false prophets (Matthew 7:15, 24:24, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 4:1) who do not teach according to what is written in the Bible. Do not believe everything you hear. I want to point out three different important things concerning the Holy Spirit and us.

1. THE HOLY SPIRIT IN CONVERSION

(1) Without the powerful work of the Holy Spirit no one would become a Christian.  The Holy Spirit does the following:

·        Convicting the world (John 16:8);

·        Preaching comes with conviction of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Thessalonians 1:5);

·        Gives new birth – that is: washing and regeneration of the sinner (Titus 3:5, remember John 3:1-8); and

·        Makes believers holy (= being set apart, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Peter 1:2). Remember He is ‘Holy Spirit’ to make believers holy!

(2) The Holy Spirit comes to permanently indwell every Christian (John 14:17, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:19, 2 Timothy 1:14).  Christ came to save us from our sins so that we might receive the Spirit as the central gift of the new covenant (read Ezekiel 36:26-27, John 7:39, Acts 2:33, 2 Corinthians 3:8, Galatians 3:14). God graciously gives the Holy Spirit – no preach can pray for you to receive the Holy Spirit. Therefore do not go forward to be prayed for so that you may receive the Holy Spirit. If you have not received the Holy Spirit then you are not a Christian. 

How can you know if the Spirit lives in you?  Speaking in tongues is not the evidence, as tongues was not a gift given to all (see 1 Corinthians 12:30).  In Romans 8:12-17 three evidences are given:

·         Every Christian kill the deeds of the body by the Spirit (vv.12-13);

·         Every Christian is led by the Spirit in this way of fighting against sin (vv.14-15); and

·         Every Christian experiences the Spirit witnesses with his spirit that he is a child of God (vv.16-17).

(3) This personal indwelling of the Spirit in every Christian is so important as it is the assurance God gives us of final glory in heaven.  So the Spirit’s indwelling is described as seal (2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13, 4:30), guarantee (2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5, Ephesians 1:14), and first-fruits (Romans 8:23).  Each of these three words emphasize the spiritual security of the one who has received the Spirit.

(4) Many wrongly think that to be “baptized” with the Spirit is an experience after conversion.  Rather, to be baptized with the Spirit is a way of describing part of our conversion.  Baptism means to be dipped into something, so it is to say that the Spirit powerfully indwells the believer.  This was the experience of all the Corinthians and it united them (1 Corinthians 12:13).  When Cornelius was baptized with the Spirit it was the evidence of repentance unto life (Acts 11:18).

2. THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

(1) We are also dependent upon the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in our Christian lives.  We are to be filled by the Spirit as the One who gives us power to live our lives (Galatians 5:16,25).  Paul prays that Christians might be walk/live through the Spirit (Ephesians 3:16).  The Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 14:17, 15:26), who teaches us spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:13-16, Ephesians 1:17).  It is the Spirit who enables us to pray (Ephesians 2:18, 6:18, Jude 20); who gives us strength to put our sins to death (Romans 8:13); and who enables us to wait for our hope to be realized (Galatians 5:5).  But above all the Spirit is the One who enables us to produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). 

(2)   The Bible does not teach that we can become holy by a special experience of the Spirit, or by a special act of surrender on our part.  Rather, producing fruit is our responsibility because the Holy Spirit of God indwells us (see Philippians 2:12-13).  This sanctification, or becoming holy like Christ, is a life-long struggle against sin, which will only be complete when the Spirit gives life to our mortal bodies in the resurrection from the dead (Romans 8:11).

(3)   Some people claim they are ‘Spirit-filled’ because they have had some experience.  But to be “filled” with the Spirit is to be controlled by Him and the sort of life that is lived by such a person is described in Ephesians 5:18-33.  It has nothing to do with having certain spiritual gifts.  For example, what does verse 20 say a ‘Spirit-filled’ person will do? Give thanks always to God  What does verse 25 say a

‘Spirit-filled’ husband will do? Love his wife.

3. THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH

(1)   All true Christians have a common experience of the Spirit indwelling. This is the basis of our unity in the church (1 Corinthians 12:13, see Ephesians 4:3).  Therefore our unity as Christians is a spiritual unity, and is expressed in the local church.

(2)   For the benefit of each member of the local church the Spirit gives gifts.  The purpose of spiritual gifts is not for the individual but for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7).  Over and over again, in the discussion of the use of the gifts prophecy and tongues, the principle of ­­­­­­­­­­­­­ building is the basis (1 Corinthians 14:3-5,12,17,26).  Who gives each Christian the gift/gifts as he wishes? The Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:11).

(3)   Lists of spiritual gifts are given in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, and Ephesians 4:11.  We should not suppose that every gift must be present today.  For example, there are no more apostles because they are the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20).  No one today has the qualifications for an apostle as laid out in Acts 1:21-22, especially that of being an eye-witness of Christ’s resurrection.  And other gifts that were so closely identified with the apostles have also ceased, such as prophecy and tongues (both being revelation from God), and ability to work miracles.

(4)   If you are a Christian, you have at least one spiritual gift.  The Holy Spirit has given this to you to use in the edification of your brethren (1 Corinthians 12:5).  In what ways are you serving in the local church?  There are two types of gift, speaking and serving gifts (1 Peter 4:10-11).  Peter’s exhortation is that you do not keep it to yourself, but use it for one service.  Examine yourself to see if you are using any of the gifts you have been given.

Mobilizing Women Saints for Ministry in the Church of Christ

Women are women:

We live at a time when gender distinctions are being deliberately blurred by the world. Sadly the church is not just idly watching it, most of the so called evangelical church is either cheering on, or has joined the bandwagon by encouraging women to enter the realm of ministry where they are not qualified. This sad deterioration has been happening ever since the Karl Barth, Manuel Kant, Bultiman et al of what is now known as liberal theology begun their onslaught on the church of Christ, denouncing the authority of Scripture. Should we just watch this? Should hold our arms akimbo as the deterioration gathers the moss downhill?  No we should do something - by both speaking the truth in love and by mobilizing women to the ministry that God has called them to. True evangelicals must not sleep as feminists and homosexuals rage and rant.

The purpose of this article is to mobilize our dear sisters in Christ to His service by pointing out to them what the Bible says about their ministry in the church. I seek to break rank with those who speak as if women in the church are not saints and as if they do not have anything to offer the body of Christ. 

Created man, male and woman, female – Gen. 1:26-28; 2:18, 21-25. This must never be forgotten that men are men and God expects them to be men and women are women and God expects them to be men. Changing the organ that is synonymous with masculinity or femininity cannot reverse the created order! 

·     God created them in His own image. Men and women are equal in the sense that they are God’s image bearers equally. They equally demonstrate the specific image of God in knowledge, righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). Those of Galatians 3:28 must know that it is true that before God, in creation, in sin, and in redemption, their is neither male nor female. All are equal before God.

·         Male and female He created them. God created them distinctively different. Men are to lovingly lead  the women to glorify God. On the other hand women are created to support this leadership by being 'fit helpers' for men in yielding glory to God, who made them. It was not good that man should be alone (2:18). The wife was created as a fit helper for man. We see male headship in

ü  Adam naming the creation (2:20).

ü  Eve being made from Adam (2:21,22; 1 Cor. 11:8; 1Tim. 2:13)

ü  Adam naming of Eve

Male headship means that in the partnership of two spiritually equal human beings, man and woman, the man bears the primary responsibility to lead the partnership in a God-glorifying direction. When God created Adam and (then) Eve to the fulfillment creation mandate (as Adam could not do it alone), He put them in the Garden of Eden with all that they could eat except for one – a garden of dos and a tree of don’t! Man was given the responsibility to lead the woman. This he did by calling her ‘woman for she came from him. He did this delightfully.

Sadly Satan convinced Eve to reverse this important created order. Thankfully, God spoke to Adam to redirect the order. The church is the God-appointed institution on earth to show His glory and wisdom in reinstating this order so that Christian families exemplify it. When a careful observation is made in the Bible, it will be seen that only Christianity has well balanced the gender roles as God intended. This is seen in the following reasons:

1)      Christ placed a high value on women.

How did Christ demonstrate this?

                     i.            By recognizing their intrinsic value as persons

                   ii.            By ministering to them in different circumstances

                  iii.            By according them dignity in His ministry – He employed women as illustrations in His teaching (Matt. 12:42; Luke 11:31), by teaching women theological truths, and by having women participate in His life and ministry

2)      Christ recognized role distinctions for men and women

The choice of male apostles is a clear indication that as much as He placed a high value on them as men, yet He did not appoint a single one to be an apostle. He did not direct anyone of them to be a leader in the church! As much as He loved Mary yet He did not regard her as an apostle. He did not regard His own mother as the ‘Mother of God’ as many want us to believe.

It is important to note that the Israel was always led by men, that there never was a woman priest, that male prophets are the leaders and that the prophetesses who are recorded are obscure and the exception to prove the rule. Only male kings and when there was the queen mother in reign it was catastrophic!

3)      In the management of the church, pastors also called elders, or bishops/overseers is a masculine office. In fact the women don’t even qualify see 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Even for the office of the diaconate, there is enough scriptural evidence that they were to be men only – see Acts 6:2-3 and 1 Timothy 3:8-10, 12. Verse 11 is not conclusive as the context shows a reference to the women of the Deacon-men. Passages to consider:

1.       1 Corinthians 14:33-35:

This regulation applies to all the churches of the saints and not just Corinth as liberals have ranted. The women are required to:

a)       remain silent in the churches because they are not permitted to speak

b)      be in submission as required by the Law

c)       to learn through their husbands at home

d)      it is shameful for a woman to speak (in teaching and in the excise of authority)  in church.

Consider how this passages connects to 1 Timothy 2:11-14

2.       1 Timothy 2:11-14:

a)      Women are required to learn

b)      Women are expected to learn in quietness

c)       Women are commanded to be in full submission

Notice the reasons annexed to these three instructions

a)      Creation order

b)      Entrance of sin

These reasons are universal and eternally binding for women in the churches of Ephesus and Corinth in the 1^st Century, as well as women in the churches in Nairobi and Kenya in the 21^st century. Let no one deceive you – this is applicable in all the churches of the saints!

3.       1 Timothy 5:10,14 – the ministry is bottom up for women, while man is expected to minister to all in leadership, godliness.

House-keeping, bringing up children, hospitality, ministry to the saints and care for the afflicted, and every kind of good works are part of the paradigms of ministry for Christian women in the church. Here we have a clear exhortation to the women – So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander (v.14). If you are asking what exactly am I expected by my heavenly Father to do in His service, then this is the most clear instruction.

4.       Titus 2:3-5 – older and mature women are to teach what is good and so train the younger women to love their husbands and children and so be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind etc… that the word of God may not be blasphemed

Although these passages may be taken as unfriendly to women but the opposite is true. There is a whole garden of dos and a single tree of don’t, but we are all focused on the tree. Preaching is not the only work. These passages express compassion and an appreciation of who a woman is – they mean: Let a woman not enter into a sphere of activity not suited for her by the virtue of the manner of her creation. Let not a bird venture to dwell under water or fish on land! Let not a woman yearn to be the person that she was not made to be but serve the Lord within her domain – bottom up, providing support and complementing the male headship in the church. This has had kingdom impact, e.g. Rom. 12, Susana Wesley,

Women ministries now: There are innumerable ministries that women ought to be involved in order to faithfully serve the body of Christ. Yes, the possibilities for ministry for women in the church are myriad. Generally speaking, such ministries as these and many others are available for women (and also for men). The garden is rich and splendid with many fruits for every saint to relish the delights of serving the Master. We must not yield to the temptations of the devil to look at the forbidden tree, a tree that will only dishonour the Lord and bring misery to those who eat it.

1)      Home-keeping, caring for their husbands and children (whatever the women do or not do, they must serve the Lord in their homes)

2)      Hospitality, caring for guests

3)      Teaching women and children

4)      Mercy or comfort ministry – caring for the afflicted, orphans, widows,

5)      Support ministries like translations, writing, music, administration

6)      Missions & evangelism

7)      Prayer

God specially planned man and woman with differences that would complement each other. Each was strong, each was fragile in different ways:  each could minister to each other. He designed man to be masculine: harder, physically stronger, less swayed by personal or emotional considerations. He designed woman to be feminine: softer, empathetic, understanding, instinctively more nurturing. He designed the female body to bear and nurse babies. God Himself designed and placed within women the maternal instinct: sensitivity, intuition and compassion. These qualities do indeed provide a reflection of a yet deeper love within God Himself. Women have been created to be helpers, and will be mobilized for ministry as we understand and become enthused with this helper design. The helper design is an exalted one – all the three Persons of the Godhead are referred to as ‘Helper’ in Scripture.[1]

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[1] Sharon James, God’s Design for Women, Biblical Womanhood for Today, Evangelical Press, Faverdale North Darlington, DL3 0PH pp.78-79

Satan

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Top of Form

What do you know about Satan?

What is the primary witness of the reality of the existence of the devil and the demons? Is it experience or stories – NO it is the testimony of God in His Word, the Bible. Those who construct stories about Satan are just his agents who are out to deceive and so conceal his identity. It is necessary to know from God who the devil is so that you are not deceived. He is cunning and deceitful, with the aim of seeking someone to devour. 

If you Google the images of Satan, you will see grotesque images of tailed, horned bloodstained creatures! The reality is that the devil is far different from what he is usually depicted to be. He is usually like the angel of light so that he may deceive. I think that the images used of Jesus while on earth in the 'Jesus Film' may be a better representation of the devil, since we know from Scripture that Jesus did not have he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him (Isaiah 53:2). In view of this, it is very interesting then that we are given images of a very handsome man! This is reason why I have chosen not to use any such images for this blog post. 

The Lord Jesus made 25 references to Satan/devil. Since the Lord came to destroy the works of the devil - sin (1 John 3:8), He had to very meticulously identify him. Satan is the devil’s proper name – Matt. 4:10; Luke 10:18. The veracity of the words of Christ should suffice in proving the existence of the devil. Every NT writer and 19 of the books make reference to him.  He is also called:

·         the devil (Matt. 4:1; 13;39; 25:41; Rev. 12:9; 20:2);

·         Beelzebub (Matt. 10:25; 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15);

·         the ruler of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11);

·         the prince of the power of the air (Eph.2:2)

·         the evil one (Matt.13:19; 1 John 2:13)

He is a created spiritual being with moral judgment and high intelligence but without physical bodies. Satan is shown as the ‘head of demons’ or prince of demons (Mk. 3:22,23) and the name Satan means adversary. He is the slanderer or the accuser of brethren as in Job 1:6; 1Ch. 21:1; Zech. 3:1.

The Bible explicitly show three personality attributes of the devil:

a)      He is intelligent – he is a lying schemer and crafty (Eph. 6:11)

b)      He has emotion – he has burning anger (Rev. 12:12)

c)      He has a will – he desired to exalt himself over God (Isa. 14:13-14)

A. The devil is limited: He is a created being. Job’s story makes it clear that

(1) the devil can only perform God’s bidding. He cannot go beyond God’s permission. In fact

(2) the demons are kept in eternal chains (Jude 6) and the devil himself can be successfully resisted by any Christian through the Christ-given authority (Jam. 4:7; 1Peter5:8).

(3) The power of the devil and the demons is less than that of the angels (Jude 9). Therefore,

(4) the devil doesn’t know the future – only God can! (C.f. Isa. 46:9-10). Since the angels do not know the time of Christ’s second return (Mark. 13:32), far less the demons.

(5) He cannot read your mind or thoughts, only God and Christ can! (Gen. 6:5; Psa. 139:2; Isa. 66:18; Matt.9:4; Mark 2:8; Luke 6:8). There is not a single Scripture to show that the devil has such ability. Remember King Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men, enchanters, magicians etc. could not show the king his dream because they depending on the devil for their powers, they were as limited as their master – not so Daniel who depended on God (Daniel 2:27-28).

Demons on the other hand are evil angels who sinned against God and who now continually work evil in the world. 

Where Satan and the demons there when everything that God created ‘…was very good’? (Gen. 1:31) NO! However, by the time of Genesis 3 Satan was in existence. (2Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). Notice that their sins had something to do with pride and rebellion – not keeping within their own position but left their proper dwelling. Cf. Isa. 14:12-15; Ez. 28:11-19

B. Satan is the inventor and designer of sin because he was the first to sin – he sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8). We are told that he is the father of all lies (John 8:44) and is the murderer from the beginning. So he tempted Eve – Gen. 3:1-6; 2 Cor.11:3.

C. Satan is in opposition to God and His Work: He tempted Eve to sin against God and always seeking to destroy the work of God. He also tempted Jesus with the same aim (Matt. 4:1-11). Usually he and the demons use lies or deception, murder and other destructive tactics such as blinding people from the light of the gospel (2 Cor. 4:4). He constantly uses temptations, doubt, guilt, fear, confusion, sickness, envy, pride, slander etc. in order to hinder Christians from being effective witnesses of the gospel.