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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Satan's will or God's will | 2 Tim 2:26 | Curtnsally | 32002 | ||
Can't argue too hard with your point, however, I think it is a miscalculation to say Satan has no power over us. If that were true, we would not sin. Paul often talks about the bondage of sin, and I believe this is what he refers to here. To refine the thought, I think that Satan does have limited power over us, but that God's power is greater, if we call upon Him. Certainly, Satan has a will to do evil and he never rests at trying to ensnare us in that desire. Paul is teaching Timothy how to help people escape the bondage of sin. Also... at this time, there was clearly dissention among the ranks on theological issues. Paul wants Timothy to gently correct these issues. In this, he encourages Timothy to be kind (thus attractive) to all people to gain a voice for teaching and and correction to help them free themselves (through faith) from the bondage of sin. Paul reminds Timothy to: "be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. Thanks for the welcome! Blessings Curt |
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2 | Satan's will or God's will | 2 Tim 2:26 | Jensen | 32013 | ||
Dear Curt.... You wrote......"I think it is a miscalculation to say Satan has no power over us. If that were true, we would not sin." I speak of Christians...."The Devil made me do it" is no excuse for sin. If we sin due to a power not our own then we are no longer responsible for our sin. Indeed we can not be sinners by definition of missing the mark. There is no mark. If we are not responsible for our sin then we need not confess our sins; and we need no savior, no one to pay the price of our sin. Since we are not really sinners, but rather believers who are being forced to sin by a power, the problem is that of the power over us (Satan), not ours. We are left only with the hope that we have no free will to sin. You know that is icky. We would then have no will to accept Jesus since that would not be the will of this overarching other power. We become hopeless. But we are responsible for our sin. We recognize sin. Sin is our choice each and every time, no exceptions, no excuses. We feel the guilt of sin. Though we live in a sin filled world, we are not of this world since coming to Christ. To accept that Satan has a power over you to sin is to deny free will. But we can only come to Christ by our free will. Therefore, it is not a miscalculation to say Satan has no power over us. He is permitted to tempt……but it will remain our choice. God Bless….Jensen |
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3 | Satan's will or God's will | 2 Tim 2:26 | Curtnsally | 32134 | ||
Excellent point, and I think I will stand corrected, or at least refined. I don't think we actually disagree, except in semantics. When I think of Satan's "power" over us, I think in terms of temptation, not in terms of my response to temptation. ie, He has the power to tempt, not to force. You seem to postulate that the power to tempt is not really power over us. I believe it is, but that we have no excuse because God gives us a greater power. Hence the verse which I am sure you are well familiar: I Cor 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. If we must bear temptation, it must be a force in our lives, hence a power, BUT, it is a power that we can withstand because God is faithful and provides us the strength to overcome. Our free will is not a choice of overcoming Satan on our own... I don't think we can, thus the need for a Savior. We overcome Satan by choosing to draw on God's strength as a provision... a way out. Thanks for a thoughtful response! Cheers Curt |
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