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NASB | Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness of it, The world, and those who dwell in it. [1 Cor 10:26] |
Subject: Is Satan ruler over the earth? |
Bible Note: Is Satan ruler over the earth? - - - - - - - - - - - - - '...the popular conception that Satan took possession of the “title deed to the earth” is without biblical warrant.' - - - - - - - - - - - - - 'OVERSTATING SATAN’S AUTHORITY - - - - - - - - - - - - - "The Bible does not say - as Anderson represents - that Satan is ruler over the earth (Greek: ge), but rather over this world (Greek: kosmos) or age (Greek: aion)." - - - - - - - - - - - - - 'One of the reasons Satan looms so large in [Neil T.] Anderson’s worldview is his misunderstanding of biblical teaching that Satan is the “god” and “ruler” of this world. 'Anderson’s exposition . . . sounds close enough to what Christians commonly believe that it may not raise many eyebrows. Nonetheless, it contains several faulty interpretations that lead to an unbiblical view of both the authority of Satan and the authority of the believer: '1. Anderson states that Adam’s authority was transferred to Satan, but the popular conception that Satan took possession of the “title deed to the earth” is without biblical warrant. Adam’s rulership was over the natural world; Satan’s rulership is over the fallen angels and lost humanity. The Bible does not say — as Anderson represents — that Satan is ruler over the earth (Greek: ge [Strong's #1093]), but rather over this world (Greek: kosmos) or age (Greek: aion). As a theologian, Anderson should know that these terms, when used in relation to Satan, refer to the present dark spiritual system in which humanity blindly participates (e.g., 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 6:12). If Satan’s offer to Jesus of the kingdoms of the world was genuine, it was because their rulers were under his behind-the-scenes direction (1 John 5:19). He could not, however, offer Him the physical earth, since that has always belonged to God (e.g., Exod. 19:5; Deut. 10:14; Ps. 24:1; 1 Cor. 10:26). '2. Anderson further equates the dominion given by God to Adam over the animals (Gen. 1:28) with the authority given by Christ to His disciples over evil spirits (Matt. 10:1; Luke 10:17-20), but there is no biblical reason to think they are the same authority. The “significant dominion Adam exercised before the fall” has not yet been restored to redeemed man (Heb. 2:8). '3. The idea that Satan has a legal claim to man is almost as difficult to prove biblically as the idea that he has a legal claim to the earth. It can be said that by inciting man to rebel against God’s authority, Satan tricked him into falling prisoner to the law of sin and death. Then, as man plunged into darkness, he became easily manipulated by the prince of darkness — but this would seem to be a rule by default. Although Scripture indicates that Satan’s authority over angels was once legitimate (Jude 8-9), it nowhere explicitly states that his rule over man is by legal right, and it is doubtful that it even implicitly does so.18 '4. Although Jesus does say in Matthew 28:18 that all authority has been handed over to Him, He does not hand that authority carte blanche over to believers. Rather, on the basis of that authority, He commissions them to go and make disciples of all the nations, and for that work He delegates to them the authority to do a limited number of things (e.g., remit sins — John 20:21-23). Furthermore, 1 John 3:8 (“The Son of God appeared...to destroy the devil’s work”) does not speak of believers, as Anderson suggests. The devil’s work was destroyed once-and-for-all on the cross (John 12:31; Col. 2:15).' ____________________ STATEMENT DA082 The Bondage Maker: Examining the Message and Method of Neil T. Anderson (Part Two: Spiritual Warfare And The “Truth Encounter”) by Elliot Miller To read more go to: (http://www.equip.org/free/DA082.htm) |