Subject: Are new worship songs scripturally OK? |
Bible Note: "Nowhere does Scripture state that believers have authority over Satan himself." EdB, I totally agree with you when you write: "Other songs are talking to Satan, what going to happen to him or what we are going to do to him and etc. Again where is the worship of God in that? “Satan you under my foot”." For the benefit of the readers, may I add something (in agreement with you) that relates to this subject? I do not sing songs to or about Satan. I never join in when others are singing the chorus referring to Satan, "He's under my feet, He's under my feet." I don't think so. The believer's authority has been much overstated. The notion that people can order Satan about when they can't even get their kids to do what they tell them is truly astonishing. "Elliot Miller writes: "The biblical evidence suggesting that believers have been given direct authority over the demonic realm is scantier than is usually supposed. Neil T. Anderson applies Matthew 12:29 (“first binds the strong man”) to believers, when it is obvious from the preceding seven verses that Jesus was referring to Himself alone. Matthew 18:18 (“bind” and “loose”) refers to church discipline, not spiritual warfare, as the larger context makes entirely clear. Anderson uses Ephesians 1:18-21 (Christ is seated above all authorities and powers) combined with Ephesians 2:5-6 (believers are seated with Him) as proof of the believer’s authority over the devil. But rather than dealing with spiritual warfare, these passages speak of Christ’s exaltation by the Father and the believer’s acceptance and exaltation before the Father in Christ.” One should therefore be careful not to infer too much from them. "Nowhere does Scripture state that believers have authority over Satan himself. Those biblical passages that do speak of believers’ authority over the demonic realm apply strictly to driving demons out of lost human beings (Matt. 10:1; Mark 6:7; Luke 10:19; Acts 8:7). They are never applied to pastoral counseling or the believer’s personal battle with the devil. "This does not mean Christians must accept defeat in spiritual warfare. Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus has won the victory over the devil and all authority has been given to Him (Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:20-22; Col. 2:15; 1 Pet. 3:22; etc.). While believers do not have the prerogative to say, “I command you, Satan (to do this or not do that),” Jesus does. Believers are indeed positionally seated with Him in heavenly places and are thus made partakers in His victory. They therefore can be confident that if they resist the devil, he will flee from them (James 4:7)" (www.equip.org/search/). (The Bondage Maker: Examining the Message and Method of Neil T. Anderson (Part Two: Spiritual Warfare And The “Truth Encounter”) by Elliot Miller. Available to read online at www.equip.org/search/) |