How can the God of christianity be All Powerful, if Satan is NOT His servant?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Yetzirah
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Amandil,

I agree with you that there is a nuance missing. A better explanation is needed.

Here is my two cents worth:

Almighty God uses what He creates, even if the free will He gives his creatures, both angelic and human, chooses wrongly.

Satan was a beautiful angel, and with his free will he said “non servium”. (After being shown something by God). Satan and his cohorts (those who were convinced and followed him) are allowed to tempt us.

They are on a leash, and our Good God allows them to tempt us and offers His grace as a way out. We gain spiritual muscle by resisting temptation and accepting His Grace, purchased at such a high price.

Am I understanding rightly the perplexity in this discussion? If not, please explain, as I have no background in philosophy, theology, etc. that enables me to articulate in a way that those do who have such a background. My education is a “patchwork quilt” of reading, listening at conferences, and prayer.

My life experience is raising a family of eight.
 
Yetzirah said:
How can the God of christianity be omnipotent and not be be the one that controls Satan?

It would seem to me, that if God is all powerful, the demons and Satan is but the servants of God, obeying his commandments?

Otherwise, how can God be called All Powerful?
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God can control Satan, but sometimes he chooses not to. Take the story of Job and God allowing the devil to tempt him, for example.
 
DanAl said:
God can control Satan, but sometimes he chooses not to. Take the story of Job and God allowing the devil to tempt him, for example.
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God could control Satan, the way he could control all of his creatures (man included). But he doesn’t because that’s what free will means. Satan was created with the same free will as all God’s creatures.
 
seagal said:
God could control Satan, the way he could control all of his creatures (man included). But he doesn’t because that’s what free will means. Satan was created with the same free will as all God’s creatures.
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That is interesting, never thought about it like that before, it does make sense that God would not be able to have control over Satan and still maintain his free will…somethings not right?
 
Because the exercise of power is different than the possession of power.
 
What God gives He does not take back. He does not take back what He gave Satan and his cohorts. (intelligence, free will).

However, Satan and his cohorts are on a leash ---- and when we resist the temptation to evil that God allows them to do to us, then by the grace of God we grow spiritually. The evil ones cannot force us to do anything. because we have free will to choose.

I don’t know if I said that exactly right - if not, I hope that someone who can articulate better will do so.
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