The devil is able to put bad images in our imagination, and communicate thoughts directly to our intellect (our guardian angel can do the same). That is one way the devil can tempt us. He also has the ability to affect our passions and thereby cause desires in us.
That which is of the higher order can communicate/interact with a lower order, but not in reverse. Think of the analogy of how humans interact with apes or dogs.
Did you consider that Aquinas might not have been 100% correct, or that the devil might not have been of the Seraphim, or that [complete] understanding and communication might not be required in order to temp us, etc…?
it’s kind of like the old cartoons where a character had an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other…
This is interesting, and I think explains what I’m asking. Thank you, and thank you to everyone for your responses.
I think it has something to do with the fall and that he is no longer close to God. He still has all the abilities inherent with the Seraphim, but he has been corrupted. Like, we each have our unique level of intelligence that God gives us, but sin dulls our wisdom. Because of this corruption and this distance from God, he is now crude enough, brought low enough, that we are in his sights.
I think he was in a whole different category all by himself see that he was the most beautiful and the head of all the other Angels.
Given?
But Satan fell, just like mankind did, and in doing so, humans lost a great deal compared to what they used to be able to do, so why would Satan be any different, surely he lost many of his powers/ abilities when he fell.I think it has something to do with the fall and that he is no longer close to God. He still has all the abilities inherent with the Seraphim, but he has been corrupted. Like, we each have our unique level of intelligence that God gives us, but sin dulls our wisdom. Because of this corruption and this distance from God, he is now crude enough, brought low enough, that we are in his sights.
That’s all I got, speculative only of course
Yes, he lost a great deal, no doubt. Just what he lost, besides the Beatific Vision, though I don’t know. I haven’t made a study of that issue. Perhaps others would have some knowledge to pass on.
God doesn’t grant humans special privileges or powers? I’m afraid that’s not true. He conferred the royal priesthood upon us all at our baptism, he gave us his very body and blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist, he granted us a portion of his divine life in the sacraments, he gave us the Magisterium and the gift of infallibility in matters of faith and morals to his Church, and I could go on just in this vein. He also grants us the privilege of knowing him and loving him for himself alone and in others. He put into men’s hands the power to bind and to loose sins, to command mountains to move, to heal hearts, minds and bodies. The list goes on much longer than I can write it here. Suffice to say he’s given us more than we could ever ask or think or deserve.
God allows it to bring more people to salvation–through making it clear that evil exists so we’d better cling close to God to avoid it. We are fallen creatures, as are the demons, but we have been redeemed, unlike them (another discussion for another thread). Each generation of fallen humanity has to come to trust in God in a world in which Satan won the first battle when he tempted Adam and Eve to sin, but Jesus has won the ultimate battle through his death on the cross. He rules now through his Church, but when he comes at the end of time, Satan and his demons will cast out forever, creation will be restored and remade, and there will be no more evil to plague us ever again. God has his plan and he is carrying it out. We can be a part of it, or we can reject it, it’s entirely up to us.
He does, though, in that He give us grace. If we think of special privileges as being anything that by nature we do not merit, then God has given us incredible privileges and powers. Our ability to one day share in the life of the Trinity in the Beatific Vision in Heaven is incalculably far above our nature. By nature, what is the best I could expect, really? To know that God exists and find some limited but nontrivial joy in that? Pretty much.
Id be interested to learn about this, when it comes to man, the earth, animals, etc a long list can be made of everything they lost due to the fall, Besides the beatific vision, ID like to know a few of the things Satan or the other fallen angels lost.Yes, he lost a great deal, no doubt. Just what he lost, besides the Beatific Vision, though I don’t know. I haven’t made a study of that issue. Perhaps others would have some knowledge to pass on.
And a long list can be made of everything we still have. Look outside your window and see the beauty that still exists. The very balance of nature, of the very universe itself is wondrous. What we still have is remarkable, but we don’t seem to have eyes to see it. If all we see is the miseries of the world, then we are missing out on all that God in his mercy allowed us to keep. Think about those things–on whatever is good, beneficial, blessed, uplifting, etc.
You mean to lose God himself isn’t enough? It’d be like losing the air one breathes. God is love and life. To lose him is to exile oneself from both. Satan and the demons still have life but on deprived of love, joy, peace–everything that make life worth having. Isn’t that enough?
You are referring to more of the long term aspects, Im talking more about the immediate, instantly recognizable things mankind, animals, the earth, nature, etc lost due to the fall.