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Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : Who or what is 'the god of this world'?

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letsgetbusy
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Joined: 2004/9/28
Posts: 957
Cleveland, Georgia

 Re:

God uses Satan to do just that: 'dull our minds.' God doesn't do that personally. God directs Satan and Satan's unclean angels to do so. God is a lamp unto our feet, but as Romans 1 puts it, He gives us up to unclean lusts. Notice in the beginning of Job how Satan asks permission to hurt Job. Notice how the Scripture says that God sent and is sending spirits against people.

Num 5:30 "Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law."

1 Kings 22:21 "And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him."

2 Chr 18:20 "Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?"

and 22 "Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee."

Job 2:7 "So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown."

Isaiah 29:10 "For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered."

Hosea 4:12 "My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God."

Luke 4:33 "And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice"

Acts 16:16 "And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying"

Rom 11:8 "(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day."

2 Cor 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God."

1 John 4:6 "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

Satan and all his demons are God's tools, and I agree we are accountable. We are accountable to God to listen to Him, and to resist the devil with God's help.


_________________
Hal Bachman

 2005/9/5 17:17Profile









 Re:

Quote:
God uses Satan to do just that: 'dull our minds.' God doesn't do that personally. God directs Satan and Satan's unclean angels to do so. God is a lamp unto our feet, but as Romans 1 puts it, He gives us up to unclean lusts. Notice in the beginning of Job how Satan asks permission to hurt Job. [b]Notice how the Scripture says that God sent and is sending spirits against people[/b].

This seems to be something of the Old Testament. Does it happen today? In the light of Romans 1, perhaps?

 2005/9/5 17:59
crsschk
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Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA

 Re: Who or what is 'the god of this world'?

Lengthy but,

[b]2Co 4:4 -
In whom[/b] - In respect to whom; among whom; or in whose hearts. The design of this verse is to account for the fact that the glory of the gospel was not seen by them. It is to be traced entirely to the agency of him whom Paul here calls “the god of this world.”

[b]The god of this world[/b] - There can be no doubt that Satan is here designated by this appellation; though some of the fathers supposed that it means the true God, and Clarke inclines to this opinion. In Joh_12:31, he is called “the prince of this world.” In Eph_2:2, he is called “the prince of the power of the air.” And in Eph_6:12, the same bad influence is referred to under the names of “principalities, and powers,” “the rulers of the darkness of this world,” and “spiritual wickedness in high places.” The name “god” is here given to him, not because he has any divine attributes, but because he actually has the homage of the people of this world as their god, as the being who is really worshipped, or who has the affections of their hearts in the same way as it is given to idols. By “this world” is meant the wicked world; or the mass of people. He has dominion over the world. They obey his will; they execute his plans; they further his purposes, and they are his obedient subjects. He has subdued the world to himself, and was really adored in the place of the true God; see the note on 1Co_10:20. “They sacrificed to devils and not to God.” Here it is meant by the declaration that Satan is the god of this world:

(1) That the world at large was under his control and direction. He secured the apostasy of man, and early brought him to follow his plans; and he has maintained his scepter and dominion since. No more abject submission could be desired by him than has been rendered by the mass of people.

(2) the idolatrous world particularly is under his control, and subject to him; 1Co_10:20. He is worshipped there; and the religious rites and ceremonies of the pagan are in general just such as a mighty being who hated human happiness, and who sought pollution, obscenity, wretchedness, and blood would appoint; and over all the pagan world his power is absolute. In the time of Paul all the world, except the Jews and Christians, was sunk in pagan degradation.

(3) he rules in the hearts and lives of all wicked people - and the world is full of wicked people. They obey him, and submit to his will in executing fraud, and rapine, and piracy, and murder, and adultery, and lewdness; in wars and fightings; in their amusements and pastimes; in dishonesty and falsehood. The dominion of Satan over this world has been, and is still almost universal and absolute; nor has the lapse of 1,800 years rendered the appellation improper as descriptive of his influence, that he is the god of this world. The world pursues his plans; yields to his temptations; neglects, or rejects the reign of God as he pleases; and submits to his scepter, and is still full of abomination cruelty, and pollution, as he desires it to be.

[b]Hath blinded the minds of them which believe not [/b]- Of all who discern no beauty in the gospel, and who reject it. It is implied here:

(1) That the minds of unbelievers are blinded; that they perceive no beauty in the gospel. This is often affirmed of those who reject the gospel, and who live in sin; see the 2Co_2:13 note; Mat_23:16-17, Mat_23:26 notes; Luk_4:18 note; Joh_9:39; Joh_12:40 notes; Rom_11:7 note. The sense is, that they did not see the spiritual beauty and glory of the plan of redemption. They act in reference to that as they would in reference to this world, if a bandage were over their eyes, and they saw not the light of the sun, the beauty of the landscape, the path in which they should go, or the countenance of a friend. All is dark, and obscure, and destitute of beauty to them, however much beauty may be seen in all these objects by others.

(2) that this is done by the agency of Satan; and that his dominion is secured by keeping the world in darkness. The affirmation is direct and positive, that it is by his agency that it is done. Some of the “modes” in which it is done are the following:

(a) By a direct influence on the minds of people. I do not know why it is absurd to suppose that one intellect may, in some way unknown to us, have access to another, and have power to influence it; nor can it be proved that Satan may not have power to pervert the understanding; to derange its powers; to distract its attention; and to give in view of the mind a wholly delusive relative importance to objects. In the time of the Saviour it cannot be doubted that in the numerous cases of demoniacal possessions, Satan directly affected the minds of people; nor is there any reason to think that he has ceased to delude and destroy them.

(b) By the false philosophy which has prevailed - a large part of which seems to have been contrived as if on purpose to deceive the world, and destroy the peace and happiness of people.

(c) By the systems of superstition and idolatry. All these seem to be under the control of one Master Mind. They are so well conceived and adapted to prostrate the moral powers; to fetter the intellect; to pervert the will; to make people debased, sunken, polluted, and degraded; and they so uniformly accomplish this effect, that they have all the marks of being under the control of one mighty Mind, and of having been devised to accomplish His purposes over people.

(d) By producing in the minds of people a wholly disproportionate view of the value of objects. “A very small object held before the eye will shut out the light of the sun.” A piece of money of the smallest value laid on the eye will make everything appear dark, and prevent all the glory of mid-day from reaching the seat of vision. And so it is with the things of this world. They are placed directly before us, and are placed directly between us and the glory of the gospel. And the trifles of wealth and of fashion; the objects of pleasure and ambition, are made to assume an importance in view of the mind which wholly excludes the glory of the gospel, and shuts out all the realities of the eternal world. And he does it:

(e) By the blinding influence of passion and vice. Before a vicious mind all is dark and obscure. There is no beauty in truth, in chastity, or honesty, or in the fear and love of God. Vice always renders the mind blind. and the heart hard, and shrouds everything in the moral world in midnight. And in order to blind the minds of people to the glory of the gospel, Satan has only to place splendid schemes of speculation before people; to tempt them to climb the steeps of ambition; to entice them to scenes of gaiety; to secure the erection of theaters, and gambling houses, and houses of infamy and pollution; to fill the cities and towns of a land with taverns and dram-shops; and to give opportunity everywhere for the full play and unrestrained indulgence of passion; and the glory of the gospel will be as effectually unseen as the glory of the sun is in the darkest night.

[b]Lest the light[/b] ... - This passage states the design, for which Satan blinds the minds of people. It is because he “hates” the gospel, and wishes to prevent its influence and spread in the world Satan has always hated and opposed it, and all his arts have been employed to arrest its diffusion on earth. The word “light” here means excellence, beauty, or splendor. Light is the emblem of knowledge, purity, or innocence; and is here and elsewhere applied to the gospel, because it removes the errors, and sins, and wretchedness of people, as the light of the sun scatters the shades of night. This purpose of preventing the light of the gospel shining on people, Satan will endeavor to accomplish by all the means in his power. It is his “grand” object in this world, because it is by the gospel only that people can be saved; by that that God is glorified on earth more than by anything else; and because, therefore, if he can prevent sinners from embracing that, he will secure their destruction, and most effectually show his hatred of God. And it is to Satan a matter of little importance what people “may be,” or “are,” provided they are not Christians. They may be amiable, moral, accomplished, rich, honored, esteemed by the world, because in the possession of all these he may be equally sure of their ruin, and because, also, these things may contribute somewhat to turn away their minds from the gospel. Satan, therefore, will not oppose plans of gain or ambition; he will not oppose purposes of fashion and amusement; he may not oppose schemes by which we desire to rise in the world; he will not oppose the theater, the ballroom, the dance, or the song; he will not oppose thoughtless mirth; but the moment the gospel begins to shine on the benighted mind, that moment he will make resistance, and then all his power will be concentrated.

[b]The glorious gospel[/b] - Greek ‘The gospel of the glory of Christ,’ a Hebraism for the glorious gospel. Mr. Locke renders it, “the glorious brightness of the light of the gospel of Christ,” and supposes it means the brightness, or clearness, of the doctrine wherein Christ is manifested in the gospel. It is all light, and splendor, and beauty, compared with the dark systems of philosophy and paganism. It is glorious, for it is full of splendor; makes known the glorious God; discloses a glorious plan of salvation; and conducts ignorant, weak, and degraded man to a world of light. No two words in our language are so full of rich and precious meaning, as the phrase “glorious gospel.”
Who is the image of God - Christ is called the image of God:

(1) In respect to his divine nature, his exact resemblance to God in his divine attributes and perfections; see Col_1:15; and Heb_1:3; and,

(2) In his moral attributes as Mediator, as showing forth the glory of the Father to people. He “resembles” God, and in him we see the divine glory and perfections embodied, and shine forth.
It is from his “resemblance” to God in all respects that he is called his image; and it is through him that the divine perfections are made known to people. It is an object of special dislike and hatred to Satan that the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on people, and fill their hearts. Satan hates that image; he hates that people should become like God; and he hates all that has a resemblance to the great and glorious Yahweh.

Albert Barnes Notes on the Bible


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Mike Balog

 2005/9/5 21:47Profile
letsgetbusy
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Joined: 2004/9/28
Posts: 957
Cleveland, Georgia

 Re:

Yes, it is for today. The last five Sciptures in my last post are for the New Testament age, and we are in the New Testament age. The truth, though, is that mankind has always been bombarded with demons since the Garden of Eden. Satan's attacks on us will continue until God casts him down before us. It's great to notice that we will say. "That's it? That's the guy that did all this?"

Remember that after Jesus was baptized, and then filled with the Holy Ghost, he was immediately led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.

From Luke 3 and 4: "...the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him...And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil"

We should expect the same as Christians, especially as Spirit-filled believers. Satan went after Jesus full force after the Holy Ghost fell upon Him. If Christ suffered spiritual affliction while in the flesh, so will we. No need to worry, though, God only allows what will bring Him glory. God won't do anything that will make Him look weak. If we sincerely seek after God, He will make sure that we are victorious in spiritual warfare.


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Hal Bachman

 2005/9/5 22:49Profile
roadsign
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Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777


 Re: Who done it?

The only problem with attributing this verse to Satan is that it contradicts other verses where God specifically is stated as the one who brought about the deadening of the spiritual senses - as a consequence for sinful choices.

Many times God makes claims that he himself is the author of judgments - (using whatever accomplices he sees fit, but that is very secondary) I think we need to be careful not to dull this reality by claiming Satan as the author of judgments. Sinners are separated from God because GOD'S wrath is upon them (as revealed by their blindness etc). That is foundational to salvation. When sinners realize that they are under God's judgment, then they will see the value and need for his mercy.

Hell is not made by Satan, but by God, and Satan can't throw anyone there.

Of course much evil occurs because God is allowing Satan to tempt man, etc Nevertheless spiritual blindness seems to be the consequence of sin, not a demonic temptation or infliction in itself.

Here's another thought:
When Adam and Eve followed the tempters lie, then God ejected them from his presence (Satan did not do that) Mankind ended up spiritually distanced from God, and thus followed sinful paths (because they were blind). They could never and must never see their way back to "the garden" because they must never live eternally in their sinful condition. They must now come to God through the cross - through divine enlightenment - and recieve a new life - eternal life.

Isaiah 6:9-11. To sinful people: "Be every hearing but never understanding; be ever seeing but never perceiving....
Otherwise they might see.... hear... understand, and turn and be healed."

Rom. 11:32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all!

2 Cor. 3:16 Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

To be honest, I never thought about all this before. But it is starting to make sense.

Diane

Dorcus wrote:

Quote:
Perhaps, we should try to make a simple list of all the ways a person can be blinded?


- believe in evolution
- legalism
- hardened conscience
- can't hear the Spirit
- no awareness of one's sin
- evaluates the Bible with a natural mindset.
- religious


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Diane

 2005/9/5 23:02Profile
letsgetbusy
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Joined: 2004/9/28
Posts: 957
Cleveland, Georgia

 Re:

roadsign,

I think we are talking past each other, as I never stated that Satan created hell or would judge anyone.

1) God created man
2) Satan corrupted man
3) man sinned
4) the earth was cursed
5) Satan was given dominion of this world

All evil (not some) has occured because of Satan's tempting man. Sin began with Satan: Satan tempted Eve, Eve convinced Adam, they ate, sin entered the world from Adam. God must judge Satan and us as a result of sin.

I would have to disagree (lovingly, of course) with you that the phrase "god of this world" describing Satan would have to contradict other verses. Here are some verses that it harmonizes with:

Gen 3:17 "cursed is the ground for thy sake"

Isaiah 13:11 "And I will punish the world for their evil"

Isaiah 23:17 "Tyre...shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world"

Matt 13:22 "He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care(s) of this world...choke the word"

Matt 18:7 "Woe unto the world because of offences!"

John 1:10 "He (Jesus) was in the world...and the world knew him not."

John 7:7 "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth"

John 15:18 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."

John 17:9 "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine."

and 16 "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

John 18:36 "My kingdom is not of this world"

Romans 12:2 "be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind"

1 Cor 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God..."

Eph 2:2 "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world..."


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Hal Bachman

 2005/9/6 0:12Profile
PaulWiglaf
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Joined: 2005/8/31
Posts: 61
Hartselle, Alabama

 Re: Interesting Thought

Since we're on the topic of temptation, I thought this connection might be at least an interesting quip to throw in:

"What was man's first sin?" Man desired the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen.2:17;3:1-6). Therefore, man first coveted divine knowledge, allowing pride to consume his heart and lie to him that he was equal with God.

Well, our post-modern society prides itself on "escaping" the "mindless rot of old superstitions" in the name of science. Yet, science comes from the Latin word for " to know", or "Knowledge". So, mankind hasn't truly changed in all of these millenia ("Nothing new under the sun" -Solomon)

Which leaves me to wonder why some of my Christian friends are so into paraphsycology. God says that He is to be our power, our focus, and our heart's desire, yet they want to "harness the power of the mind". Isn't that what Satan wants, for us to try to draw from ourselves power that isn't there?

Compare:

Quote:
"You can use your mind to lift rocks." -Paraphsycology



Quote:
"If you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can say unto this mountain 'Remove unto yonder place', and it shall remove: nothing shall be impossible to you" -Jesus [Matt. 17:20]



Just wondering what your thoughts are on this.
Paul :-)

 2005/9/6 1:05Profile
philologos
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Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

Quote:
1) God created man
2) Satan corrupted man
3) man sinned
4) the earth was cursed
5) Satan was given dominion of this world

I can instantly give a verse in justification of 1-4, but why do you say 5)?

I do believe, btw, that Satan is the god of this age. This can get a bit confusing in the KJV

The KJV has 'god of this world' but the word is better translated 'age. However the whole 'world' lieth in the wicked one, but 'kosmos'/world is not the same at the 'earth'. Are we talking about territory or spiritual kingdoms?


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Ron Bailey

 2005/9/6 4:14Profile
philologos
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Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

Quote:
"What was man's first sin?" Man desired the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen.2:17;3:1-6). Therefore, man first coveted divine knowledge, allowing pride to consume his heart and lie to him that he was equal with God.

I think you are running together two things here which may be better understood if we keep them separate.
1. It was not 'man' but 'woman' who desired the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The scripture does not imply that her 'desire' was sinful.
2. However the woman's transgression was without her full awareness of its implication. “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”
(1Tim. 2:14, KJVS)3. the 'man' according to the above verse sinned 'with his eyes open'.
4. It is Adam's sin which brought the curse into the world, not Eve's
“And unto Adam he said, Because [u]thou[/u] hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded [u]thee[/u], saying, [u]Thou[/u] shalt not eat of it: [u]cursed is the ground for thy sake[/u]; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;” (Gen. 3:17, KJVS)

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Rom. 5:12, KJVS)
the KJV's use of the archaic 'thou' is very important here. Adam, not Eve was held personally responsible for what happened, and the earth was cursed because of Adam's action, not Eve's.


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Ron Bailey

 2005/9/6 4:25Profile
PaulWiglaf
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Joined: 2005/8/31
Posts: 61
Hartselle, Alabama

 Re:

Thank you, Philogos. My mind was more on the link between knowledge and science, trying to point out how mankind hasn't really changed since the Fall. Yet, I should've checked those verses, and that is interesting, seeing that that the eldest, and therefore more mature, creation consciously rebelled. Reminds me of the Prophets continual cry against the rulers of the nation, especially against the priests and prophets ("like people, like priest" Hosea 4:9).

Keep such vigilance to the Word. It truly is a sad thing to see Christians setting to do that which they see is sinful. Let us crucify the flesh daily.

 2005/9/6 18:22Profile





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