Study 9 Objective: Who or what is Satan, and why do Christians need to beware of him?
After Christ returns He will remove the influence of Satan and his demons, in addition to those humans who adhere unrepentantly to Satan’s influence, once and for all by casting them into the Gehenna lake of fire (2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 20).
Reflection: What are the spiritual implications of Jesus’ having the victory already? How does the victory of Christ give the Christian comfort? Conclusion
Satan is a fallen angel who seeks to corrupt God’s will and prevent the believer from achieving his or her spiritual potential. It is important that the believer be aware of Satan’s devices, without becoming preoccupied with Satan or demons, lest Satan take advantage (2 Corinthians 2:11). From the Statement of Beliefs of the Grace Communion International
https://www.gci.org/articles/the-gci-statement-of-beliefs/ Who is Satan?
Satan is a fallen angel who heads the evil forces in the spirit realm. The Bible refers to him with such terms as the devil, adversary, evil one, murderer, liar, thief, tempter, accuser of the brethren, prince of demons, and god of this world. He is in constant rebellion against God. Through his influence, Satan generates discord, deception, and disobedience among human beings. In Christ, Satan is already defeated, and his dominion and influence as god of this world will cease at Christ’s return (Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:9; 1 Peter 5:8; John 8:44; Job 1:6-12; Zechariah 3:1-2; Revelation 12:10; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:1-3; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8). |
What is hell?
Hell is the spiritual alienation from God chosen by incorrigible sinners. In the New Testament, hell is referred to by the terms "lake of fire," "darkness," and Gehenna (a gorge outside Jerusalem where garbage was burned). Hell is characterized by punishment, torment, anguish, weeping and gnashing of teeth, and eternal destruction. The biblical terms Sheol and Hades, often translated "hell" or "the grave," refer to the realm of the dead (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Matthew 10:28; 25:41, 46; Revelation 20:14-15; 21:8; Matthew 13:42; Psalm 49:14-15). What are angels? Angels are created ministering spirits who serve God as messengers and agents. They are appointed to attend to those who will obtain salvation, and will accompany Christ at his return. The disobedient angels are called demons, evil spirits, and unclean spirits (Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 1:1; 22:6; Matthew 25:31; 2 Peter 2:4; Mark 1:23; Matthew 10:1). |