The Town Hall Archives

Tianlet · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 5:45 pm Post subject: C. S. Lewis

I just reread Screwtape Letters. The book is always an eye opener, but there's a bit in the Preface that I was wondering about.

Lewis is explaining what he means about demons and the Devil, and he was talking about God vs. Satan. He said that Satan was not the opposite of God, but the opposite of Michael because God is purely good--there is nothing in Him that is bad; however, Satan has existence, which is good, and he has power, which is good, so he is not purely bad (so to speak, I'm paraphrasing, so if I'm being heretical, it's because I didn't fully understand). So therefore, Satan's being is not bad even if he has corrupted it. Do you see? This is confusing. So Satan is not all powerful either, so he isn't able to corrupt even himself completely either...

Do you think this is true? Why or why not? (This sounds like an essay question on an exam, sorry)

howdypardner · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 6:30 pm Post subject:

Well, Satan was created as an angel of light. Originally, he was faultless, because God created him that way. It was his choice to exalt himself above God that caused him to fall. His existence in and of itself is not evil - it's what he's done with it that is. One of C.S. Lewis' favorite analogies was that humans are "bent" - they started off good (we are created in the image of God), but they are fallen, and their fallenness affects everything they do. We can't "straighten" ourselves. (For a better explanation of this, read "Out of the Silent Planet.")

Good for you for reading Screwtape Letters! C. S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors, although I don't agree with him in everything. It's always good to read and explore new ideas; that way we can know which line up with what the Bible teaches and which don't.

Eugene Kendall™ · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 6:47 pm Post subject:

Well I agree with him that the devil is all powerful but i think he has corrupted himself completely and CANNOT go back

Elrohir · New Citizen Joined: 12 Mar 2005 Posts: 75

Satan is not "all powerful". he's just the greatest and first of all the demons. And no, he can't "go back" as far as we know. There's never any mention of Angels being offered redemption in the Bible.

Tianlet · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 5:24 pm Post subject:

But how do we know that? The Bible is a history of the fall and redemption of man. Angels only come in when they interact w/ man.

Jonathan · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 5:28 pm Post subject:

Regardless of whether Satan can be redeemed (and I don't think he can) we know he can't as that would be contrary to the plan God has laid out (Revelation ch20).

-Jonathan

Elrohir · New Citizen Joined: 12 Mar 2005 Posts: 75

Job 2:2 - And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
from this we can tell Satan obviously roams the earth

2 Corinthians 11: 13-15
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
this tells us that Satan probably never changed appearance from the time when he was Lucifer

1Pe 5:8 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
obviusly saying to watch out for him along with a lot of other verses

Re 12:12 - Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Satan has limited time on the earth

Re 20:10 - And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
no talk of redemtion here

I know I'm kinda just restating what people have said, but I thought it'd be good to back it up with some scripture.