Satanic Temptations # 1

Satanic Temptations # 1

I would now invite your attention to a subject of deep importance, yet of great and awful mysteriousness; I mean, the agency of satan in our temptations to sin. Of the real personality of this dreadful being, there can exist no well-founded doubt to anyone who, with meekness and a teachable spirit, submits his understanding to the teaching of God's Word. To resolve what is there affirmed of satan's varied attributes and actions into mere orientalisms, and to conceive that nothing more is intended than a bold personification of the evil principle, goes far to turn the whole gospel history into fable, and requires bu another and more adventurous step in the interpretation of Scripture, to convert even the Saviour Himself into a mystical character, and to make Him only the personification of virtue. Of the history of satan we know but little, except that he is an apostate spirit, a fallen angel, pre-existent to man, cast out of heaven for his sin, and now in some unknown manner employing himself in seducing others to sin. He is, in all probability, the leader and chief of all the "angels who sinned and kept not their first estate - but left their own habitation, and are cast down to hell, and delivered into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment" (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6).

He is by way of eminence called "the devil," a word that signifies a slanderer and accuser, a term that perhaps has reference to his past history in heaven, and his present conduct upon earth. By way of emphasis he is called "the wicked one," (Matt. 13:19, 38; Ephes. 6:16; 1 John 2:13, 14; 3:12; 5:18, a fearful title, importing that his whole character is made up of unmingled turpitude, and every kind of wickedness; that he is wicked in himself, and the leader of all wickedness in others. In other places he is designated "the tempter," (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5.).  This appellation he has derived not only from his seducing our first parents from their innocence - but probably from his successful wiles in heaven, and certainly from his constant occupation among the children of men. It may be imagined that, filled and fired with impotent rage and revenge towards God, for his expulsion from heaven; with envy and malignity towards man, as selected in Divine sovereignty to be the object of Divine benevolence; and perhaps, above all, cherishing an envenomed personal enmity and hostility against the Lord Jesus Christ in His mediatorial character and redeeming work, he is ever seeking by his temptations to keep men under that yoke to which he has reduced them, and from which it is the design of the Saviour to emancipate them.

It would seem to have been his object to be the tyrannical head of the human race, to have all mankind as his vassals, and to lead them by sinning against God, to do his will. Perhaps his design was to be an object of worship and adoration, "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4); hence his declaration to Christ, "All these kingdoms will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me" (Matt. 4:9). His grand ambition and policy then,are to be a kind of rival with God, to lead men off from Jehovah, and draw them under his own influence. This accounts for his personal enmity to Christ, who "was manifested to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8). To counteract the work of redeeming mercy, as far as in him lies, and thus oppose the purpose of God, the honor of Christ, and the happiness of man - he is ever tempting the children of Adam to sin, and following up, as far as permitted, his first success in the Garden of Eden

In what manner satan tempts men to sin is a deep mystery. That in some way he has access to the human mind is clear, else how could he tempt at all, since he does not appear personally and solicit to iniquity? Peter in addressing Ananias said to him, "Why has satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" (Acts 5:3). Still the mode of his operation is concealed from us. We are very imperfectly acquainted  with the nature of our own spirits; and how another spirit can act upon us, is a mystery not to be explained.

The manner in which satan and his influence are described in the Word of God, and the earnestness with which we are admonished to guard against him, should excite deep concern and holy vigilance. It would seem that his power, though of course limited and restrained, is very great; that his trickery is equal to his power; and that his malignity is not inferior to either. The very idea that we have to combat with such a foe, a foe that had the courage to attack the Son of God - a foe the more dangerous for the cloud of mystery that hangs about him, and conceals his movements from observation - a foe that actually subdued our first parents, notwithstanding their perfect innocence and paradisaic situation - a foe whom success has made bold, and experience sagacious, in ruining souls - a foe that may be near us at any moment, unseen, and therefore unnotices, and may be preparing some new kind of attack, is indeed sufficient to alarm us, far more than it does, and to put us upon the best means of averting the danger. With too many professing Christians, there seems to be a careless confidence, and an air of unwarranted security, which their situation of extreme peril does not justify, and which is quite opposed to the solemn warnings contained in the Word of God.

~John Angell James~

(continued with # 2)