Angels and Demons: Debunking the Myths

Lesson 9Satanology: Part 4

Angel Demon

This lesson concludes our study of Satan with a look at the "cosmos" or "world" that Satan is now ruling. This is an important part of our study, as it gives us insight into the world around us—the unseen world. This is the world in which God has placed us to spread the gospel, or "good news", and to minister in until Christ returns (or we’re called home).

The Bible tells us that we are strangers in this land, ambassadors for Christ living in a foreign land (2 Corinthians 5:20), and that our home is in heaven with God. Just as with political ambassadors who are sent out from our country today, we live in a strange land surrounded by foreigners who are strangers to the ways of Christ. And just like ambassadors, we serve in a foreign land representing the King who sent us. As such, that foreign land, or cosmos, is what we will examining in this lesson—the Satanic Cosmos in which we live today. Cosmos refers to an order and regularity, and signifies a complete, orderly and harmonious system, disposition, and arrangement.

With that introduction, let’s take a look at The Satanic Cosmos.

  1. Read John 8:23. What is Christ saying about the His place in the world we live in?
  2. How could the above be true when we know that he was born in Bethlehem?
  3. What are some notable aspects regarding the present age, or "world". that we find ourselves living in today, as indicated in the verses below?
    1. 2 Timothy 4:10
    2. Romans 12:2
    3. 2 Corinthians 4:4
    4. Ephesians 2:2 and Ephesians 6:12
    5. 1 John 2:15-16
  4. Peter mentions three worlds, or cosmoses, in 2 Peter Chapter 3. What are they?
    1. 2 Peter 3:1-6
    2. 2 Peter 3:7-12
    3. 2 Peter 3:13-18
  5. The current cosmos is opposed to God. What do the following verses indicate to use regarding the opposition of the current cosmos to God? John 16:33, John 17:14, John 18:36, James 1:27, 2 Peter 1:4, and James 4:4.
  6. According to 1 John 4:9 and John 3:16, what is God doing about this "world", and the lost living in it?
  7. Satan’s authority over the cosmos is depicted in Luke 4:1-13. Answer the questions posed below based on the referenced passages.
    1. Luke 4:1-2. How did Christ end up in the wilderness?
    2. Luke 4:5-7. What do these verses tell us about Satan and this world? What did he do and how was he able to do it?
    3. Luke 4:8. How does Christ respond to Satan’s claim that he could give Christ all of the splendor of these kingdoms? What did Christ tell Satan about this claim?
    4. Now reference Colossians 1:16. What does this passage indicate to us regarding Satan’ hubris?
    5. What do the following verses indicate regarding Satan’s authority of the world: 1 John 5:19, Ephesians 6:12, 1 John 4:4, and Psalm 2:1-3?

In conclusion, as Chafer points out in Systematic Theology , "The root of this evil is the world’s order, its methods, or system, and is based on complete independence from God. It is effort-based and is aimed at demonstrating what created beings, human and angelic, can produce on their own, independent from the creator. Thus charity, good deeds, good morality can be found apart from God in this world, this ‘cosmos’." But scripture is clear: simply being good, being a good moral person isn’t good enough. See Romans 14:23 and Hebrews 11:6. Thinking that you can go to heaven for being a good, moral, human being is another of Satan’s clever lies. In reality, you cannot please God except through faith in Christ.

We will conclude our lesson series with a two-lesson study of demons; who, like their king, are full of lies and deceit and are completely opposed to the Kingdom of God.

Thanks for studying with us,

Wes

[2012]

[PDF Version]

Answers