Thursday: Satan Unmasked
Read John 12:30–32. What is Jesus saying about Satan in the context of the Cross and the great controversy?
Image © Phil McKay from GoodSalt.com
After talking about the death of Jesus on the cross, Ellen G. White wrote about the powerful impact it had in heaven and for the onlooking universe. “Satan’s lying charges against the divine character and government appeared in their true light. He had accused God of seeking merely the exaltation of Himself in requiring submission and obedience from His creatures, and had declared that, while the Creator exacted self-denial from all others, He Himself practiced no self-denial and made no sacrifice. Now it was seen that for the salvation of a fallen and sinful race, the Ruler of the universe had made the greatest sacrifice which love could make; for ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.’ 2 Corinthians 5:19. It was seen, also, that while Lucifer had opened the door for the entrance of sin by his desire for honor and supremacy, Christ had, in order to destroy sin, humbled Himself and become obedient unto death.” — The Great Controversy, p. 502.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:19. How did Christ’s death reconcile the fallen world to God?
The world had fallen into sin, into rebellion; it had left itself open to the schemes of Satan as so clearly seen, for example, in the book of Job. Jesus, though, by His taking hold of humanity in Himself while never losing His divinity, formed an unbreakable bond between heaven and earth and, with His death, guaranteed the final demise of sin and Satan. At the cross, Jesus paid the legal penalty for sin, thus reconciling the fallen world to God. Though we are sinners condemned to death, by faith we can have the promise of eternal life in Jesus.
| Whatever sins you have committed, Jesus paid the full penalty for them at the cross. Why should this amazing truth change your life and cause you to want to live in obedience to Him? |
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Wonderful, wonderful the amazing motives and gift of our God. Yet how dangerous is our hearts, being rebellious by nature, we may still seek to take advantage of this gift by licensing ourself to keep on sinning because of the forgiving merci of our loving God. "Please God protect us from our desperate, rebalious nature."
There is nothing in this world more precious than my life. There is nobody who loves me more than my God. His thoughts towards me are far from evil. I will willingly follow as He leads me on, through fire and through water always trusting. He has bought me with a great price, surely He will bring me into a wealthy place. For me nobody cares more than my God. Just trust and obey for the price has been paid and battle decided.
Christ's death freed me from a guilty conscience. Being able to live a clean life knowing that there is no one who can accuse me of a single wrongdoing can't be compared to anything in this life. This knowledge drives out fear from my life. There is no need to justify myself through criticizing others. Christ's forgiveness encourages me to do good to others as I attempt to imitate His sinless life.
Christ's death also gives me hope in this life. I'm no longer afraid of suffering since Christ gives us strength to endure. I can now face anything knowing that there is a Rock to lean on when hard times come by. The price has already been paid so there is no need to waste it. His sacrifice should lead me to sacrifice myself for the benefit of others.
Today's lesson "Satan Unmasked" reveals to us, and to the universe, if Satan was allowed to, would kill God and become the ultimate ruler of eternity. The created, Satan, raging a coup on the government of God, the CREATOR. The patiences of God to allow Satan temporarily rule over the earth gave him just enough of, the proverbial rope, to hang himself. To reveal to us how far reaching is Satan's madness, and just what his kingdom would look like.
Thank You God that you are still in control. Thank You Jesus that You were willing to leave heaven, come to earth, live a sinless life, die on the cross, giving us path to SALVATION. Thank You Holy Spirit for revealing faults in our character, sin we are holding on to, and then leading us to conviction, repentance, and then conversion. To us I say:
*hold on just a little while longer
*hold on Jesus is coming
*hold on God's got this
*hold on to His unchanging Hang
question #1. In the condemnation and execution of Jesus who was sinless, both the character of God and Satan were fully revealed. In his great eagerness to overcome Christ, Satan's true motives were at last brought out into the open for all to see, both in heaven and on earth. No one should be deceived any more, yet on earth, many still stand in opposition to God who offers forgiveness to the repentant soul.
Question #2. In the types and symbols given by God beginning in Eden, later with Abraham and then through Moses, we see clearly the substitute death by Christ for sinners. His death alone will not lead to forgiveness except we repent. Sin, while remaining in the life, still brings guilt until it is repented of. Jesus' blood propitiates the law, and allows God to be just in justifying those who believe in Christ through confession and repentance(Rom 3:25,26, Ps 32:5, 1 Jn 1:9, etc).
Without repentance, Jesus' infinite sacrifice cannot save us. We have the choice to make, while God can only offer us full pardon and complete restoration as a gift through Christ, purchased by His blood that we might be saved from death for our sin.
Question #3. It is the goodness of God for sinners that will lead us to repentance if pride does not keep us from it.
It is sad to see some in the church claiming that all were forgiven(justified) at the cross, without needing to exercise faith through repentance, as Jesus faithfully taught, and after Him, the Apostles. No one would be lost if justification was universal. Not even Satan. Yet God has clearly revealed that He will "by no means clear the guilty".
Case Study : One of your friends states, “Why is it that a person has to accept Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross to be saved? Are you saying Buddhists, Muslims, and Hindus can’t be saved unless they become Christian?” How would you respond to your friend?
Isaiah 53:1-6 Is it possible for God to suffer?
IF they learn about Jesus and reject Him, how could they be saved? They will answer only to God, who knows of the conviction that the Holy Spirit brings to every sinner. Yes, they must "put on Christ" if they are presented with the clear choice. Many will be saved by following the Spirit without ever having heard of Jesus, yet they will reflect His character by God's grace toward all who have responded in faith to the Holy Spirit's influence.
God suffer? More than we could begin to understand. How else could He be so against sin? He feels every heart ache, disappointment, sorrow, etc, even more than those who suffer from them. We are simply too far out of touch with God's attributes and will never fully understand what it's like to be Him. His awareness is infinitely greater than ours.
Zechariah 13:6 This is a picture of someone who is in heaven but does not know anything about the sorrows of Christ because he did not come across the message.(He is asking about the nail wounds in the hands of Jesus). He is however saved because he followed the light revealed to him through nature and followed his good conscience. Romans 2:12-15. So there are some who have never heard about Jesus who will be saved but those who have heard about Him but did not believe on Him cannot be saved.
In Genesis 3 we find a narrative that graphically describes the story of a fallen world marked by sin, guilt, disease, death, moral depravity, pain and disaster. Satan had brought this situation about when he rebelled against God and falsely accusing Him of demanding obedience to His loveless and onerous law. He'd accused God of being selfish. Therefore it became apparent extremely crucial for God to unmask the devil and prove to angels, unfallen world and the entire universe that:-
(a) He is love;
(b) written in His law is His love;
(c) even God obeys His own law and
(d) His law is a revelation of God's own character.
The nature of God is pure love. It was that love that moved God the Father to sacrifice His only begotten Son on the cross. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross so that "whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God showed His own love for us in that "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6, 8). On the cross,Christ suffered and atoned for the sins of the world so that we might live. Aso at the cross Jesus reclaimed His Creation from the corruption of sin and its evil results.
In His teaching and actions Christ exposed Satan's lies regarding His fairness and trustworthiness. In this regard, we note that on Calvary,the entire universe witnessed Satan's monstrous deception about God's character as his mask was ripped apart. We must not lose sight of the fact that at first even the unfallen angels "did not...understand all that was involved in the great controversy. The principles at stake were to be more fully revealed. And for the sake of man, Satan's existence must be continued. [Men and women] as well as angels must see the contrast between the Prince of life and the prince of darkness." EGW
When Jesus said, "It is finished" (John 19:30), He was looking ahead, beyond what even angels as well as any human being could then understand. On the cross He looked forward to earth's final events when all humanity and angels would have seen for themselves that our His words were meant to be trusted and obeyed willingly by His children. This fact was not apparent to human beings, even at Calvary! But for Jesus in that dark hour, His heavenly Father let Him see the ultimate conclusion of the plan of salvation.
The entire universe stood still to witness the unmasking of Satan but the earth's inhabitants were largely oblivious to what was happening. Men and women were yet to learn why Jesus had come to earth and why He had died! God's response to Satan's charges in the great controversy dealt with the problem of sin and rebellion through the revelation of His love on the cross. Further, God revealed that He was preparing a once sinful people for to citizenship of His kingdom.
The main issue in the great controversy has been whether God or Satan had to do with the question whether there was evidence to vindicate God and His government. We know that at that time that the saved as well as satan and his evil followers will publicly acknowledge and exonerate God's character!
"But for Jesus in that dark hour, His heavenly Father let Him see the ultimate conclusion of the plan of salvation."
Isaiah 53:11 He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied.
Amen. As we deal with those God puts in our lives, may we all see the passion of the travail of His soul, and act accordingly.