Blinded Minds

[SheepWhisperer]

I just saw an article in SBC Today. I will summarize:

John Piper, a well known Calvinist, points out that Satan "blinds the minds" of the lost. This is true. But why would there be a need to "blind their minds" to the Gospel, if sinners are already so "dead" that they already have "total inability"?

 

[BobRyan]

I just saw an article in SBC Today. I will summarize:

John Piper, a well known Calvinist, points out that Satan "blinds the minds" of the lost. This is true. But why would there be a need to "blind their minds" to the Gospel, if sinners are already so "dead" that they already have "total inability"?

Good point.

Their hearts cannot "Be hardened" if they are already totally depraved totally dead
Their eyes cannot "be blinded" either.

You have to "have ability" first -- before you can "have it removed".

They are dead "in sin" and they are spiritually dead... but this does not mean that every 7 year old is as fully devoted to evil as Hitler... the life process brings hardening or softening even for someone who is not saved.

 

[Yeshua1]

I just saw an article in SBC Today. I will summarize:

John Piper, a well known Calvinist, points out that Satan "blinds the minds" of the lost. This is true. But why would there be a need to "blind their minds" to the Gospel, if sinners are already so "dead" that they already have "total inability"?

Satan is doing the role/task God assigned to Him while doing that!

 

[SheepWhisperer]

Sir, Satan CHOSE to rebel against God, and he chose to be the evil "angel of light" , deceiver, liar, murderer and "accuser of the brethren" that he is now. God s not the instigator of sin.

 

[Revmitchell]

Satan is doing the role/task God assigned to Him while doing that!

So man is dead because Satan blinds man? TCassidy argues that man is dead because of his nature. So which is it? How does being totally depraved fall into that?

 

[JonC]

I just saw an article in SBC Today. I will summarize:

John Piper, a well known Calvinist, points out that Satan "blinds the minds" of the lost. This is true. But why would there be a need to "blind their minds" to the Gospel, if sinners are already so "dead" that they already have "total inability"?

That's just an extra precaution, just in case someone starts to believe.

 

[Reformed]

I think John Piper may have had this verse in mind:

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Just because a sinner is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13) does not mean he is any less deceived by the enemy. One does not negate the other. In Ephesians 2, Paul writes:

Ephesians 2:1-2 1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

After Paul reminds the Ephesian believers of their previous spiritual condition, he attaches that condition to having formerly walked according to "the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air", Satan. So, not only were they once spiritually dead, they also were deceived by Satan. Instead of calling it "the best of both worlds", we can call it "the worst of both worlds".

 

[utilyan]

Satan is doing the role/task God assigned to Him while doing that!

Satan does God will now......brilliant.

 

[utilyan]

I often wonder at what stage does common sense get regenerated.

 

[thatbrian]

Satan does God will now......brilliant.

Of course, Satan does God's biding. Read the story of Job. Satan needed permission before he did anything regarding Job, and Go limited what he could do to Job.

Also, God used evil enemies of Israel to discipline Israel.

So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. (Judges 2:4)

God could have destroyed Satan at any time, but he is serving a purpose.

 

[thatbrian]

I think John Piper may have had this verse in mind:

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Just because a sinner is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13) does not mean he is any less deceived by the enemy. One does not negate the other. In Ephesians 2, Paul writes:

Ephesians 2:1-2 1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

After Paul reminds the Ephesian believers of their previous spiritual condition, he attaches that condition to having formerly walked according to "the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air", Satan. So, not only were they once spiritually dead, they also were deceived by Satan. Instead of calling it "the best of both worlds", we can call it "the worst of both worlds".

Well said. When in doubt, go to the text. "You were dead. . . you walked"

 

[utilyan]

Of course, Satan does God's biding. Read the story of Job. Satan needed permission before he did anything regarding Job, and Go limited what he could do to Job.

Also, God used evil enemies of Israel to discipline Israel.

So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. (Judges 2:4)

God could have destroyed Satan at any time, but he is serving a purpose.

Satan does not do God's will, snap out of it.

In the entire book of JOB he acts in SIN. There is subtle accusations against God, Same way Calvinist accuse God of being merciless by acting surprised and shocked when God shows mercy. "oh can you ever believe God showed mercy on me!?" says the accuser.

1 john 3

7Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

 

[Yeshua1]

I think John Piper may have had this verse in mind:

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Just because a sinner is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13) does not mean he is any less deceived by the enemy. One does not negate the other. In Ephesians 2, Paul writes:

Ephesians 2:1-2 1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

After Paul reminds the Ephesian believers of their previous spiritual condition, he attaches that condition to having formerly walked according to "the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air", Satan. So, not only were they once spiritually dead, they also were deceived by Satan. Instead of calling it "the best of both worlds", we can call it "the worst of both worlds".

Yes, for the Holy Spirit is at working to give blind sinners spiritual sight, same way, satan helps to keep the lost to remain in spiritual ignorance.

 

[Yeshua1]

Satan does God will now......brilliant.

Don't all creatures, or are there some outside of the will ans power of God?

 

[Yeshua1]

Satan does not do God's will, snap out of it.

In the entire book of JOB he acts in SIN. There is subtle accusations against God, Same way Calvinist accuse God of being merciless by acting surprised and shocked when God shows mercy. "oh can you ever believe God showed mercy on me!?" says the accuser.

1 john 3

7Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

IF Satan does not do the will of God, is he more powerful than God?

 

[thatbrian]

Satan does not do God's will, snap out of it.

In the entire book of JOB he acts in SIN. There is subtle accusations against God, Same way Calvinist accuse God of being merciless by acting surprised and shocked when God shows mercy. "oh can you ever believe God showed mercy on me!?" says the accuser.

1 john 3

7Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

Do you do God's will?

 

[thatbrian]

IF Satan does not do the will of God, is he more powerful than God?

Yes. No one can frustrate the will of God. If they could, they would be god.

 

[SheepWhisperer]

Seriously? There are monsters who abuse little kids every day; are they doing the will of God? are they more powerful than God?

 

[thatbrian]

Seriously? There are monsters who abuse little kids every day; are they doing the will of God? are they more powerful than God?

God allows these things to happen. He uses even evil for His purposes. If God did not allow these things to happen, they would not.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Satan does God will now......brilliant.

How about the Job synerio?