If the devil were to change his ways...

[Marcus]

This is something that perplexes me. Why is the devil really evil?? Why doesn't he just change and do good?? I mean doesn't the devil know he's only hurting himself in the long run? God said if you repent of your sins and try to change for the good of the lord, he'd forgive you and accept you back into his kingdom? So wouldn't the same thing apply for the devil? I mean if he wanted to change his life around and not deceive or hurt people anymore, wouldn't god look at that an accept him if he had the heart too? Would hell and evil cease then?? I was just wondering...

[~ MacDDT ~]

This is something that perplexes me. Why is the devil really evil?? Why doesn't he just change and do good?? I mean doesn't the devil know he's only hurting himself in the long run? God said if you repent of your sins and try to change for the good of the lord, he'd forgive you and accept you back into his kingdom? So wouldn't the same thing apply for the devil? I mean if he wanted to change his life around and not deceive or hurt people anymore, wouldn't god look at that an accept him if he had the heart too? Would hell and evil cease then?? I was just wondering...

The Prodigal Son

[preacherman76]

Biblicaly, God, knowing the end from the begining, has said he will be cast into the lake of fire, and forever seperated from God. So I dont think so.

[Karlis]

... Why is the devil really evil?? ...

...

Well -- I have posted this numerous times, but here I go again, tilting at windmills.

God created mankind as mortals, to learn by experience the consequences of evil. There will be a resurrection of mortals to mortal life, at which time they will have their FIRST opportunity for salvation = immortal life as God's literal spirit children.

That said -- my understanding of salvation means immortal life as children of God, but I am open to other ideas.

"Live long ... etc.

[WalkingWithFire]

Biblicaly, God, knowing the end from the begining, has said he will be cast into the lake of fire, and forever seperated from God. So I dont think so.

I agree with this statement. Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone for all eternity.

[Heebrow]

the devil and hell are the same thing. They are the manifestation of anything that is wrong or bad, evil if you will. BUT, they dont exsist as an individual force.

Theres only us and God.

Im sure we the living are the only things generating any kind of evil. Surely justified by my man G-D in the sweet irony of "karma."

Edited March 20, 2008 by Heebrow

[norwood1026]

I don't see God changing his mind about ever letting Lucifer back into heaven even if he did have a change of heart. This does bring up another question.

Why does God allow people who have turned their backs on him & who have killed,rape, etc into heaven? Lucifer only did what God told him to & allowed him to so whats the difference?

[ElOne]

This is something that perplexes me. Why is the devil really evil?? Why doesn't he just change and do good?? I mean doesn't the devil know he's only hurting himself in the long run? God said if you repent of your sins and try to change for the good of the lord, he'd forgive you and accept you back into his kingdom? So wouldn't the same thing apply for the devil? I mean if he wanted to change his life around and not deceive or hurt people anymore, wouldn't god look at that an accept him if he had the heart too? Would hell and evil cease then?? I was just wondering...

I have pondered the questions of whether the devil is truly evil and why can’t he just change his ways. As every one knows there are many, many messages and warnings given in the Bible and one of the major ones, I believe, is that our personal actions are governed by personal choices. And if those choices affect, in a detrimental way, the outcome of someone else’s labors, because of jealousy, envy, greed (to name a few reasons) it is considered evil. Some are prone to such deleterious choices and actions to the exclusion of any others. The devil is portrayed in the Bible as such a ‘being’. Since the Bible is an account of God’s efforts to create a perfect situation on Earth that was irreparably altered by the devil, he is portrayed as being ‘evil’. The devil's consistent choice pattern is evident with the events of: 1) Eve, the serpent and the tree. 2) Causing a divide in the "angels" that followed the original plan. 3) Mating with earthly females. 4) Nimrod's betrayal. 5) Tempting Jesus to betray is purpose. There are many more, like the story of Job and Jonah.

Since the devil was consistent in his pattern of choices and those choices and subsequent actions had negative effects on God's original 'purpose' or plan, he has shown an inability or unwillingness to change.

[gabolai]

As unlikely as the Devil repenting is and who I am to guess what God would do. . .

I think Satan would have to go through alot of hell, then he would have a place in peace but not with God and not in any power, if he truelly repented. He would have alot of work to do as far a restitution as well. . .

It is a hope filled person who dares to dream of the Devil's repentance! Good for you.

[Ciss]

This is something that perplexes me. Why is the devil really evil?? Why doesn't he just change and do good?? I mean doesn't the devil know he's only hurting himself in the long run? God said if you repent of your sins and try to change for the good of the lord, he'd forgive you and accept you back into his kingdom? So wouldn't the same thing apply for the devil? I mean if he wanted to change his life around and not deceive or hurt people anymore, wouldn't god look at that an accept him if he had the heart too? Would hell and evil cease then?? I was just wondering...

That's an awesome question! The devil in evil because he/she/it' has been judged to be so.

The devil is the one that spoke through a serpent to the woman that was in the garden with Adam. The serpent was made by the LORD God and then the serpent spoke to the woman...so, the wordof????Hummmm, another good question! In the book of John: The Word came to it's own and it's own did not know him. Jesus and John both often referred to 'The beginning, Jesus said he spoke the same as he did in the beginning'

Jesus said I tell you the truth, but yet you can not hear me.

What did the word speak in the Beginning? Consider the manner of this LORD God, he/ she/it' never told Adam who he/she/it' was...The LORD God only referred to it's self as I" and no where can I find where Adam questioned this who only said "THAT I COMMANDED"

Who is this LORD???? Another awesome question.

But know this, it was the serpent who spoke of something other than I'

The serpent said "Did GODindeed say

That's the first time any spoke of someone or something else beside themselves!

Jesus said he would have to be raised up like the brazen SERPENT...the one that Moses hung on stake for all those that had been bitten and became sick.

Never stop the questions...test all spirits and prove all things!

Many blessings'

[Ciss]

This is something that perplexes me. Why is the devil really evil?? Why doesn't he just change and do good?? I mean doesn't the devil know he's only hurting himself in the long run? God said if you repent of your sins and try to change for the good of the lord, he'd forgive you and accept you back into his kingdom? So wouldn't the same thing apply for the devil? I mean if he wanted to change his life around and not deceive or hurt people anymore, wouldn't god look at that an accept him if he had the heart too? Would hell and evil cease then?? I was just wondering...

Here is something people overlook,

Rev: 17:8 The beast that you saw was, and is not,

How came one be and not be at the same time?

Just something the think about

[Lady Otterwynnd]

This is something that perplexes me. Why is the devil really evil?? Why doesn't he just change and do good?? I mean doesn't the devil know he's only hurting himself in the long run? God said if you repent of your sins and try to change for the good of the lord, he'd forgive you and accept you back into his kingdom? So wouldn't the same thing apply for the devil? I mean if he wanted to change his life around and not deceive or hurt people anymore, wouldn't god look at that an accept him if he had the heart too? Would hell and evil cease then?? I was just wondering...

Satan is NOT necessarily "evil". First of all, when he was an angel, it was HIS job to tempt mortal people and God CREATED him for THIS purpose. He was NOT evil from the time he was created. The only reason he was cast into hell was because he didn't agree with the way God was running things ( that's just in layman's terms of course) and decided to lead a revolution. But we also have to have an unchanging definition of what "evil" is in general, don't we? In this instance it seems that questioning God's rules and thinking for yourself is "evil", but is it really? That would mean that all Americans are going to hell because they led a revolution against Britain, doesn't it?

[itsnotoutthere]

This is something that perplexes me. Why is the devil really evil?? Why doesn't he just change and do good?? I mean doesn't the devil know he's only hurting himself in the long run? God said if you repent of your sins and try to change for the good of the lord, he'd forgive you and accept you back into his kingdom? So wouldn't the same thing apply for the devil? I mean if he wanted to change his life around and not deceive or hurt people anymore, wouldn't god look at that an accept him if he had the heart too? Would hell and evil cease then?? I was just wondering...

Basically because the devil doesn't exist. God needs an excuse for all the bad things that happen in the world. Somebody on this forum said that ''God is responsible for all the good things that happen, & that all the bad things that happen are mans fault. Basically God needs a scapegoat when things go wrong, or rather people who believe in god need a scapegoat.

[leafar]

As unlikely as the Devil repenting is and who I am to guess what God would do. . .

I think Satan would have to go through alot of hell, then he would have a place in peace but not with God and not in any power, if he truelly repented. He would have alot of work to do as far a restitution as well. . .

It is a hope filled person who dares to dream of the Devil's repentance! Good for you.

God is unmerciful so... He’s only able to forgive humans and during material life, because after death it’s said He doesn’t forgive anymore. Such a God...

I believe that the true God is able to forgive in any part of the existence of the being. But He also asks for reparation. It’s not for free (or by Grace) as many people say.

Best Regards.

Edited March 31, 2008 by leafar

[Wootloops]

This is something that perplexes me. Why is the devil really evil?? Why doesn't he just change and do good?? I mean doesn't the devil know he's only hurting himself in the long run? God said if you repent of your sins and try to change for the good of the lord, he'd forgive you and accept you back into his kingdom? So wouldn't the same thing apply for the devil? I mean if he wanted to change his life around and not deceive or hurt people anymore, wouldn't god look at that an accept him if he had the heart too? Would hell and evil cease then?? I was just wondering...

Sure, why not? He hasn't killed anyone. You can't kill souls. All he did was hurt a few souls for a few thousand or billion years, but really, it doesn't matter how many years it was because it will all be just a blip in comparison to the eternity that the afterlife is supposed to last. I'd forgive him.

It's kind of similar to Hitler. The guy killed a million jews, but so what? If the afterlife lasts for eternity and is as amazing as it is proposed, then who the hell cares if he killed their earthly bodies. It means nothing. I'd forgive Hitler too. I'd forgive a guy who raped and killed my sister.

If though, there is no afterlife to go to, the story might be different.

[Dragon Seeker]

now i, although i dont beileve in just hell and heaven, i think that at one point in time the Devil (Satin) was at one times gods brother however since then he had found that darkness was more appealing than the light, this being after god stated what he would count as a sin, i think that Satin beileved these things to be fun so he turned agaist his ways and took to the darkness thus acting as a counter meathod. well at least thats my thoughts on this religion

my religon... is a beleif that at one point in time dragons exsisted and still do we just cant find them.

Sure, why not? He hasn't killed anyone. You can't kill souls. All he did was hurt a few souls for a few thousand or billion years, but really, it doesn't matter how many years it was because it will all be just a blip in comparison to the eternity that the afterlife is supposed to last. I'd forgive him.

It's kind of similar to Hitler. The guy killed a million jews, but so what? If the afterlife lasts for eternity and is as amazing as it is proposed, then who the hell cares if he killed their earthly bodies. It means nothing. I'd forgive Hitler too. I'd forgive a guy who raped and killed my sister.

If though, there is no afterlife to go to, the story might be different.

Dude there is no way in any of the 9 Hells of Baator or even the Abyssal that i can forgive those kind of people, for if any1 did that to my sister i would make shure he dies. and not by the hand of the law but by my own because in that way i take revenge and her soul can finnaly rest in peace, i mean after all isnt that all the dead want to rest in peace?

Edited April 1, 2008 by Dragon Seeker

[swtp]

Biblicaly, God, knowing the end from the begining, has said he will be cast into the lake of fire, and forever seperated from God. So I dont think so.

I have to agree with you on this one! He had top honors in heaven, he blew it when he rebelled completely because he wanted to be above God!

[norwood1026]

I have to agree with you on this one! He had top honors in heaven, he blew it when he rebelled completely because he wanted to be above God!

But how can God be all loving to throw something he created into such a place? If he can forgive mankind & we have done MUCH worse things then Satan of the bible ever did why can't he forgive him? Would not that be the biggest test of Gods love?

[Lady Otterwynnd]

But how can God be all loving to throw something he created into such a place? If he can forgive mankind & we have done MUCH worse things then Satan of the bible ever did why can't he forgive him? Would not that be the biggest test of Gods love?

Um, maybe God doesn't like free thinkers??? Because Satan didn't rebel because he liked darkness better than light, he rebelled because he had direct contact with people, he tempted them as the angel Lucifer after all, and he could experience what they experience, so he thought that God, who cannot directly contact people unless they want him to (even that's debatable), was running things in a wrong way. Lucifer wasn't "evil" he just decided to think for himself and God took it as a threat.

[Ginger]

IF Satan TRULY meant it, then yes God would forgive him. That is clear as day but it is highly unlikely that it would happen. But IF he TRULY, TRULY meant it, all would be forgiven.

[norwood1026]

. Lucifer wasn't "evil" he just decided to think for himself and God took it as a threat.

So I guess that makes those of us who have chosen another path a threat too.

[Lady Otterwynnd]

So I guess that makes those of us who have chosen another path a threat too.

In all essence yes. Why do you think Christianity want's everyone to be a Christian? Personally, I think it's because they see the rest of us as a threat, not because they're concerned for our immortal souls. They think Pagans run around naked in the forest and sacrifice children to their personification of evil. If that's not threatening, I don't know what is. But, I don't believe in Christianity, so I can't say I'm a threat to their God. But then again, I'm sure there are people who truly care about people's souls. How many of them are legitimately concerned? I can't say, but I'm willing to bet it's not as many as they say.

[everquesterinman]

the devil and hell are the same thing. They are the manifestation of anything that is wrong or bad, evil if you will. BUT, they dont exsist as an individual force.

Theres only us and God.

Im sure we the living are the only things generating any kind of evil. Surely justified by my man G-D in the sweet irony of "karma."

The bible says: God created hell for Lucifer (satan) and all his fallen angel so apparently it IS on earth somewhere and not just an idea or "evil"

[everquesterinman]

In all essence yes. Why do you think Christianity want's everyone to be a Christian? Personally, I think it's because they see the rest of us as a threat, not because they're concerned for our immortal souls. They think Pagans run around naked in the forest and sacrifice children to their personification of evil. If that's not threatening, I don't know what is. But, I don't believe in Christianity, so I can't say I'm a threat to their God. But then again, I'm sure there are people who truly care about people's souls. How many of them are legitimately concerned? I can't say, but I'm willing to bet it's not as many as they say.

You know I have been to just about every church imaginable and I see TRUTH in all of them. As it stands right now I'm really not sure what i believe but i do believe in respect for all religons where i believe they're way or not. no one religon on this earth can prove for SURE they are they whole truth and nothing but the truth!!. as said earlier in this forum it is a matter of faith ! I repsect any religon that teaches its members peace and co-exsiting with others regaurdless of wether they believe the same way or not. I FEAR NO RELIGION ! I either choose to believe or not. In the end we will each learn the truth alone uopn death. If something awaits fine. if not fine. i dont let religon control my everyday action scared of what i might encounter in the afterlife. I live as I am...ALIVE AND WELL AND SO SHALL I DIE !

[gabolai]

QUOTE (Lady Otterwynnd @ Apr 1 2008, 03:43 AM)

. "Lucifer wasn't "evil" he just decided to think for himself and God took it as a threat."

If God does not want us to think for ourselves why would he give us free agency, and why would there be so many diffrent races and coulters around the world? The Christain religion is small compared to all the world. . . But I think many our us are worshipping the same God, in very different ways...

Is there one right way for every person? A one size fits all religion? I don't think so. . .

Maybe it is as simple as God is Good . . . We all know what is truelly good. . . Charity, love, and so many different religions practice that so therefore they are not wrong.