Praying for Satan. Can we? Should we?

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Magenta

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Jul 3, 2015
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This means that we will have contradictions because if the Bible is the word of God 100% then Genesis comes
into contradiction with what we see and measure in reality. Especially if you say that the Earth is 6000 years old.

Contradictions can also rise between the OT and NT especially since Jesus
is leading a life of humility where he even washes his Disciple’s feet.
Scientists proposing ideas that seem to contradict what some people believe
or how some interpret Genesis is not in any way the Bible contradicting itself.

Jesus came to serve. There is no contradiction. Next time He comes to rule :)
 

Eli1

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Apr 5, 2022
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Scientists proposing ideas that seem to contradict what some people believe
or how some interpret Genesis is not in any way the Bible contradicting itself.


Jesus came to serve. There is no contradiction. Next time He comes to rule :)
This sounds good in theory but in practice we have people interpret the Bible in contradicting ways. The Bible is meant to be read and interpreted by us, and not stand alone in the sky out of reach.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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This sounds good in theory but in practice we have people interpret the Bible in contradicting ways.
The Bible is meant to be read and interpreted by us, and not stand alone in the sky out of reach.
So? So scientists contradict how some people interpret Genesis.

Still does not mean the Bible is contradicting itself.

How does this idea of the Bible standing alone out of reach in the sky enter the conversation??? :oops:
 

Eli1

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So? So scientists contradict how some people interpret Genesis.

Still does not mean the Bible is contradicting itself.

How does this idea of the Bible standing alone out of reach in the sky enter the conversation??? :oops:
Because you’re saying that the Bible has no contradictions in itself.
Fact is contradictions rise when someone reads the Bible and says that the Earth is 6000 years old and when I look at the telescope or fossil records I see that they’re older than 6000.
 
Mar 4, 2020
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I‘M glad you mentioned The Law. Does this mean that the message of Jesus which is based on peace can contradict The Law? And yes I’m aware where he says “I didn’t come to abolish the Law”.
Also when you read David in the Bible, what is your key takeaway from it? What does it tell you?
For example, It tell me to NOT be like David. But to be more like Jesus.
I don't think Jesus was talking about the handwritten ordinances, rules and regulations when He said "I didn't come to abolish the Law" because as we all know the law has been at least partially abolished. The context of what Jesus was saying is that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.

The Law and The Prophets are the Hebrew Bible. Part of it is called the Law and the other part is called the Prophets. Jesus the Messiah fulfilled what was written concerning Himself in the Law and Prophets.

Matthew 5:17,18
17Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. 18For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Well I guess we agree here since you don’t interpret it all literally but the creation story is a big one. Some people interpret literal 24 hour days and I don’t.
How about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Literal tree with literal fruit that gives knowledge to people?
 

Magenta

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Jul 3, 2015
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Because you’re saying that the Bible has no contradictions in itself.
Fact is contradictions rise when someone reads the Bible and says that the Earth is 6000 years
old and when I look at the telescope or fossil records I see that they’re older than 6000.
That is still not the Bible contradicting itself.
 

Eli1

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Apr 5, 2022
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How about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Literal tree with literal fruit that gives knowledge to people?

This is another complicated one which I don’t know but here’s how i reason it.

The tree of knowledge was put there by God to give Adam and Eve a choice. He gave them one commandment “Don’t eat from that tree”.
Perhaps it was a real tree where the ingredients of it change our bodies to become mortal. I don’t know the technicalities but what I get from that is basically that : They disobeyed God and were banished. So maybe it was a tree, maybe it was something else that looks like a tree.
 

CS1

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May 23, 2012
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I‘M glad you mentioned The Law. Does this mean that the message of Jesus which is based on peace can contradict The Law? And yes I’m aware where he says “I didn’t come to abolish the Law”.
Also when you read David in the Bible, what is your key takeaway from it? What does it tell you?
For example, It tell me to NOT be like David. But to be more like Jesus.



Well I guess we agree here since you don’t interpret it all literally but the creation story is a big one. Some people interpret literal 24 hour days and I don’t.




Of course this is all true but the overall message of Jesus is that he didn’t come as a military leader and he told us to love one another and our enemies. This can contradict several other messages of the Bible, David being a prime example.


This means that we will have contradictions because if the Bible is the word of God 100% then Genesis comes into contradiction with what we see and measure in reality. Especially if you say that the Earth is 6000 years old.
Contradictions can also rise between the OT and NT especially since Jesus is leading a life of humility where he even washes his Disciple’s feet.
I'm sorry there must be a language barrier between you and me. There are no contradictions in the word of God. And I never said how old the earth was. Nor do I care. There is no contradiction between the Old Testament and with New Testament.


The Old has been completed in Christ which the Old foretold HIS coming, death burial, and resurrection. Jesus said not one jot or tittle would be removed until all is completed. It seems you have a liberal approach to Biblical interpretation. And misquote and suggest things one has never said.
 

Eli1

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I'm sorry there must be a language barrier between you and me. There are no contradictions in the word of God. And I never said how old the earth was. Nor do I care. There is no contradiction between the Old Testament and with New Testament.


The Old has been completed in Christ which the Old foretold HIS coming, death burial, and resurrection. Jesus said not one jot or tittle would be removed until all is completed. It seems you have a liberal approach to Biblical interpretation. And misquote and suggest things one has never said.
Yes, English is not my primary language and I do come from the East Orthodox Church.
 
P

Polar

Guest
Of course this is all true but the overall message of Jesus is that he didn’t come as a military leader and he told us to love one another and our enemies. This can contradict several other messages of the Bible, David being a prime example.
Well here is what you said:
Eli1 said:
All right, so can you please give me an example where Jesus is advocating for righteous violence?
Because the message that I get from Jesus is the opposite of violence while OT is full of violence.
In fact one of Jesus titles is Prince of Peace, but that does not alter the fact that there is violence in the NT which is what I was pointing out. There is no contradiction with David. Again, Revelation does not indicate flowers and peace signs. People have not changed and there is only one solution if a person wishes peace and that is Jesus. But, there can be no world peace at the moment.

Frankly, the title of this thread is beyond the pale. I know you did not start it, but just to even entertain such a thought is indicative of very poor biblical knowledge.
 

Eli1

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Apr 5, 2022
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Well here is what you said:


In fact one of Jesus titles is Prince of Peace, but that does not alter the fact that there is violence in the NT which is what I was pointing out. There is no contradiction with David. Again, Revelation does not indicate flowers and peace signs. People have not changed and there is only one solution if a person wishes peace and that is Jesus. But, there can be no world peace at the moment.

Frankly, the title of this thread is beyond the pale. I know you did not start it, but just to even entertain such a thought is indicative of very poor biblical knowledge.
Yes as far as the topic of this title goes I’m in agreement with all here who say that There is no hope for Satan and should not pray for him. I’ve mentioned that too in previous posts.

You are correct in my language misuse of “Ot is full of violence” because what I’m trying to say is that the overall message of Jesus is that of peace not violence which can contradict verses from the OT. I’m mentioning David as an example.
 
Jan 14, 2021
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Because you’re saying that the Bible has no contradictions in itself.
Fact is contradictions rise when someone reads the Bible and says that the Earth is 6000 years old and when I look at the telescope or fossil records I see that they’re older than 6000.
Some interpretations of scripture can certainly be at odds with scientific interpretation.

Scientific interpretation can be wrong, scriptural interpretation can be wrong. Sometimes both can be wrong, sometimes neither are wrong.

If you don't like YEC, you can at least consider OEC.
 
Mar 4, 2020
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This is another complicated one which I don’t know but here’s how i reason it.

The tree of knowledge was put there by God to give Adam and Eve a choice. He gave them one commandment “Don’t eat from that tree”.
Perhaps it was a real tree where the ingredients of it change our bodies to become mortal. I don’t know the technicalities but what I get from that is basically that : They disobeyed God and were banished. So maybe it was a tree, maybe it was something else that looks like a tree.
I agree it's complicated. The tree was in a location in the Middle East between rivers. The Bible names the rivers and it's possible to get a possible exact location of where the Garden of Eden was. So all of that seems literal so far then suddenly there's a tree the gives knowledge. How does a literal tree make someone smarter? We don't have anything like that nowadays so I'm inclined to think it's not literal. I agree the bottom line was they were supposed to obey God.

Why did God put them near a dangerous tree and then when they failed He severely cursed them and the world? It seems like now we're just suffering when maybe we should have been sheltered more.
 
Sep 26, 2019
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A friend of mine just told me that he has been praying for Satan that God would love him and have mercy on this enemy just as Jesus said he should. 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matt 5:43&44
yes
 

Eli1

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Apr 5, 2022
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I agree it's complicated. The tree was in a location in the Middle East between rivers. The Bible names the rivers and it's possible to get a possible exact location of where the Garden of Eden was. So all of that seems literal so far then suddenly there's a tree the gives knowledge, but now it's being hid and guarded by an angel with a sword of fire. Okay, so maybe the tree was a literal tree, but now it's invisible or maybe it was moved somewhere? Maybe it wasn't a literal tree because how does a tree give knowledge? It doesn't make complete sense to me.
Well the Realm is definitely different but the Tree in that Realm might be an actual tree.
I make a distinction here between Heavenly realms and our realm because when Jesus rose he had a different body. A body which could go through walls but also a body which could also eat bread and fish.
‘Maybe that’s the body that Adam and Eve had. Maybe that’s the body we get on resurrection. I don’t know the details but the two realms are separate in my mind and that’s why there’s a lot of poetry involved here because it’s not possible to explain this in a technical manner.
‘And the Tree of knowledge maybe had an ingredient which changed their bodies from a Christ-like body to the bodies that we have today.
The knowledge of the tree implied in Genesis was probably also causing Adam and Eve to lose their child-like state and become embarrassed at the fact that they were naked.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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Well the Realm is definitely different but the Tree in that Realm might be an actual tree.
I make a distinction here between Heavenly realms and our realm because when Jesus rose he had a different body. A body which could go through walls but also a body which could also eat bread and fish.
‘Maybe that’s the body that Adam and Eve had. Maybe that’s the body we get on resurrection. I don’t know the details but the two realms are separate in my mind and that’s why there’s a lot of poetry involved here because it’s not possible to explain this in a technical manner.
‘And the Tree of knowledge maybe had an ingredient which changed their bodies from a Christ-like body to the bodies that we have today.
The knowledge of the tree implied in Genesis was probably also causing Adam and Eve to lose their child-like state and become embarrassed at the fact that they were naked.
Adam's body was made from the dust of the ground.

For them to have received a glorified body, they would have
had to have eaten from the Tree of Life, which they did not.