Difference between revisions of "Satan"

Revision as of 16:26, 26 November 2007

Lucifer, Satan, or the Devil

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has unique doctrine concerning Satan. Satan, also known as Lucifer, is a spirit child of God, just like all of us were. He was with us in the premortal life, and was even called the "Son of the Morning" in Isaiah. Latter-day Saint doctrine teaches that he had much responsibility and authority. He had great influence over those around him. But instead of following Heavenly Father's plan, he became desirous of more power and used his influence on others to lead them away from God.

Isaiah 14:12 states, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" Satan's downfall came as he proposed a plan that would take away the agency of men, which is an eternal principle valued by God. He also became consumed by his desire for glory and power. Elder ElRay L. Christensen said this about Satan,

That which Satan sought as being "evil before God" was to force all men to do the will of God. Using compulsion or force he offered to ‘save’ every person, and for so doing he demanded the honor and the glory that belongs to God. In contrast to Satan’s proposition, the Lord’s plan permitted individual progress by giving us the right to choose between good and evil (ElRay L. Christiansen, “The Adversary,” New Era, Sept. 1975, 4).

When Christ’s plan was chosen instead of his, Satan became angry and rebelled against God. He was so convincing that a "third part" (not one third) of all of Heavenly Father’s spirit children followed him (see D&C 29: 36; Moses 4: 1-4; Abr. 3: 27-28). Lucifer and his followers were eventually cast out of Heaven and were denied the opportunity to ever have mortal bodies. They are eternally cut off from the presence of God. Now Satan and his followers work to thwart Heavenly Father’s plan and lead his children to sin and spiritual death (see Rev. 12:9). In the Book of Mormon we read the following statements:

• Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and call things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself (2 Ne. 2:27).

• And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness (2 Ne. 9:9).

Is there Really a Devil

• "Satan lives. We must realize that he lives just as certainly as God lives and as we live. Those who teach that there is no devil are either ignorant of the facts or are deceivers" (ElRay L. Christiansen, “Power Over Satan,” Ensign, Nov. 1974, 22).

Satan is the enemy of the righteous and those working to bring about God’s will. He is a necessary opposite to God. Latter-day Saints view Satan as a literal being-a personage of spirit with neither horns, cloven hooves, nor forked tail-and believe that we must have opposition so that we can choose between good and evil (see D&C 29: 39). Apostle George Q. Canon stated,

The adversary ... aims to destroy us. Angry that his plan was not adopted in the heavens; angry at his failure in the rebellion against God and at his expulsion from the courts of glory; angry at his being deprived of a body, he and those who fell with him have been eager ever since that dreadful time to destroy their brethren and sisters who did not rebel with them" (Collected Discourses, Brian H. Stuy, ed., vol. 1).

Church leaders are greatly concerned about the large number of people that do not believe Satan is a literal being. Elder Marion G. Romney stated,

A corollary to the pernicious falsehood that God is dead is the equally pernicious doctrine that there is no devil. Satan himself is the father of both of these lies. To believe them is to surrender to him. Such surrender has always led, is leading now, and will continue to lead men to destruction.

Elder Romney went on to say,

The general acceptance of Satan’s declaration, “I am no devil, for there is none” (2 Ne. 28:22), accounts in large measure for the decadence in our deteriorating society. We Latter-day Saints need not be, and we must not be, deceived by the sophistries of men concerning the reality of Satan. There is a personal devil, and we had better believe it. He and a countless host of followers, seen and unseen, are exercising a controlling influence upon men and their affairs in our world today (Marion G. Romney, “Satan—The Great Deceiver,” Ensign, June 1971, 35).

The scriptures also clearly teach that Satan is real

• And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first. And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him (Abraham 3:27-28).

• Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee? ... And it came to pass that Satan cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; and he departed hence (Moses 1:13, 22).

• Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice (Moses 4:3-4).

• Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11).

• For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

• Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve (Matthew 4:10).

• And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:9)

• For, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency; And they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels (D&C 29:36-37)

How Satan Works

One of Satan's favorite tactics is to use force. Since the beginning he has been oposed to God's plan of agency. Satan, when he can, rules by dictatorships, restricting the rights and liberties of people to choose that which is right or good. He also uses fear to his advantage. Fear can be a powerful motivator to get men and women to either do wicked things or to keep them from doing righteous things. Fear is the antithesis to faith, and if Satan can fill a person's heart with fear, there will be no place for faith in God or His love and mercy.

But force is not Satan's only tool. With others, his best chance is to be subtle and cunning. He flatters and justifies, tells lies and half-truths, and sows doubt and disharmony. In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Nephi described Satan's tactics in this way:

And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment (2 Ne. 28:21-23).

Anything or anyone that teaches a person not to pray or have faith in God or His Son, Jesus Christ comes of the devil. But the Lord gives these promises:

• I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil (D&C 10:43).
• Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work (D&C 10:5).

External Links

• What does the Church teach about Satan?
• Gospel Study Guide: Devil
• Bible Dictionary: Devil
• The Reality of Satan