I John 3:8 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
Devil or Diablo means slanderer and accuser. So Jesus came to destroy the work of the slanderer and accuser. It is foolish to think we can destroy the slanderer by slander. It is foolish to think we can destroy accuser by accusation. We do not use the tools of the devil we use the tools of Christ
Love the sinner hate the sin is a popular axiom. A mentor, that has taught me much, taught me to be careful with that axiom. That axiom usually leads to getting it's opposite intended results and we eventually hate the sinner. A better axiom is, love the sinner and hate
your own sin. That way we love all sinners and we model and speak a better way
The word destroy in our minds has been formed by movies,
news, and war stories. But attacking like a bomb doesn't destroy the devil. In the movie Outbreak starring Dustin Hoffman and Cuba Gooding Jr a deadly virus threatens to kill the people of a California town. If any of those people get out of the town the virus could spread to the whole nation. So the town is quarantined by the Army. Hoffman and Gooding are doctors and they discover the cure for the disease, the cure is in the town. But before they are allowed to use it on the sick a decision is made by the powers that be to drop a bomb on the town. Everyone in the town will be killed but it will eliminate the virus. But the two doctors know if you destroy the virus you will also destroy the cure. Dropping a bomb on sinners will not destroy the work of the devil. The disease marches on.
Jesus did not drop bombs on sinners. He appeared right in their town to destroy the works of the devil. That's how he destroys the devil's work, he appears, Merry Christmas.
Jesus' plan to destroy the devil's work.
"Alright here is what we are gonna do. We are going to love God with all our heart. We are going to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are going to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and do unto others. You are going to witness about me, even unto the point of being killed
and not killing. We are going to be poor, mourn, meek, hungry, merciful, pure, peacemakers,
persecuted. We are going overcome evil with good. That's my plan. What do you think?"
I don’t think that’s gonna work. But Jesus rose from the dead proving it does work.
Romans 16:20 The God of war will soon crush Satan under your feet. No
The God of payback will soon crush Satan under your feet. No
The God of slander will soon crush Satan under your feet. No
The God of accusation will soon crush Satan under your feet. No
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Yes
The God of peace crushes
The God of peace crushes the one who knows
nothing of peace
The God of self sacrifice crushes the completely
selfish one
The God of forgiveness crushes the grudge holder
The God of humility crushes the one consumed by
pride
The God of the cross, crushes the one who puts
people on the cross
The battle to destroy the devil’s work came to
fulfillment at the cross. Jesus didn't cry out I am finished. He cried out it is finished. One of the things that was finished by the
cross was the devil’s work.
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