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Third Lesson - Who is the Ruler of This World Many of today's Christians are pretty sure about who the ruler of this world is. The important thing is understanding why and what we should do about it! Satan is the ruler of this system of things When Adam sinned and was thrown out of the garden, Satan was given rulership over mankind. Paul says... 14 Nevertheless, death ruled as king from Adam down to Moses, even over those who had not sinned after the likeness of the transgression by Adam, who bears a resemblance to him that was to come (Romans 5). 17 For if by the trespass of the one [man] death ruled as king through that one, much more will those who receive the abundance of the undeserved kindness and of the free gift of righteousness rule as kings in life through the one [person], Jesus Christ (Romans 5). Death is Satan's name since he brought it about. Jesus is called 'the life', and Satan is called 'the death', or perhaps just plain 'death' to his friends. So he ruled from Adam down to Moses over everyone because of the trespass of the one man Adam. God himself ruled the Jews once they agreed to obey the Law Covenant. Satan is still ruling us all today physically. He is referred to in scripture as the God of this system of things... 3 If, now, the good news
we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, 30 I shall not speak
much with you anymore, for the ruler of the world is coming. And he has no hold
on me (John 14). 31 Now there is a
judging of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out (John 12). So the end of the "world" (the one Satan created), is the end of his world, not the end of the planet. It is the end of his system of things which is the current system of things, a system which started at the founding of the world (i.e. the day Adam sinned). The founding of the world was the trespass of Adam and the start of the 7th creative day of Genesis, when God rested from his creative works: 3 For we who have
exercised faith do enter into the rest, just as he has said: So I swore in my
anger, They shall not enter into my rest, although his works were finished from
the founding of the world. 21 And Jehovah God
proceeded to make long garments of skin for Adam and for his wife and to clothe
them (Genesis 3). 5 So he brought him up
and showed him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth in an instant of time. It is of course a huge realization that Satan is the god of this system of things and the ruler of the world. And we appreciate that if this concept is new to you it may cause some serious consternation. But remember that Satan can only act within prescribed limits set by God. God is the referee here, and Satan is just a very dirty team captain, he is not the head of the corporation (although some might disagree). But he does have a lot of supporters. God only allows Satan's continued existence and authority in order that we can learn from him without having ourselves to become like him. But nonetheless the world is the Titanic and Satan is the captain, and God is the iceberg, but Jesus is the lifeboat. However in his case it will not be the rich ones who get in first, whilst the poor are locked in below, in fact quite the reverse. Anyone and everyone who wants to get in and be saved will be, and the rich, because they falsely believe that they have got it made already, will, in general find it harder to leave their comfort zone. They can be trapped by their own physical success. Come on guys, wake up!! In fact the scripture says 19 We know we originate
with God, but the whole world is lying in the [power of the] wicked one (1 John
5). |
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A Personal Letter to all of my Friends and Family
For those who wish to help us spread the "Good News"
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