The Devil Thinks That We Are Idiots*

 The Devil Thinks That We Are Idiots*


Have you ever considered Satan's opinion of us fallen sinners--especially with regard to our foolhardy rejection of the love and glory of God in Jesus Christ?  Remember: the devil himself has good experience of this.  There was a time (before his Fall), that he enjoyed and relished the presence, glory, and (even) love of God.  But then he Fell (cf. Lk. 10:18).  Richard Sibbes once well-said that no one suffers more from the Fall from grace than those who once knew and enjoyed it with unalloyed glory.  Such was the case with Adam and Eve; and such is the case also with Satan.  But, whereas Adam and Eve were elect unto restored glory in Jesus--there was no probation (at all) offered to Lucifer and his fellow reprobate angels (who have now become demons).

 

If any of you remember the "Lord of The Rings" trilogy--you might recall that Tolkien's Sauron and his toady Saruman employed the Orcs to do their dirty work.  But did the evil masters really care about these miserable creatures?  Undoubtedly, no.  They just used them, and abused them.  The same is true with how Satan views fallen human beings who willfully join him (the devil) in spurning and hating the One True and Only Triune God--Who has revealed Himself to sinners in the God/Man, our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Satan "appreciates" that these sinners agree with him; and seek to rob God of any glory that they can, (vainly and unsuccessfully, by the way).  But the old snake (Satan) really loathes these miserable creatures.  In one sense, he must marvel that they are so senseless to turn away from such joy and fulfillment (that can be known in Christ alone); and that they are happy to grovel in the slime of sin, and go to Hell with him (the devil).

 

For an intelligent creature such as Satan, it must be hard to respect other creatures that are so doltish, so ludicrous, so neglectful of their own happiness.  There has got to be a sense in which he wonders at this.

 

But Lucifer is an astute theologian.  He fully realizes (now), that God had and has His elect angels and humans.  Satan knows that it is futile for him to even seek to keep salvation from God's elect, who become Christ's churchmen.  The adversary of our souls long ago gave up on trying to prevent the inevitable regeneration of God's chosen people, His precious and treasured ecclesia.  But still, we must remember that the old snake does not know who God's elect are--and even among his current human comrades, there are some whom he (the devil) is going to lose to Jesus.

 

In the meantime, he is amazed that anybody with any sense, or cognizance of their own advantage, good, and happiness would turn away from (and reject) Jesus Christ and His gospel of mercy (offered to totally unworthy and hopelessly lost sinners).

 

But such is the nature of all Fallenness from the True God.  It renders all of us--demons and sinners--senseless, moronic, and perversely-twisted.  Only the grace of God in Jesus Christ and His gospel of mercy can (and does) break this insane and hellish "spell."

 

Ironically, the church's saints, once they are enlightened by the Holy Spirit's regeneration, now trample on Satan and mock him.  The one who used to hold us in bondage--with our own fallen wills totally agreeing with his--is now "bound" and "chained" by our Redeemer/Rescuer.  Let all the forgiven members of God's church bless our Father for giving us Jesus, our first and greatest Love.

 

Rev. Mark J. Henninger

Treatise #100

19 May 2026

*  That is, before our miraculous conversions to Christ.

 

https://theologicaltreatisesinretirement.blogspot.com

https://henningerdevotions.blogspot.com

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