Dear Mike,

Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man:
Jas 1:14 but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

If we say that God created a devil named Satan to do the tempting for Him, then we not only deny these verses but we say that God is a conspirator. For example, a man hires another man to kill his wife. Who gets the greater blame for the murder? Usually, in an American court, the man that hires someone to do the deed gets the greater prison term.

Notice that the serpent (the devil in “disguise”) didn’t answer back to God with, “but, I was only doing what you told me (hired me) to do – why punish me?”

When we say that God specially created Satan to tempt man – it’s the same thing as saying that God tempts man. The verses above say that that is not true. The head conspirator says “go tempt man” or “go kill my wife” and the co- conspirator goes out and actually does the deed. Who is the tempter? – The head conspirator is the tempter – it was his idea to begin with. The one that actually does the deed was the one tempted – so Satan instead of being the tempter is actually the tempted.

Just one reason why a literal spirit being, specially created for that purpose, won’t work.

If on the other hand we say that the devil did this without God’s knowledge – Where does that lead? And if we say that Satan is a fallen angel and was just working against God’s Will – Where would that lead?

Sincerely,

C____

C_____,

I’m beginning to believe that you just don’t like the way God does things. It is not a debatable point as to whether God sends Satan to tempt people. The scriptures make that clear. Here is what we are told about evil spirits:

1Sa 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

And this is what we are told about ‘Satan.’

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

I don’t think that even you are going to contend that Job’s ‘carnal mind’ slew all of his own children, destroyed all of his own substance and smote himself with boils. God sent Satan to do all that.

Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

You see that? That is the first time that Job’s name is brought up in this conversation between God and Satan. Or as you would have it, between God and Job’s carnal mind. It is God who first got this ‘let’s try Job’ ball rolling. Now look at what you call ‘Job’s carnal mind’ replies:

Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Now you are asking me to believe that this is Job’s carnal mind saying all this to God. But look at what Satan and the Lord agree to next:

Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now[ The Lord’s ‘hand’ here IS Satan], and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD [ And did as he was commissioned].

If you have read ‘After The Counsel of His Own Will,’ then you know that this is typical of how God operates. This is what you call a conspiracy. And indeed it is from a carnal perspective. Satan is about as apt to resist an opportunity such as this as Hollywood producers are apt to pass up any opportunity to produce a violence filled, sexually oriented movie.
That is why it is worded like it is in James: “… God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man.” It doesn’t say that God does not do the trying. It only says “He Himself tempteth no man.” Or as you say ‘conspires to tempt men.’
No, the scriptures do not call this ‘conspiracy.’ That is where this ‘idol of the heart’ that wants to bring God down to a human level leads you. The scriptural “pattern of sound words is “God… works all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph 1:11).
This system of bringing about evil in this world is what is referred to as His sovereignty. Christians like to tout their belief in God’s sovereignty, and yet absolve God from the responsibility of evil. God does no such thing Himself.

Isa 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
Isa 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

You might place the words ‘conspire to’ between the words ‘Lord’ and ‘do.’ I will just leave it as it is; a simple declaration of the fact that God is indeed the ultimate author of “all.”

Amo 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Pro 20:24 Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own [ evil] way?

Here is one more example of what you term a ‘conspiracy.’ It is two accounts of the same event; David’s numbering of the people:

2Sa 24:1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he [ the Lord] moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

How the Lord ‘moved David against the people’ is not revealed here in 2Sa 24. But it is revealed in 1Ch 21.

1Ch 21:1 And Sata stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Is this a ‘conspiracy?’ Is it a contradiction? No, it is neither. It is simply another example of the total sovereignty of God in “all things.”

Just a little more ‘food for thought’. Bear with me as I do with you.

Mike