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"For the devil has sinned from the beginning..."

Text: 1 John 3:8

A SHORT WORD ABOUT THE DEVIL

John did not devote much energy and time to discuss the person of the devil in his epistle. But the comments he did make reveal significant information about him.

“He who sins is of the devil,
for the devil has sinned from the beginning.”
1 John 3:8

1. “For the devil has sinned from the beginning”

a) The meaning of the word “devil” (Greek “diabolos”).

i) To slander

ii) This particular work of the devil is most insidious.

b) The devil has sinned from the beginning (Genesis 3).

i) He slandered God when he explained to Eve the reason why God did not want them to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

ii) He portrayed God as One who sought to prevent Adam and Eve to be like Him… God!

c) He induced Adam and Eve to sin against God.

d) He has not stopped his evil work all these millennia.

2. The continuing work of the devil as revealed in the Scriptures

a) The devil has a well-organised dominion.

b) He has powerful demons who obey him.

c) In the Gospels

i) Demons possession was a grim reality.

ii) Sometimes they cause people to be seriously ill.

d) He influences the world.

e) He sends out his emissaries who are “antichrists”.

f) These are false teachers who spread doctrine contrary to God’s word.

3. The power of the devil

a) He is far superior to human beings.

b) But his powers have limits.

c) He cannot defeat the Lord.

d) God’s omnipotence would one day destroy him forever.