A Satanist judges God
This conversation with a Satanist demonstrates the difficulty with dealing with someone whose mind is made up on an issue. All we can do attempt to answer questions and objections and pray that the Holy Spirit will open his heart and mind.
Len: You were interested in talking to me?
Matt: Someone said you were interested in talking to me. No biggie. Are you a satanist?
Len: Nah, I doubt you could answer my questions any better then the other guy.
Matt: Try me.
Len: I don't know if I am a Satanist per say. But, how about you start by explaining
the book of Job to me. How is the God portrayed in Job, a merciful and just one?
Matt: God wanted the angels, Lucifer included, to come before him. God pointed out Job. Lucifer complained, God gave him permission to afflict him. Lucifer did... Job didn't sin in rebellion....Lucifer was wrong. God is sovereign. He can do as He wishes.
Len: Why would a merciful God give Satan permission to afflict a faithful servant?
Matt: Why not? Isn't it merciful to even let Job live who is a sinner?
Len: Is that "just" and "merciful?"
Matt: Hasn't God been offended?
Len: Job was not a sinner.
Matt: Yes he was... Let's look at this for just a minute.
Len: Job was a faithful servant.
Matt: Yes... but he is human. Humans sin. Are you saying he never sinned?
Len: As a matter of fact, if you read Job, then you know that he was one of the most
faithful of God's servants. That is why he was chosen. So God could win his little bet with
Satan.
Matt: Okay. No problem there. Are you saying that Job never sinned?
Len: No. But he was a FAITHFUL servant, was he not?
Matt: Yes, but that does not mean he wasn't a sinner.
Len: He was faithful, and a "merciful" God gave him into the hands of Satan? Are you kidding me? That is "just" and "merciful?"
Matt: Okay, let's start from the beginning. God is holy, right?
Len: Sure.
Matt: Has God ever sinned, or can He sin?
Len: Nope.
Matt: God is just, right?
Len: Nope.
Matt: Then you are accusing him of sinning, right? If He is sinless, then He is just. If He is not just, He is a sinner. Which is it? Is He sinless and just or is He a sinner and not just?
Len: No. Sin is an act against God. He can't sin, that would be a conundrum, would it not?
Matt: Yes it would. God cannot do anything wrong, correct?
Len: Don't even give me this "whatever God does is right" bull. No, he is not always just. Sinning and being "unjust" are two different things.
Matt: If He is not just, then you are accusing him of doing wrong.
Len: I am accusing him of wrong doing.
Matt: So you are judging God then, correct?
Len: Of course.
Matt: So you, a mere person, a sinner, is telling me that you know that God does wrong.
You are sitting there telling me that you are judging God, correct?
Len: Yes. I am. Am I gonna go to hell now? Are you going to judge me?
Matt: I'm not judging you. You are judging God. On what basis do you justify judging God?
Len: I judge God on his actions. I judge him as I would judge anyone else. If he were a
human, he would not be seen as "just and merciful." Damn right I am judging God.
Matt: So, it is not okay for me to make a judgment on you, but it is okay for you to judge God Almighty?
Matt: Well?
I do not think that I did all that well in this conversation. My goal was to move him closer to the Lord, and it seems I failed to do that. All that we can do as Christians in situations like this is to do our best. It is easy to look back on something like this and find better things that could have been said. Nevertheless, even failures can be used to teach us.
