Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Blame for Sin
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Leviticus 16:21-22
The Bible does not say that a demon is responsible for all sin, an idea that comes from the apocryphal Book of Enoch. Certainly, Satan will bear the penalty for his sins, but they are nowhere in view in Leviticus 16. What is in view are the nation's sins confessed onto the azazel—sins that the people committed, for which they are responsible. Our sins are our responsibility, and we bear them unless a substitute is provided to bear them for us, which Jesus Christ did. Eve tried to blame Satan for her sin, yet God punished her because she disobeyed God. Similarly, God's curse on Satan in Eden comes because of his sin of deception—what he did (Genesis 3:14)—but not for Eve's sin. Jesus teaches that our own faculties cause us to sin; the Son of God puts the genesis of sin in each individual's heart (Matthew 5:29-30; 12:34-35; 15:18-19; 18:8-9; Mark 7:20-23; 9:43-47). James says that temptation would be powerless against us if we were not drawn away by our own desires, which gives birth to sin (James 2:14-15). Satan sins when he amplifies those desires through his broadcast, but what we choose to do after listening to him is on us, not on him. God will judge Satan, not because God has ascribed all human sins to him, but because Satan has sinned. The gospel of the Kingdom of God teaches that God's ultimate solution to sin does not hinge on anything involving Satan. His solution is to create sons and daughters in His image who will not sin—who will not be drawn away by their desires. Certainly, Satan influences and deceives; these are his sins. We should downplay neither his power nor his guilt. But as part of God's plan, He has given mankind the responsibility to choose, which is why Scripture warns us so frequently about Satan's deceptions and wiles. We should take those warnings very seriously so we are not deceived. We are warned so we can consider our choices, such as what sources we use to interpret Scripture. But if Satan is responsible for our sins, then we are blameless before God without Christ's sacrifice. Jesus Christ and His incredible work get edged out of the picture, and Satan's power gets magnified.
David C. Grabbe
Azazel: Endings
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Mark 7:21-23
It is obvious that He lays the choices—the decisions, the judgments to do these things—not on Satan's shoulders, but on man's—that man should know enough to resist any satanic impulse to do these things. So, who does God hold responsible for obeying Him? Truly, we learn from Revelation 12:9 that the Devil has deceived the whole world, but when we add these other factors, we find that God holds each person responsible for what he or she has done. He holds Satan responsible for his part, and He holds each person responsible for his or her part. It has to be this way, otherwise what consequence is free moral agency? It would be no consequence at all. So God, from His position, does not view us as being free from blame because we have been duped by Satan. We can see this in a simple example of God's judgment concerning Adam and Eve. He dispersed a portion of blame to each exactly where it belongs: on all three participants. This is especially important for us to understand because the Bible is written for those who have made the covenant with God. It is only written indirectly for the world. It is given to those who have had their eyes opened—to those to whom God has revealed Himself. God has put Christians into a position very similar to Adam and Eve's. God revealed Himself to Adam and Eve from the very beginning, and they were in a position where they knew God and could make a choice that others may not have been in the same position to make because they did not have that initial contact with God. However, God has revealed Himself to us, and thus, we are in much the same position as Adam and Eve. By far, these verses apply to us more directly than they do to anybody in the world. We have to face our responsibility squarely concerning whom we will choose to serve. Will it be the sovereign Lord Creator or Satan, a fallen angel? Who is sovereign in our lives?
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Sovereignty of God (Part One)
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