Does the devil have us in bondage to sin?

[missmuffet]

No

[JohnD]

The Apostle Paul wrote extensively on the topic of sin. Romans 5-7 in particular. He speaks of it as being a master (even over believers).

 

He also says here:

 

1 Corinthians 6:12 (KJV)
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

 

The devil is the "master" of sin or "father" of it for being the first one to do so. But no he does not personally have you in bondage. This is why the individual man (all of us individuals) are held individually responsible for our choices.

 

We have a sin nature to contend with... even in salvation... it's only in the flesh after conversion to Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And it is up to us to choose to live by the spirit rather than the flesh. By the climate of the world around us it is apparent most choose to live by the flesh. Sadly.

[JohnD]

Profiling the devil himself, scripture teaches is is in no way an equal to God. It is not equal opposites like in 'the force' in Star Wars or in yin/yang philosophy.

 

Lucifer was the first creation of God the Word (who became flesh and dwelt among us). It was at this point Lucifer was the bright and morning star (the first and greatest of God's creations). From this he fell. And when Jesus came into the world, God the Father created his body (John 1:14, Hebrews 10:5, Hebrews 1:5) making him in the flesh the greatest creation creation of God and the head of creation (the firstborn so to speak). And in the resurrection he is the firstborn from the dead.

 

Colossians 1:13-18 (KJV)
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

 

There is some debate in the theologian world about the power the devil has or does not have. In Job he conjured up whirl winds, and in the showdown between Moses and the priests of Aman Rah (Pharaoh's court) sticks were turned into snakes. And in Deuteronomy 18 false prophets are said to be able to do miracles to try to convince others to follow foreign gods.  As the late Dr. Walter Martin used to say, "Do not be surprised or impressed by the presence of miracles... judge who the miracles are from by whom they point to as Lord."

 

So angels (the devil was one of them) can do more than many realize. But remember that they a;; are on a leash from God, and greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world.

[Sevenseas]

So we are truly in bondage. 

 

 

No, we are not truly in bondage.

 

 

"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:36

 

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.  Gal. 5:1

 

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"  Rom. 8:15

 

So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.  Gal.4:31

 

It is not about the power of the devil as some say.

 

It is about the power of God.  

 

Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely^c those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

26Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Hebrews 7

[Bammer]

If we sin we are a servant to it, John 8:34, put back under the curse of the law.  Paul wrote in Romans 7  

⁹ For I was alive (spiritually in Christ) without the law once: (not under the curse of the law) but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. Paul sinned.. He was alive not under the curse of the law but now dead put back under the curse of the law.

 Let’s see in scripture if Paul is now a servant to sin…

¹⁰ And the (keeping of the) commandment, which was ordained to life, (when I broke it)  I found to be unto death. ¹¹ For sin, taking occasion (in Paul’s life) by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Death entered into Paul. ¹² Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.¹³ Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.¹⁵ For that which I do (Paul is a servant to sin now) I allow not:  for what I would, ( not want to sin) that do I not; but what I hate,( which is sinning) that do I.¹⁶ If then I do that which I would not, ( sin ) I consent unto the law that it is good.¹⁷ Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. Oh no.. Paul is a servant to sin.¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will (to not sin) is present with me; but how to perform that which is good (not to sin) I find not.¹⁹ For the good (not sinning) that I would I do not: but the evil (sin)which I would not, that I do.²⁰ Now if I do that I would not, (sin) it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. PAUL IS SERVANT TO SIN²¹ I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.²² For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: ²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.²⁴ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

²⁵ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Dyeing on the cross that Paul has a place to repent and put his sin under the blood so God no longer sees Paul as a law breaker) So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; (Paul wanted to do good in his mind by not sinning but by an occasional sin was put back under the curse of the law that brings death becoming a servant to it) but with the flesh the law of sin. Which if we sin even occasionally, we become servants to sin. 2Cor11:12¹But what I do, that I will do, ( Paul here is not a servant to sin anymore but alive in Christ a servant of righteousness) that I may cut off occasion (sinning) from them which desire occasion (sin); that wherein they glory,(in there sin) they may be found even as we. (Christians) ¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. These people, calling themselves Christians, boast they sin but claim they are not under the curse of the law. If you sin, you are a servant of who you obey. SIN 1John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil;

[RustyAngeL]

My answer is simple and I have said it before. The enemy only has as much power over us as we allow.  When we stand against him in the name of Jesus he must flee. I keep looking at what Jesus did in the wilderness when Satan tempted Him.  Jesus did not converse with him He just used scripture against him and the devil had to leave.  That works for us too.

[other one]

My answer is simple and I have said it before. The enemy only has as much power over us as we allow.  When we stand against him in the name of Jesus he must flee. I keep looking at what Jesus did in the wilderness when Satan tempted Him.  Jesus did not converse with him He just used scripture against him and the devil had to leave.  That works for us too.

 

if you have unconfessed sin and not truly repented,  he will not flee but laugh in your face.

[Sevenseas]

My answer is simple and I have said it before. The enemy only has as much power over us as we allow.  When we stand against him in the name of Jesus he must flee. I keep looking at what Jesus did in the wilderness when Satan tempted Him.  Jesus did not converse with him He just used scripture against him and the devil had to leave.  That works for us too.

 

 

Yes it does.  Some folks tend to glamorize the devil and attribute far more to him then he is worth.  I'm not lessening the fact of his power...but lately, on these forums,

it seems some are going out of their way to mention the devil every chance they get.

 

IMO, that is not healthy.  The Bible makes us aware of the devil's schemes, but knowing who we are in Christ is what we should focus on.  The Bible is not a handbook

of the devil's power...it is a revelation of God's love and deliverance from sin through the blood of Christ

[other one]

this is really backwards.  Satan doesn't have us a slave to sin, our sin has us a slave to Satan.

[Fez]

this is really backwards.  Satan doesn't have us a slave to sin, our sin has us a slave to Satan.

Exactly!