John Piper Speaks about Satan’s Power: Why Is He Allowed to Blind People to the Gospel?
In a recent episode of his “Ask Pastor John” podcast, pastor and bestselling author John Piper addressed the power Satan holds in the spiritual world, such as blinding people to the gospel. As reported by The Christian Post, Piper shared he has been asked about Satan more than any other biblical topics on his podcast.
“There are hints that he’s a fallen angel and that there was rebellion in heaven,” he said. “But that’s not a full explanation for where he comes from because it’s very difficult to explain why a personal, rational being — an angel — who is created perfect would ever find a motive to rebel in a perfect universe.”
“That’s not easy to explain. I don’t think we have a sufficient explanation for that. That’s one of those things that’s cloaked in mystery for now.”
Piper pointed out that Satan’s influence is evident from Genesis to Revelation, adding that the Bible is clear concerning the nature of the devil and how he is a hindrance to humanity’s spiritual journey.
“Why does God allow that blinding, that word-stealing power?” Piper said. “I think the key lies in the fact that if God had eliminated Satan so that the only enemy to be defeated is our own human depravity, part of the glory of the triumph of salvation would be missing.”
Piper noted that God is ultimately glorified in defeating the enemy’s lies and overcoming the blindness of human depravity.
“God is showing us the double prison we are in,” Piper said. “We are doubly dark: the darkness of our own shackles around our wrists and ankles, and the darkness of Satan’s locked doors — like Peter in prison, had to have the hands freed, then he had to have the gates freed, and the doors freed.”
“There were layers of bondage: the darkness of our own delusions about God — that’s one level of bondage and blindness — and then the added darkness of Satan’s lies and deceptions all around us.”
Piper contended that although defeating Satan earlier would glorify God, but not His superior beauty.
“If he obliterated Satan earlier, his power would be glorified. But if Satan remains, and we are able to defeat his deceptions by seeing the superior beauties of Christ, then not only is the superior power of Christ glorified, but also the superior beauty of Christ is glorified,” Piper said.
“We are so corrupt, we cannot see that Christ is a superior beauty, a superior worth, a superior greatness, and therefore a superior satisfaction over everything else. In our depravity, we are blind to all of that.”
Piper concluded the episode by encouraging listeners to “take up arms and be glad in the Son of God,” who overcomes all darkness and dispels the devil’s lies.
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Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
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