If the Devil punishes people, aren't he and God on the same side?

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7 Answers

Drew Campbell Profile
Drew Campbell answered

If you say the Devil punishes people, do you mean that he causes people to suffer? Because he definitely does. On the other hand, God has allowed people to make the choice to serve him which doesn't bring punishment. Or to serve themselves or the Devil's interest, which sooner or later leads to harm or punishment.

So I agree that it would make no sense for God and the Devil to work together as would be the case with hellfire punishment.

Alex Beierle Profile
Alex Beierle answered

God rightfully disciplines those of us who begin to stray from the path of righteousness in order to keep us on the right road (The Bible says to endure hardship as discipline), and He punishes those who disobey Him. 

While satan, on the other hand, does nothing but try to destroy our lives and pull us away from God.

To sum it up: God is absolutely benevolent and wants all people to come to Him (willingly), and satan is absolutely malevolent and wants to pull as many people as he can away from God.  God created this system to sort out the faithful from the unfaithful.  From those who sincerely want to worship and serve Him from the lukewarm people that will always be on the fence.

Darik Majoren Profile
Darik Majoren answered

Look, if the concept of God includes Him being Omniscient (Which it does MANY times throughout the Bible) and God is Omnipotent (again, throughout the Bible) then how would Lucifer had fallen if not be God's Plan? 

Well it would be right in line with God creating Evil (Isaiah 45:7) and God needing an agent to bring the "idea" of Free Will to Eve and Adam. If God saw those two first humans (via Omniscience) grab and eat the forbidden fruit, certain integral parts had to be in play for this to come to fruition... 

So since God NEEDED Lucifer to be that medium of evil on earth and provide the façade of "Choice"...Why not set Lucifer up for the "Fall"?

In this way Lucifer really would be working for God, as a predestined agent of evil to facilitate God's Perfect Plan for mankind.

Didge Doo Profile
Didge Doo answered

Hang on there, Mr Majinn, you've got the bull by the horns.

It is God who makes the rules, God who judges, God who metes out the sentences. The poor old Devil is only the turnkey. He's a victim of the system, just like the rest of us.

Omar had a more optimistic view. He put it this way:

O thou who didst with pitfall and with gin
Beset the road I was to wander in;
Thou wilt not with enchantment round enmesh
Me, and impute my fall to sin.

Deston Elite Profile
Deston Elite answered

As a couple of believers may have pointed out, the Bible doesn't actually mention that. Believe me, I grew up thinking the same thing. The Bible actually says that Satan will be tormented along with the sinners in Hell.

Charles Davis Profile
Charles Davis answered

I'm unaware of the Devil punishing anyone, written in the bible. However there are a multitude of incidences that God punishes, even murders or orders the murder of people.

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