27 撒但——堕落天使的首领Satan - Fallen angels have aleader
《简明神学》Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs，巴刻（J. I. Packer）著/張麟至译，更新传道会，2007年。
27 撒但——堕落天使的首领
Satan - Fallen angels have a leader
“堕落天使的首领“有一天，神的众子侍立在耶和华面前，撒旦也来在其中。（伯1:6）
堕落天使的领袖撒旦，和那些天使一样，只有从新约圣经中才得窥其全貌。撒旦其名的意思是[仇敌]（神和祂百姓的对头），旧约圣经也是这样介绍他（代上21:1；伯1-2章；亚3:1-2）。新约圣经给予他的称呼，也等于启示出他的真相：[鬼魔]（chabolos）是控告者之意（例如：控告神的百姓，启12:9-10）；[亚波伦]（启9:11）是毁灭者；[那试探人的]（太4:3；帖前3:5）与[那恶者]（约一5:18-19）其意与其名同；[这世界的王]和[这世界的神]指明撒旦在人心里，引导他们过反神的生活方式（约12:31；14:30；16:11；林后4:4；另参弗2:2；约一5:19；启12:9）。耶稣说，撒旦是一位谋杀者，又是谎言之父——也就是说，他是最早的说谎者，也是所有后继虚谎和欺骗的帮助者（约8:44）。最后，圣经指出，他和在伊甸园里愚弄夏娃的蛇，是同一位（启12:9；20:2）。圣经所描绘的书面，使人看出撒旦带着令人想象不到的卑鄙、恶毒、怒气和残酷在反对神、反对神的真理，也反对那些神已经赐下祂救赎之爱的人们。
撒旦的欺骗与狡猾在保罗的叙述里最为明显：他变为光明的天使，将邪恶假冒为良善（林后11:14）。圣经描述他为一头吼叫吞吃的狮子（彼前5:8）、一条龙（启12:9），将他摧毁性的残暴表露无遗。他怎样是基督誓反的仇敌（太4:1-11；16:23；路4:13；约14:30；另参路22:3,53）如今他也是基督徒的仇敌，总是探查他们的软弱，误导他们的力量，摧毁他们的信心、盼望和品格（路22:32；林后2:11；11:3-15；弗6:16）。人不可对他掉以轻心，因他的恶毒和狡猾令人生畏；但也不必畏惧他到低声下气的地步，因为他已是神手下的败将。撒旦固然比我们强壮，但是基督已经胜过了他（太12:29），基督徒也必能胜过他，只要基督徒肯用基督所供应的资源抵挡他（弗6:10-13；雅4:7；彼前5:9-10）因[那在我们里面的比那在世界上的更大]（约一4:4）。
要承认撒旦的存在，正视他的抵挡，留心他的策略（只要不是符合基督教圣经的教导，都得留心），并要认清人总是在与他争战。千万可别落入两位神的二元观中——一位是善的，另一位是恶的，彼此互同。撒旦是受造之物，比人类超越，但不是神；他颇有知识与能力，但却非无所不知、亦非无所不能：他的确能来去自如，是人所无法相比的，但他不是无所不在。他是已被神打败的背叛者，他所拥有的能力不可能大于神所许可他的，神已经命定他要下火湖（启20:10）。
SATAN
FALLEN ANGELS HAVE A LEADER
One
day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came
with them. JOB 1:6
Satan,
leader of the fallen angels, comes like them into full view only in the New
Testament. His name means “adversary” (opponent of God and his people), and the
Old Testament introduces him as such (1 Chron. 21:1; Job 1-2; Zech. 3:1-2). The
New Testament gives him revealing titles: “devil” (diabolos) means accuser
(i.e., of God’s people: Rev. 12:9-10); “Apollyon” (Rev. 9:11) means destroyer;
“the tempter” (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5) and “the evil one” (1 John 5:18-19)
mean what they say; “prince” and “god of this world” point to Satan as
presiding over mankind’s anti-God life-styles (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor.
4:4; cf. Eph. 2:2; 1 John 5:19; Rev. 12:9). Jesus said that Satan was always a
murderer and is the father of lies—that is, he is both the original liar and
the sponsor of all subsequent falsehood and deceits (John 8:44). Finally, he is
identified as the serpent who fooled Eve in Eden (Rev. 12:9; 20:2). The picture
is one of unimaginable meanness, malice, fury, and cruelty directed against
God, against God’s truth, and against those to whom God has extended his saving
love.
Satan’s
deceptive cunning is highlighted by Paul’s statement that he becomes an angel
of light, disguising evil as good (2 Cor. 11:14). His destructive ferocity
comes out in the description of him as a roaring, devouring lion (1 Pet. 5:8)
and as a dragon (Rev. 12:9). As he was Christ’s sworn foe (Matt. 4:1-11; 16:23;
Luke 4:13; John 14:30; cf. Luke 22:3, 53), so now he is the Christian’s, always
probing for weaknesses, misdirecting strengths, and undermining faith, hope,
and character (Luke 22:32; 2 Cor. 2:11; 11:3-15; Eph. 6:16). He should be taken
seriously, for malice and cunning make him fearsome; yet not so seriously as to
provoke abject terror of him, for he is a beaten enemy. Satan is stronger than
we are, but Christ has triumphed over Satan (Matt. 12:29), and Christians will
triumph over him too if they resist him with the resources that Christ supplies
(Eph. 6:10-13; James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:9-10). “The one who is in you is greater
than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
Acknowledging
Satan’s reality, taking his opposition seriously, noting his strategy
(anything, provided it be not biblical Christianity), and reckoning on always
being at war with him—this is not a lapse into a dualistic concept of two gods,
one good, one evil, fighting it out. Satan is a creature, superhuman but not
divine; he has much knowledge and power, but he is neither omniscient nor
omnipotent; he can move around in ways that humans cannot, but he is not
omnipresent; and he is an already defeated rebel, having no more power than God
allows him and being destined for the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10).