Expert: Todd Tyszka - 12/26/2010

Question
Why do God and Satan want our souls. Why are they at war ?

Answer
Hi Levon,
Thank you for the excellent questions. You are correct that God and Satan want our souls. Our souls are eternal and God chose to allow Satan to rebel. We have a choice if we are going to obey God or rebel as well, and the penalty for rebelling is eternal separation from God, also known as hell. Specifically, God and Satan want our souls for different reasons. God wants our souls so we don't have to suffer eternity without God due to our rebellion and disobedience. It's like a judge who sentences someone to prison. The judge doesn't want to have to send someone to prison but if he is going to be a just judge, he has to sentence the person. God gives us an entire lifetime to accept God's sacrifice for our sin and disobedience, the Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for us. If we spend our entire life in disobedient sin without accepting Jesus Christ, we sin against an eternally worthy Creator, and our judgment is eternal. However, there will not be any pleasure in going to hell according to the Bible, but rather, suffering and pain as those people continue to curse God eternally in hell. Satan wants our souls because they are eternal and Satan wants to hurt God, and therefore His beloved creation. That is why they are at war. On the other hand, those who go to heaven will spend eternity with God and have unimaginable pleasure. God wants what's best for us, and therefore He wants everyone to go to heaven. However, He knows most people will choose not to accept Jesus Christ, despite all the evidence He was God and the Bible is the Word of God.

I truly hope you have made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, and continue to grow in your relationship with Him. Jesus is real and very involved in the lives of His children, when they truly become His children. It's essential that you get to know God through His Word (the Bible), prayer, and going to church where you can learn more about Him and be encouraged in your faith by others. Through this relationship you will spend eternity with your Creator, who loves you and just wants what is best for you. This begins with accepting His Son's sacrifice for you.

I hope this all makes sense and if you have any further questions, please let me know. Thanks again for the excellent questions!

Todd