亲爱的弟兄姐妹们，

    在我们信仰生活中，撒但(Satan, שָׂטָן)的搅扰无处不在。很多基督徒对圣经中的撒但或魔鬼不理解，往往因着多处‘拟人化’的描述而把它们看成一个具象的个体。既然是个实体的存在，就会在生活中把它想像成与自己作对的假想敌，但实际上，撒但只是从文学角度对发生在不同地方、不同人身上各类邪恶思想意念的概括称呼，更多的是指人们内心的贪欲或邪恶的一面。
    Satan的词义解释也说明了这一点：the chief evil spirit, adversary of God and humanity,即邪灵的头，独一真神和人类（公义）的对立面。今天，我们来深入了解撒但在圣经中的各种形式，也提醒门徒们不要单纯追求真理而忽视悔改自己的罪，以免落入撒但的捆绑中（即被自己邪恶、贪婪的思想意念束缚）。

撒但在人们日常生活中的各种形式

1. 欺骗与诱惑

• 创世纪中的蛇：《创世纪》3:1-5中，蛇引诱夏娃吃了禁果，象征着欺骗和诱惑，让人远离神的旨意，追求自己的欲望。为了方便理解我们可以设想这样一个场景：原始森林里，一男一女在打理一切，因为没有觉醒意识，他们除了形象与神相似外，本质上与其他动物一般无二。是那个女人首先对神吩咐过不可吃的果子心生疑虑，那些可当饭吃，又好看且能给人智慧的果子凭什么我不能吃？这个女人的大胆妄为给自己带来了明亮的眼光和判断是非曲直的智慧，亚当也吃了，但他们却背负了神世世代代的惩罚。这里的蛇就是人内心贪欲的具象展现，也是现今撒但的别称。
• 古蛇的诱惑：在《启示录》12:9中，撒但被称为“古蛇”，象征引导人类追求肉体的欲望和世俗的享乐。
• 诱惑耶稣：《马太福音》4:1-11中，撒但试图通过物质诱惑和权力引诱耶稣，象征物质诱惑和权力欲望。如果按照本文开头的词语释义，此时的撒但应该理解为耶稣作为‘人’的一面在面对诱惑时心中闪现的‘一丝丝’心动，但这个心动很快被‘道成肉身’的使命所取代。这看似简单的‘心理活动’转变是我做不到的，假如当时我在那里肯定会利用‘我‘神性的那一面获得所有的一切，换句话说，我会屈服的。

2. 试探与怀疑

• 《约伯记》1:6-12中，撒但作为试探者，质疑约伯的信仰，通过苦难动摇人的信心。现实生活中这样的例子比比皆是，假如我们抛去约伯记1:1-12和2:1-7的有关神和撒但的对话，单单从约伯在地上的遭遇说起，作为人的约伯并不知道天上发生的一切，但他始终‘不以口犯罪‘，虽经历了与朋友辩论甚至对神不满，但最终降服在神的大能和智慧下。这一点让我惭愧，即便是有人认为自己无罪且能碰到这样的灾难，何况是‘妥妥的’罪人一枚呢？
• 试探以色列民：撒但通过各种手段试探以色列民，使他们怀疑神的信实与能力（《民数记》21:4-9）。另外，怀疑神的爱与力量而生出的异端学说，拜偶像与邪术等也是背离神的表现。

3. 骄傲与自我中心

    《以赛亚书》14:12-15中，撒但因骄傲而堕落，象征人类的自我中心和骄傲，阻碍人们谦卑地依靠神。对我而言，我认为在自己的过犯中除了对生存需求衍生的罪之外，最大的恐怕就是骄傲产生的罪了，只喜欢听顺耳的话，见不得别人给自己提意见，真理装备不足却好为人师，喜欢‘据理力争’，动不动因为别人与自己不同的做法愤怒不止等等。

4. 愤怒与怨恨

    《以弗所书》4:26-27警告我们不要让愤怒成为撒但的工具，破坏人与人之间的关系，但我们不要把责任推给撒但，当你愤怒发脾气时它并没有站在你身边指手画脚。愤怒的起源很大程度是骄傲和自我的衍生物，与他人无关。而怨恨则是愤怒得不到‘认可’的结果。撒但利用怨恨和嫉妒让人远离神的爱与平安（《创世记》4:5-7，关于该隐和亚伯的故事），也会利用‘仇恨、争竞、恼怒、结党、纷争‘等以自我为中心的方式做事。此时那个被愤怒和怨恨情绪充满内心的人怎么会想到神呢？

5. 恐惧与焦虑

    《彼得前书》5:8中，撒但被比作“吼叫的狮子，遍地游行，寻找可吞吃的人”，象征无处不在的敌人，通过恐惧和焦虑摧毁人的信仰。人一旦遇到令自己恐惧的事情，往往会陷入焦虑不安的情形中，之所以这样是因为自己无法掌控事情发展的方向也不知道最终的结果，可当你知道凡事都在神的手中时，你还怕什么呢？

6. 虚假与欺骗

    《约翰福音》8:44中，撒但是“说谎之人的父”，通过虚假和欺骗引导人们偏离真理，落入罪恶之中。某搜索引擎中关于‘人为什么撒谎’的高赞回答是：趋利避害43%和获得利益18%，我们可以理解成人为了不被人发现违规甚至违法的获取利益，可以用适当的谎言打通这条路上的所有环节。要知道这样的做法是最不容易被我们与撒但的工作挂钩的，因为人们在这种情况撒谎欺骗时往往以利己的名义洗白了。

7.越界的情欲
    奸淫、污秽、邪荡、醉酒、荒宴等均是人情欲不能自持以至将神最初赐给人类享受合适情欲的礼物滥用至极。神希望人们‘生养众多’并管理祂所造的一切，但人们因着内心的贪恋，不加节制的贪图享受和突破已有的秩序便背离了这一原则（诫命）成为所谓撒但的搅扰，究其根本还是人对神管教的背离。
    与之相关的还有眼目的贪恋，如忌恨、嫉妒等，自己一但得不到所看见的人或物便大生烈怒或妒火中生，一但得到却不加珍惜，大卫儿子暗嫩对待押沙龙的妹妹他玛所作所为便是一个例子（参见撒母耳记下13-19章），以致最终险些败坏了大卫的王位。

不要忽视悔改自己的罪

    从撒但在生活中7个方面的表现形式来看，贪欲、骄傲和因此衍生的各种情绪、谎言才是需要警惕的，撒但只是一个代名词。结合自己的经历，我想说：撒但的确需要斥责，但如果想过上心清手洁的生活，还是应该闭上眼、俯伏在神面前省察并悔改这些罪。

1、认识撒但的捆绑

    既然撒但的本质是我们自己的罪，我们今后就不该再把那些罪推到撒但身上了。究其根本，是那个心里远离神的人藉着需要生存的借口挣脱与神的关系，在面对各种形式的试探和诱惑时反而远离神的教导，为个人贪欲和骄傲寻找说辞和借口（谎言）。我们必须清楚地认识到，撒但的确会在我们的周围存在（比如来自其他人的欲望追求和环境压力），更多的是这些在我们内心作祟的贪欲和情绪，这才是门徒需要格外警惕的。

2、悔改是释放的关键

    圣经教导我们要悔改自己的罪，以脱离撒但的捆绑，这句话翻译成上面刚刚讨论的解释其实很容易理解该怎么办了，是吗？。约翰一书1:9说：“我们若认自己的罪，神是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义。”悔改不仅是对神的承认，更是对自己灵魂的更新。人在外面的环境里皮肤会沾染灰尘，洗个澡就干净了，人与众多罪人（的欲望）打交道也会与内心欲望和情绪杂交出更恶的欲念，怎么办？给自己的内心洗个澡吧～～～悔改。
    当越来越多的门徒或民众愿意悔改时，神的公义便会逐渐凸显出来，这也是我们要为所在的国家、政府、公司、家庭等等祷告的原因。那些说撒但掌管这个世俗世界的人，其实也是在掩盖自己贪欲犯罪的人。再说一遍，撒但不在空中，牠在每个人的心里。悔改的人多起来后，人们的眼睛会越来越明亮，会发现真正的智慧来自于至高无上的神，祂才是这个世界真正的掌权者。

3、不要单单追求真理而忽视悔改

    很多教会（公开的、私下的）有一个普遍现象，重视敬拜、重视读经和祷告等，可就是不强调悔改，对门徒的罪多以恩典代替，不愿对罪‘痛下杀手’，这样的敬拜和读经其实就是在亵渎圣经的教导。可以这么说，从上到下的每一个人，如果他不重视悔改、不讲悔改的见证果效，他就是在掩盖自己身上的罪，那些没有悔改的敬拜与追求谎言无异！
    通过上面讨论后我们知道，突破撒但的搅扰很难，难在舍不掉内心的贪恋，但比起基督为我们的牺牲来讲其实也没有那么难，藉着祷告，那7个方面的表现形式（可能还要其他的）就是我们改正的着手点。追求真理是基督徒的重要使命，但如果我们忽视了悔改自己的罪，就会落入生活中的陷阱。正如耶稣所说：“凡称呼我‘主啊，主啊’的人不能都进天国；惟独遵行我天父旨意的人才能进去。”（马太福音 7:21）
    活出神赐的喜乐人生离不开持续的祷告与自省。每天祷告，寻求神的指引和帮助，反思自己的行为和思想，识别并改正错误。近十多年来，我一直被自己的罪所捆绑，虽深陷其中却仍然不下不了决心悔改，以至于‘积劳成疾’酿成了身体、心灵的伤害，直到去年开始才逐渐意识到，该放下那些让自己为之思虑的欲望和骄傲，转向按神的带领做事......。收获也是明显的，因为整个身心会感到越来越轻松愉快！

    亲爱的弟兄姐妹们，我有感动写这篇关于撒但的文章是出于悔改后的体会，虽然还不彻底但神已经让我尝到了平安的快乐。愿大家在神的引导下，都能战胜那些诱惑和试探，尤其是要放下每个人身上那股‘莫名其妙’的骄傲情绪，顺服、谦卑在祂的面前才会有活出基督门徒的机会，也一定会享受到神所赐的喜乐人生。

    撒但究竟是个什么鬼？离开了我们心中的贪欲和骄傲，它什么也不是。而悔改是我们追求圣洁，效法基督的前提，……‘你们要圣洁，因为我是圣洁的。’（彼得前书 1:16）

    补充一下：有朋友提醒我说，除了内心的撒但，其实它也是灵界真实存在的，是神所创造的天使堕落之后的产物，我也这么认为。如果让我继续描述的话恐怕不行，因为我认为这个在灵界里的‘真实存在’或许就是每个人内心的撒但在外在行为的展现，更像是荣格所说‘集体潜意识‘中‘恶’的那一部分......，希望在不久的将来可以写这样一篇进一步描述撒但的文章。
    愿神的平安与智慧常伴我们每一个人。
～～～～～

（如有建议敬请留言讨论，邮箱：[email protected]）

What Exactly Is Satan, That “Demon”?

(Satan is not a literal ghost – don’t be misled by fantasy tales. He is the “self” within our hearts.)

Dear brothers and sisters,

In our life of faith, the disruptive influence of Satan (Satan, ןטש) is everywhere. Many Christians misunderstand the depictions of Satan or the devil in the Bible—often, because of various anthropomorphic descriptions, they end up viewing Satan as a concrete individual. If considered a tangible being, one might imagine him as a hostile enemy working against us. In truth, however, Satan is merely a literary term that sums up the many evil thoughts and intentions manifesting in different people and situations. More often than not, it refers to the greed or the evil side within our own hearts.

The definition of “Satan” also makes this clear: he is described as “the chief evil spirit, adversary of God and humanity,” that is, the head of evil spirits and the antithesis to the one true God and human righteousness. Today, let us explore the various forms Satan appears in Scripture, and also remind our disciples not to seek truth without first repenting of their sins—lest they fall under Satan’s bondage (that is, be bound by their own evil and greedy thoughts).

Various Forms of Satan in Daily Life

1. Deception and Temptation

• The Serpent in Genesis: In Genesis 3:1–5, the serpent tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit—symbolizing deception and seduction that lead people away from God’s will and into the pursuit of their own desires. For easier understanding, imagine a scenario in a primordial forest where a man and a woman are managing everything without an awakened consciousness; though their outward appearance may resemble that of God’s image, in essence they are no different from any animal. It is the woman who first doubts God’s command not to eat the forbidden fruit—questioning why she should not partake in fruits that are attractive, nourishing, and thought to confer wisdom. Her bold defiance brings about a new clarity in discerning right from wrong; Adam also eats, and in doing so they incur a perpetual punishment passed down from generation to generation. Here, the serpent stands as the concrete manifestation of human greed—and is, in today’s terms, another name for Satan.
• The Ancient Serpent’s Temptation: In Revelation 12:9, Satan is referred to as “that ancient serpent,” symbolizing his role in leading humanity toward carnal desires and worldly pleasures.
• Tempting Jesus: In Matthew 4:1–11, Satan attempts to tempt Jesus through material enticements and promises of power—symbolizing both the lure of material gain and the desire for authority. According to the explanation offered at the beginning of this text, Satan here could be understood as representing the initial stirrings of temptation within Jesus as a human, a fleeting pull of the heart. Yet that momentary impulse was soon supplanted by His mission of “The Word Made Flesh.” (I confess that such a subtle transformation—a mere “psychological shift”—is beyond what I could personally muster; if I were in His place I’d surely have exploited my “divine self” to claim everything, in other words, I would have succumbed.)

2. Testing and Doubt

• In Job (Job 1:6–12): Satan appears as the tester, questioning Job’s faith and attempting to shake his confidence through suffering. In real life, similar scenarios are all too common. If we set aside the heavenly dialogues found in Job 1:6–12 and 2:1–7 about God and Satan, and focus solely on Job’s earthly ordeals, we see that although Job—an ordinary man unaware of what was happening above—endured debates with his friends and even moments of discontent toward God, he never sinned with his lips. In the end, he humbled himself under the might and wisdom of God. This reality makes me feel ashamed—even if some believe themselves blameless and immune to disaster, let alone a “definite sinner.”
• Tempting the People of Israel: Satan employs various means to test the Israelites, causing them to doubt God’s faithfulness and power (see Numbers 21:4–9). Similarly, doctrines that arise from doubting God’s love and might—along with idolatry and occult practices—are all manifestations of turning away from Him.

3. Pride and Self-Centeredness

In Isaiah 14:12–15, Satan’s fall is portrayed as the result of pride, symbolizing the human tendency toward self-centeredness and arrogance that prevents us from humbly relying on God. In my view, beyond sins arising from basic survival needs, pride constitutes perhaps the gravest sin. It manifests in a desire to only hear flattering words, an inability to accept constructive criticism, a propensity to lecture others despite insufficient spiritual preparation, and an inclination to argue endlessly simply because someone else behaves differently.

4. Anger and Resentment

Ephesians 4:26–27 warns us not to let anger become a tool for Satan to ruin interpersonal relationships. Yet we should not simply shift blame onto Satan—when you become angry or lose your temper, Satan is not standing by dictating your actions. Much of our anger originates from pride and the derivatives of the self, not necessarily from others. Resentment, meanwhile, is often the outcome of anger not being “acknowledged.” Satan uses resentment and jealousy to drive people away from God’s love and peace (as illustrated in Genesis 4:5–7, in the story of Cain and Abel). He also capitalizes on self-centered behaviors—such as hatred, strife, anger, cliques, and dissension—to further his own ends. When a person’s heart is full of anger and resentment, how can they possibly think of God?

5. Fear and Anxiety

In 1 Peter 5:8, Satan is likened to “a roaring lion, prowling about, seeking whom he may devour,” symbolizing an ever-present enemy who seeks to destroy faith through fear and anxiety. When people encounter frightening circumstances, they often become anxious and unsettled because they cannot control how situations unfold or what the eventual outcome will be. Yet when you realize that everything is in God’s hands, what is there to fear?

6. Falsehood and Deception

In John 8:44, Satan is called “the father of lies,” as he leads people away from truth and into sin through deceit. For instance, one highly upvoted answer on a search engine about “Why do people lie?” suggests that people lie 43% of the time to avoid harm and 18% of the time to gain profit. We can understand this as indicating that when people resort to lying—justifying their actions under the guise of self-interest—they often work in ways that, intentionally or not, align with Satan’s agenda. Such deceptive practices rarely get recognized as part of Satan’s work because they are masked under a veneer of self-justification.

7. Transgressive Carnal Desires

Immorality, obscenity, debauchery, drunkenness, and riotous revelries all stem from an unchecked lust and the overindulgence of the very desires God originally intended as a gift for proper enjoyment. God’s command was for humanity to “be fruitful and multiply” and to rule over all He created. Yet when people, driven by inner greed, seek pleasure without restraint—thus violating God’s established order—they stray from His intentions and fall under the disruptive influence of what we call Satan. Moreover, this includes the covetous longing of the eyes: bitterness, jealousy, and intense anger when one cannot have what is seen—or when one takes things for granted. A historical example is found in the actions of Absalom, David’s son, in his dealings with Tamar (refer to 2 Samuel chapters 13–19), which nearly led to the downfall of David’s reign.

Do Not Neglect Repenting of Your Own Sins

From the seven aspects of Satan’s manifestations described above, it is not Satan himself but our own greed, pride, and the emotions and falsehoods that spring from them that we must be wary of. Satan is simply a placeholder term. From my own experience I would say: While Satan certainly deserves denunciation, if you desire a life of pure heart and clean hands you must close your eyes, fall prostrate before God, examine yourself, and repent of these sins.

1. Recognizing Satan’s Bondage:

Since the very nature of Satan is actually our own sinfulness, we should no longer shift the blame onto him. Fundamentally, it is the person whose heart is far from God—using survival as an excuse to break away from the relationship with Him—who, when confronted with various temptations and deceptions, distances themselves from God’s teachings and seeks excuses (lies) to justify personal greed and pride. We must clearly understand that while Satan might indeed lurk around us (for example, in the form of the desires and pressures imposed by others or the environment), it is primarily the greed and emotions stirring within our own hearts that disciples must guard against.

• Repentance Is the Key to Liberation:

Scripture teaches that we must repent of our sins to break free from Satan’s bondage. This idea is easily understood in light of the explanations discussed above, isn’t it? 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Repentance is not only a confession before God but also a renewal of our soul. Just as one washes off the dust from one’s skin through a bath, interacting with countless sinful desires can entangle our hearts with even worse cravings. So why not give your inner self a cleansing? Repentance.  As more disciples and people come to repent, God’s righteousness will increasingly be made manifest. This is also why we must pray for our country, government, companies, families, and all spheres of life. Those who claim that Satan rules this secular world are, in fact, often covering up their own greed and wrongdoing. Let me say it again: Satan does not exist in the heavens hovering about—He resides in every human heart. As the number of repentant souls increases, people’s eyes will grow ever clearer, and they will discover that true wisdom comes from the Most High God, who is the true ruler of this world.

• Do Not Pursue Truth Without Repentance:

A widespread problem in many churches—both public and private—is that they emphasize worship, Bible reading, and prayer, yet neglect the importance of repentance. When sin is largely replaced by grace without a serious confrontation of wrongdoing, the resulting worship and Bible study merely desecrate God’s teachings. One might say that if everyone from the top down does not take repentance seriously and does not testify to its transformative power, they are simply covering up their own sins. Worship and a pursuit of truth without repentance are tantamount to chasing after lies.

From our discussion, we come to understand that breaking free from Satan’s disruptions is incredibly difficult—difficult because we cannot let go of our inner greed. Yet compared to the sacrifice of Christ for us, it is not insurmountable. Through prayer, those seven manifestations (and possibly others) become our starting points for correction. Pursuing truth is a fundamental mission for Christians, but if we neglect to repent of our sins, we will fall into the traps of everyday life. As Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21, NKJV)

Living the joyful life that God intends for us depends on continual prayer and self-examination. Pray every day, seeking God’s guidance and help, reflecting on your actions and thoughts, and identifying as well as correcting mistakes. For more than a decade I myself was bound by my sins—so much so that I could not gather the resolve to repent, and in my laborious state, I suffered both physical and spiritual damage. It was not until last year that I gradually realized I must let go of those desires and pride that weighed on my mind, and begin to act according to God’s leading. The results became evident, for my whole being grew lighter and more joyful!

Dear brothers and sisters, I am moved to write this article about Satan out of the experience of repentance. Though I have not reached perfection, God has already granted me the peace of joy. May each one of us, under the guidance of God, overcome the temptations and trials—and above all, lay down that inexplicable pride in our hearts. Only by submitting and humbling ourselves before Him will we have the opportunity to truly live as disciples of Christ and enjoy the joyful life that God grants.

What exactly is Satan? Remove the greed and pride in our hearts, and he is nothing. Repentance is the prerequisite for pursuing holiness and for emulating Christ:

“Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16b, NKJV)

A brief note: 

Some friends have reminded me that aside from the inner Satan, there is also the idea that he truly exists in the spiritual realm as the fallen angel created by God. I tend to agree with that view. However, if I were to elaborate further, I fear I might not do it justice—perhaps that “real existence” in the spiritual realm is simply the external manifestation of the inner Satan in one’s actions, much like what Jung described as the “evil” within the collective unconscious… I hope to write an article further exploring this aspect of Satan in the future.

May the peace and wisdom of God always be with each one of us.