To Hell with the Devil

If you’re a Christian, you are part of the winning team, who will fully crush your greatest opponent.

From the pen of the Apostle Paul —

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them, because such people do not serve our Master, the Messiah, but their own appetites., They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.

The report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Master, Jesus, be with you.

(Romans 16:17-20, Christian Standard Bible)

From the reflections of Christopher Ash, British theologian and commentator —

[Paul] reassures them (v. 20a) that the God of peace — the God who gives harmony to the church when it is threatened by division — will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Satan is the accuser of Christians who undermines grace and assurance, makes Christians insecure, always feeling we have something to prove, and therefore divides the church into those who think they have achieved some merit-worthy goodness and those who despair that they haven't. He is stronger than us, but God has promised that the seed of the woman will crush his head (Gen. 3:15).

Note that (a) God crushes Satan, but (b) he does it “under your feet.”

That is to say, the instrument God uses to crush Satan is the church of the Messiah, who are “in Messiah” the corporate fulfillment of the seed of the woman.

Hallelujah, and amen!

And so, to hell with the devil.