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[Dark Master]

Basically, is Satan the Joker to God's Batman?

[jimwalton]

No. God has no equals. It's not Yin-Yang or any kind of dualism. When God deals with Satan it's never a contest but more like shooting fish in a bucket. Whenever Jesus deals with Satan, there's never any kind of competition or battle. Jesus speaks, and it is done.

In the Old Testament, Satan is not a proper name, but a generic adversary, a functionary. He is not seen as inherently evil.

In the New Testament Satan is not a functionary, but instead is personal, adversarial, and a spiritual being. He is directly an enemy of Christians, but only indirectly an enemy of God. Often in the NT Satan is not a tool of God's (he's not one of God's minions), but he always manages, in his efforts, to play right into God's hands. In the end he will be disposed of as easily as taking out the trash.

He's not God's arch-nemesis. He is a free being who opposes the work of God (God doesn't tell him what to do, and what he does is not the work of God), but God uses his meager efforts to accomplish His purposes.