1. “The children of the devil” (1 John 3:10, see also v. 8; John 8:44).
Man is not only sinful and corrupt but is also of the devil. Man is of the devil because the devil’s life is within him. Men are children of the devil; the devil is their father. A child has the life of his father. As children of the devil, men have the devil’s life and nature within their being. The element of the devil is within man. Thus, man somewhat resembles the devil in the way he lives. Man lies, sins, and lusts in a manner similar to the devil because the lying, sinning, and lusting life and nature within man are of the devil. There is a life relationship and a union in nature between man and the devil.
2. “According to the ruler of the authority of the air” (Eph. 2:2).
The ruler of the authority of the air is Satan. The authorityof the air refers to the messengers of Satan. Satan rules through his messengers in the air over the darkness of this world in order to subject men to himself (6:12). In order to subject men to himself, Satan is not only the ruler of the authority of the air but also “the spirit which is now operating” in the hearts of men (2:2). By operating in their hearts, Satan causes men to be subject to him; thus, they become sons of disobedience and oppose God. The evil that man does in opposition to God is the fruit of Satan’s operation in his heart. Not one person is completely independent and free from Satan’s influence. Man does not commit sinful, filthy, lustful, and dishonorable acts on his own; he is moved to do so. Man’s actions are not entirely under his control; he acts according to “the spirit which is now operating” in his heart, which is Satan himself. The fact that man walks “according to the age of this world” and conducts himself in the lusts of the flesh, “doing the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts” (vv. 2-3), proves that he is subject to Satan. Therefore, not only are Satan’s life and nature within man, but also Satan himself, the evil spirit, is within man.
3. “The god of this age has blinded the thoughts of the unbelievers” (2 Cor. 4:4).
Satan operates in man’s heart to make him do things against God; he also blinds man’s thoughts so that he does not know God and cannot see the light of the Lord’s gospel. Men believe that they are extremely intelligent. They do not realize that their minds are deceived and darkened by Satan. Although they understand philosophy and science, men do not understand the things of God or know the salvation of the Lord. Men do not have this capacity, because Satan has blinded them from such understanding and knowledge. People think that they are intelligent and sensible, yet they are inwardly blind and cannot see. They do not know their origin or their destiny. They do not know the way that they are walking or understand the life that they are living. They walk and live like blind men, going about and living blindly.
As the ruler of this age, Satan subjects man to himself; as the god of this age, he causes man to worship him. He hides behind or within many people, matters, and things. He does this in order to gain man’s worship. Thus, when man worships or exalts a certain person, matter, or thing, he may unconsciously be worshipping Satan. Satan uses the persons, matters, and things that man worships to darken man’s mind and to prevent him from knowing God. Many people do not know God because they have paid too much attention to money and position. Many people do not understand the Lord’s salvation because they worship knowledge and skills. Men do not foresee their destiny or the torment of hell because they consider the pleasures and enjoyment of human life to be more important. Because their heart worships these things and their eyes esteem them, their mind is darkened and blinded by Satan.
4. “The whole world lies in the evil one” (1 John 5:19).
In addition to being subject to and blinded by Satan, man also lies in Satan’s hand. In 1 John 5:19 Satan is called “the evil one.” Surely no good will come from man lying in the hand of the evil one. After blinding people, Satan manipulates and slaughters them as he pleases. How pitiful are those who lie in Satan’s hand and are butchered by him! How pitiful are those who visit dance halls or gamble all night! How pitiful are drug addicts, alcoholics, and those who give themselves over to fornication and lasciviousness! Such persons allow Satan to damage their bodies and shorten their lives against their will. They may struggle, but they cannot free themselves, because they lie in the hand of Satan, the evil one.
5. “The authority of Satan”; “the authority of darkness” (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13).
Satan has his own kingdom and authority. Men are subjects of Satan’s kingdom, ruled and controlled by him under his authority.
6. “Go...into the eternal fire prepared for the devil” (Matt. 25:41).
As man lies in Satan’s hand, his destiny is to go into the eternal fire prepared for Satan. In other words, man will go into the lake of fire and suffer eternally. Since man collaborates with Satan to sin against God, he will be punished with Satan in the eternal fire. Since man follows Satan to sin throughout his life, he will be punished forever with Satan. Since man walks with Satan, he will surely share Satan’s end. How fearful this is!
This is man’s condition before Satan. Having seen the condition of man, we can realize that man needs God’s deliverance and God’s salvation.