Permission is Not Approval
One way to understand God's authority over Satan is to think about raising children. When my children were young, they were allowed to play in the yard. Within those boundaries, they had the freedom to make many decisions on their own. However, that freedom did not mean they had permission to do whatever they wanted. They were not allowed to fight with one another, call each other names, or throw rocks through the neighbors' windows.
In a similar way, Satan operates within boundaries established by God. The fact that God permits Satan to act does not mean God approves of everything Satan does. Satan remains responsible for his actions just as children remain responsible for theirs.
The book of Job demonstrates this principle. God established limits that Satan could not cross (Job 1:12; 2:6). Satan acted within those limits, but God never approved of Satan's evil intentions. Satan desired to destroy Job. God used the trial to accomplish His own righteous purposes.
This distinction is important because many people assume that if God allows something, He must approve of it. Scripture teaches otherwise. God may permit actions that He does not approve, while still remaining completely sovereign over all that occurs.
Food for Thought
Pastor Bob
