One of many letters to a Mormon friend of mine...

Hey John,

Reading my Bible last night I ran across some passages which to me, demonstated clearly God's providence and man's will and how they relate to each other. The story is of King David and his numbering of Israel.


1 Chronicles 21

1 And SATAN stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.
-- So here we see Satan moving King David to do a sinful deed.


2 Samuel 24

1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.
-- Now here is a telling of the same story, except this time the author says God moves King David to do a sinful deed.


So was it God's or Satan's will and doing? Either God moved Satan to move David, or Satan moved God to move David. Well, I think Job clearly states that it is God who controls Satan and not vice versa.

I don't believe God is the author of sin, but I do believe that the Devil is "God's devil" and God uses Satan and his evil deeds to acomplish his good will. In this passage, just as in Job, it was Satan who did the evil deed, but it was God who predestined it for good. How else can you account for both God and Satan being attributed with moving David in this evil deed?


So if it was God who moved David through Satan, than how can God hold David accountable for his sin? Well, what does David say?

10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done:
-- David knows that he chose to do this sinful action using his own free will. He doesn't accuse God or Satan of influencing him and thus lay guilt on them, but accepts the blame of his own free choice.

David acted of his own free will... it was what he wanted to do..
(he meant it to satisfy his own sinful desires)

Satan acted of his own free will in accordance with his nature as the father of all evil and lies.
(he meant it to satisfy his own sinful desires)

and God acted in accordance with his divine will for his own divine good will and pleasure..
(He meant it for good)

The whole story and all the participants acted completely of thier own free will, and at the same time, completely inside of the will of God.