“Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.” Irish Proverb. 
 
Vagabond-846A8570_main_636466149904515600_largeThe problem arises when we each know a "different devil." Today there is often a wide conceptual chasm amongst Christians of good faith regarding the nature and reality of Satan. Some see Satan as a rebelliously angelic "who," while others see Satan as a non-ontological "what." 
 
Is Satan an evil angel of hostile intent projecting his evil onto humankind, or is the devil an amalgam of humankind's evil natures which are projecting themselves onto an archetypal image Satan? Simply put, is the devil a dark cosmic angel acting UPON humankind, OR is the devil a dark cosmic dynamic acting WITHIN mankind?
 
And does it matter?
 
Must we, as the body of Christ, have uniformity in our beliefs about "the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 12:9) to still effectively resist the fallen powers as the body of Christ? 
 
Or, can we cordially disagree on Satan's ontology, while still sharing a cohesive and coherent theodicy which allows us function together in a spirit of unity? Can we still disagree on this topic without calling the other side deceived, blind, primitive, stupid, or superstitious? 
 
Can we tenderly apply John Wesley's sage advice to "think  and let think," especially in this particular area in which diverse beliefs don't necessarily malign God's character or nature?
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