Are we really free? Or are there evil/ good spiritual forces that influence us?

To explain how evil influences our decisions To reflect on how temptation can be resisted Is free will influenced by evil?

What is temptation ? 1.Believing your own reasons for doing the wrong thing 2.Not wanting to resist your desires 3.Feeling like you just want to do evil 4.You know something is wrong, but it still seems like the most attractive option 5.When you are made to do evil 1.Using the different ideas, write out your own definition of temptation. 2.Do you think we are really tempted by evil? How could you tell? **What is the difference between temptation and being evil?

How does evil tempt us? 1.Read your information & make notes about 4 ways the devil tempts us. 2.Which do you think you get affected by? Explain why. 3.How could you resist it? **Which temptation do you think would be the most serious? Why? Deception Division Discouragement Distraction

DeceptionDivision DiscouragementDistraction False and empty promises - don’t ever make us truly happy, but we think they will Makes us think of lots of reasons/ problems why we shouldn’t do the right thing Know that sin does not lead to happiness! Divides our own hearts..we are torn by different desires. Divides people – makes us critical of others and unforgiving. Makes us brood on how they hurt us – so we leave Think of your own faults – not others! Makes us give up hope Makes us have unrealistic expectations of ourselves, so feel bad when we don’t match up Makes us impatient with ourselves – we give up too fast Be humble ! know you are not amazing, and God will help you Makes us forget God Makes us think other things matter more eg being popular, rich, successful Makes us think doing the right thing doesn’t matter Makes us afraid of doing the right thing. Fear only God & trust Him!

Do you think we are influenced by evil? Deception Division Discouragement Distraction Which is the most serious?

Resisting Evil Based on the 4 ways we can be tempted by evil, what defence strategies/ attitudes can you recommend?

For evil to influence our choices, the devil must be real. Is he? Biblical references Jesus & the first Christians were very clear that the devil exists. Revelation 12:7-9, Isa 14:12-15, Luke 10:18, Matt 10:28, 2 Pet 2:4 Church teaching and tradition the devil was originally an “archangel”, but chose to rebel making himself the enemy of God’s will and goodness. Even so, his rebellion fulfils God’s purposes on earth. (4 th Lateran Council) Demonic possession: Exorcisms continue to be carried out successfully by trained priests, and are recognised by psychiatrists as being effective. Demonic possession can be considered by some as a psychiatric diagnosis. POINT: The devil exists. 1. Look up and write out 2 quotes about the devil. Explain what the quote is saying 2. Explain other sources of evidence suggest about the existence of the devil. **which evidence do you find most persuasive?

Did God Create Evil? YES – God did 1. Bible: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7) NO – God did not 1.Philosophy: God is wholly Good. So evil could only exist where God was not…but God is everywhere... Evil is not real. It is only the absence of good. So God did not “create” evil. Did God created evil? What do you think? 1.Explain using 2 pieces of evidence. 2.Then give an opposite point of view. 3. Philosophy: If evil is a real force, then God MUST have created it - otherwise, evil would be a force independent of God, outside of His power (making God not omnipotent). 2. Church teaching: In the Creed, we say that God is the creator of “all things seen and unseen”, even evil. Jesus taught that people should “fear” the devil, and went around freeing people from the power of Satan. But he also proved that God is omnipotent over evil by rising from the dead.