The Origin of Evil - The Great Controversy, Chapter 29

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Welcome to The Origin of Evil chapter of The Great Controversy eBook

In Short:

Nothing is more plainly taught in Scripture than that:

• God was in nowise responsible for the entrance of sin

• there was no arbitrary withdrawal of Divine grace and no deficiency in the Divine Government

No reason can be given for the presence of sin. It would cease to be sin if excuse for it can be found, or cause be shown for its existence.

The Law of Love is the foundation of His government. Therefore, the happiness of all created beings depended upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness.

God desires from all His creatures the service of love.

Homage that springs from an intelligent appreciation of His character.

He takes no pleasure in a forced allegiance. Moreover, to all He grants freedom of will, that they may render Him voluntary service.

Before the entrance of evil, there was peace and joy throughout the universe. All was in perfect harmony with the Creator's will. Love for God was supreme, love for one another impartial.

The most honoured of God

Sin originated with Lucifer, who, next to Christ stood highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of Heaven. Before his fall, He was first of the covering cherubs - holy and undefiled.

Thus saith the Lord God: Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering.

Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so; thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. Ezekiel 28:12-15, 17.

I (God) have set thee so.

Nevertheless, Lucifer's desire was to win the service and homage of God's creatures to himself.

Furthermore, He was coveting the honor which the infinite Father had bestowed upon His Son desiring the power which was the prerogative of Christ alone to wield.

Desire for supremacy

It is motivated by pride. The high honors conferred upon Lucifer were not appreciated as the gift of God - calling forth no gratitude to the Creator.

He gloried in his brightness and exaltation, and aspired to be equal with God.

Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness. Ezekiel 28:17.

Thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God. Ezekiel 28:6

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. Isaiah 14:13, 14.

I (Lucifer) will be like the most High.

Dealing with sin

God could employ only righteousness and truth. Satan could use what God could not - flattery and deceit.

Even when it was decided that he could no longer remain in Heaven, infinite wisdom did not destroy Satan.

Since the service of love can alone be acceptable to God, the allegiance of His creatures must rest upon a conviction of His justice and benevolence.

Had he been immediately blotted from existence, the universe inhabitants would have served God from fear, rather than from love.

Moreover, they could not then have seen the justice and mercy of God in the destruction of Satan.

The influence of the deceiver would not have been fully destroyed, nor would the spirit of rebellion have been utterly eradicated.

Evil must be permitted to come to maturity. For the good of the entire universe through ceaseless ages, Satan must more fully develop his principles, that his charges against the Divine Government might be seen in their true light by all created beings.

Thus the justice and mercy of God and the immutability of His Law might forever be placed beyond all questions.

Inspiring rebellion on earth

Satan has continued with humans the same policy which he pursued with the angels. His spirit now reigns in the children of disobedience.

Like him they seek to break down the restraints of the Law of God, and promise people liberty through transgression of its precepts.

Reproof of sin still arouses the spirit of hatred and resistance.

When God's messages of warning are brought home to the conscience, Satan leads people to justify themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others in their course of sin.

By the same misrepresentation of the character of God as he had practised in Heaven, causing Him to be regarded as severe and tyrannical, Satan induced humankind to sin.

And having succeeded thus far, he declared that God's unjust restrictions had led to people's fall, as they had led to his own rebellion.

The cross of Calvary

Satan prompted the world's rejection of Christ. Moreover, he had revealed his true character as a liar and a murderer.

Now it was seen that for the salvation of a fallen and sinful race, the Ruler of the universe had made the greatest sacrifice which love could make; for God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself. 2 Corinthians 5:19.

Lucifer brought sin by his desire for honor and supremacy.

Christ humbled Himself and become obedient unto death in order to destroy sin.

The penalty of the law fell upon Him who was equal with God. 

Moreover, humankind was free to accept the righteousness of Christ, and by a life of penitence and humiliation to triumph, as the Son of God had triumphed, over the power of Satan.

Thus God is just, and yet the justifier of all who believe in Jesus. Romans 3:26.

An evil will never rise again

Affliction shall not rise up the second time. Nahum 1:9.

The Law of God, which Satan has reproached as the yoke of bondage, will be honored as the Law of Liberty.

The tested and proved creation will never again be turned from allegiance to God:

Whose character has been fully manifested before them as fathomless love and infinite wisdom.

In Conclusion

Our only definition of sin is that given in the Word of God -  it is the transgression of the law. it is the outworking of a principle at war with the great Law of Love which is the foundation of the Divine Government.

Its effects upon both men and angels, would show what must be the fruit of setting aside the Divine authority. It would testify that:

With the existence of God's Government and His law is bound up the well-being of all the creatures He has made.

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