Hi Friends, I would like to start this subject, which you might also have questions or comments on. --- It is interesting today that we hear so much about the signs of the times in prophecy, and we need to be aware of the times we live in; where it seems that on every level man is opposed to man. --- So where did animosity start? --- And with whatever we see on earth, it ultimately leads us back to God.
--- The Bible teaches that God is Holy, and Holiness is an absolute, so it cannot be compromised. --- It says in Hebrews 12:14 “Pursue peace with all men, and Holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” --- So if God demands Holiness from us, why did He allow sin in the world? And how did it start?
It is called choice for God's kingdom is true love,and if we do not have a choice then His kingdom is not true love.
Some people make bad choices because they like to sin.
That is why the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was in the garden of Eden that God told them to not eat of it,because they had to have choice.
And it would of never entered their mind to sin and eat of that tree unless an outside source tempted them.
So God allowed Satan to tempt Eve,and she sinned,and then Eve was the outside source that tempted Adam by showing him she did not die,and he sinned.
Eze 28:14 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.
Eze 28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
The angels were created perfect in their ways until iniquity was found in them by rebelling because God gave them a choice.
Ecc 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
People have a choice.
Having a choice is the only way that God's kingdom can be true love,and the sin comes from people,and God said He is not tempted to sin,neither does He tempt people to sin,but they sin when they are led away with the lust of the flesh.
So God allows the good and the bad to happen for a certain amount of time,then He will allow the wicked to rebel against Him on a worldwide scale as they come together acknowledging a kingdom that believes in no personal God,which will happen in the future when the nations come together and try to establish peace on earth,and when they follow that kingdom then God can end this sin business on earth.
Then Jesus will rule on earth for 1000 years,and then the saints shall go to the New Jerusalem,new earth,new heaven,a place where sin has never been,and will never be,and sin and rebellion will never come up again,and the former earth,and heaven,will not be remembered,nor come to mind,so the saints,and angels,will remember nothing prior to the New Jerusalem.
If God did not give us a choice He would of not put people in the flesh,and allowed them to dwell on earth,for He would of cut out the earth,and went right to the New Jerusalem,or whatever He created for the saints,for without choice there is no purpose for people to be on earth.
For whether God created them to be with Him,and cut out the earth,or have them dwell on earth,the result is the same if they do not have a choice.
For if they do not have a choice concerning salvation then their faith is not real,their belief in God is not real,and their confession of Christ is not real,and their love,and hope,is not real,for it did not come from them,but from God.
And it is obvious we have a choice for people do good and bad exercising their choice.
And if God did not give us a choice then no one would sin on earth,and all people would be saved,for God would not condemn people that have no choice but to not believe.
Because we are in the flesh we can be saved if we sin,for all sin dwells in the flesh,and if we are right with God we can put off the flesh,and the soul is saved.
But an angel cannot be saved after they sinned because they cannot put off the sin,for when they sinned they tainted their entire being with no way to put it off.
God holiness is His holiness,and people sinning does not take away from His holiness,like a person's sin does not take away your righteousness if you are in Christ,for Jesus said it is how you think and act is how you are defined.