Lesson 30 February 18, 2004

 

MAN'S ROLE IN THE RESOLUTION OF THE ANGELIC CONFLICT:

1.  With the Restoration of planet earth, God brought into existence a Free Moral Agent, mankind,  through which all of Satan's charges would be answered:

 

a.  Via the animals, He created  living creatures with no soul, not made in the image of God.   2 Pt 2:12;  Jude 10

 

b.  God created Adam and Eve, with soul, made in God's image and placed them in the Garden of Eden on the restored earth (in perfection - all provisions needed) and they failed the obedience test as did Satan, the result is the fall of man with all its consequences.

 

c.  Via the progeny of Adam, He brought into existence a Free Moral  Agent who was born under the curse of the fall with a sin nature, genetically transmitted in conception and therefore separated from God.  Rom 3:9 (all under sin); 3:23; 5:12; 

 

d.  Thus God immediately countered Satan's charge of God causing him to fall.  God is not the Primary Cause of the Fall of any  Free Moral Agent. (Satan or Adam)

 

e.  And in fact demonstrates His grace to those Free Moral Agents who do not reach the status of Accountability.  Job 3:11-13;   2 Sam 12:21-23

 

2.  He placed mankind in the middle of the conflict in order to resolve the dispute:  Eph 6:12

a.  This new Free Moral Agent was less wise and powerful than angels;  Ps 8:5;        Heb 2:7;

 

b.  And yet because of man's initial position and His positive volition toward God through union with Jesus Christ, man will become higher than angels and  will play a part in their ultimate judgment.   1 Cor 6:3

 

3.  He established the same policy of Grace preceding judgment with this new Free Moral Agent as He did with the angels:

a.  Judgment is always administered according to God's timing and with ample warning of the impending judgment. 

 

b.  God is motivated by His love to provide the Highest and Best for His creatures but He cannot compromise His +R/J in so doing.   1 Tm 2:4 cf Jn 3:16-18

-  integrity of His essence must be maintained therefore the barrier between God and man must be removed before any relationship can be established.

 

c.  God's +R and Justice (+R/J) are manifested in several different ways.

 

d.  They (+R/J) administer the blessings that He desires to give. 

Gen 50:20 (to Joseph - even in spite of what the cosmos wants);

Gen 26:4-5 (Abraham); Heb 6:10; et al

 

e.  They (+R/J)  also administer Divine Discipline for disobedience:

 

f.  Thru salvation God removes ALL eternal condemnation: 

1)  This is because Christ condemned sin in the flesh by His work on the cross.  Rom 8:3

 

2)  So this no condemnation relates to our Eternal Security.    Rom 8:31-39

 

3)  Condemnation means to judge according to a standard;  the standard being the +R/J of God.

 

4)  The fact of no condemnation is a manifestation of God's Justice directed to the individual as a result of the work of Christ being applied to that individual, the result of believing in Christ.

 

5)  God's Justice is demonstrated toward Believers even in Divine Discipline.                cf  Heb 12:3-7   [ie. for SIM]

 

6)  And He condemns as sin anything done apart from faith in life [Phase Two].              Rom 14:23

 

7)  So sin and human good have eternal repercussions for the Believer in that there is no eternal reward for them.  1 Cor 3:10-16;  2 Tim 2:12;  2 Cor. 5:10

 

g.  God faithfully applies His +R/J to every situation, whether for a blessing or discipline. Rem: His judgments, the function of Justice,  are righteous.  Ps 119:75