Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

My opinion (based on my best understanding of relevant portions of the Bible) is that, although angels were created as perfect beings, Lucifer/Satan and the angels who followed him made a free-will decision (after the completion of God's creative work, and motivated by pride, or the desire to take God's place) to rebel against God, and were cast out of Heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15 (a "dual" passage referring both to the king of Babylon, and to the angelic rebellion); Luke 10:18; Revelation 9:1).

After they were cast out of heaven, the remaining angels (referred to by Paul as the "elect" angels (1 Timothy 5:21)) were "sealed" by God in their choice not to join Satan and the angels who followed him in his rebellion, making further sin or rebellion on the part of the elect angels impossible. Satan and the angels who followed him were also "sealed", in that they could not repent and regain their former status.

Humans in this life have the opportunity (at any moment up to their last earthly breaths) to accept the salvation that God offers in Christ. That choice of the redeemed will similarly be sealed at their deaths, so that there will not be a possibility for future sin or rebellion on their part. (Likewise, the lost will have no further opportunity for salvation following death (Hebrews 9:27).)

The state of holiness of the redeemed after death will not be any form of compulsion or denial of free will on God's part, but will represent the eternal extension or fulfillment of the free-will choice made by the redeemed during life, elevated to a degree or a level that I believe we are not capable of fully comprehending while on earth.

Jesus referred to the Lake of Fire as having been created for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41), which implies to me that it was not part of God's original order, but was specifically designed as a place of punishment following the rebellion and expulsion of Satan and his followers.

May 16 2017 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Aurel Gheorghe Supporter

Lucifer rebelled because he had free-will - God created him with the ability to obey or disobey. Lucifer chose to disobey. God wants us to obey Him out of love, not fear. Forced love is no longer love. 

Most of us are parents. Before we became parents, nobody gave us any warranties that our children will be cute little angels who never disappoint and will obey everything we say and love us unconditional. Despite that, we took the chance and brought in this world new life with free choice to love and obey us, or disobey us. 

Most of us have seen one of those toys that when you pull a string a prerecorded message is heard. It’s cute and toddlers appear to be highly entertained by it. God could have done that - He could have “built” Lucifer with a software programmed to say and do only nice things, but how satisfying would that be? 

However, we are assured that in the New Jerusalem will be no more sin or death. The saved, indwelt with the Holy Spirit will be given a new nature (2 Peter 1:4), and become partakers of the divine nature (Rom 7:22; 1 John 3).

May 16 2017 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report