Friday Morning Manna June 14, 2019
Nathaniel Fajardo
email: [email protected]
The Fall of Angels and the Fall of Man Contrasted
Human nature is made of flesh and blood, not of spirit, as angels with angel nature were. The crowning act of creation, having been made in the image and likeness of the Creator, man in human nature was endowed with a rational mind, an intelligent will, “the governing power in the nature of man.” It is the power to intellectually and spiritually perceive/discern between right from wrong, good from evil and then to act upon that determination as a matter of conviction, voluntarily, willingly, and then through constant practice, spontaneously.
But angels and man are entirely of two different orders, created on two different occasions in the order of creation in order to fulfill two different purposes and functions. Hence these two totally different orders with their natures are never interchangeable. (Angels never become man or vice versa). This fact is made stark by the gospel itself—there is only one plan of redemption designed exclusively for fallen, sinful man. No such plan exists for the fallen angels who instantly became the demons when cast out from their heavenly abode. Thereafter they are called evil spirits, demons, and devils—not sinners.
Though not created after the image and likeness of the Creator but made before man, angels were also created as free moral agents with a mind of their own, of their own kind, and were given, like man, the absolute freedom to choose to love, adore, worship and obey the Creator in their appointed sphere in heaven and for the purpose for which they were created.
The act of incarnation took place only once and for eternity. That divine act applies exclusively to the Creator. The idea and doctrine of reincarnation is completely foreign to the Bible and arose from the nether world of spiritualism. Man neverreincarnates into an angel or vice versa. They are two entirely different natures and orders and can never “cross-breed” to produce “half-men, half angels,” or in the opposite, “half- men, half-devils” as popularized in the Greek mythologies, fiction, superstition, the occult. There is absolutely no reincarnation. Full stop.
Man and Conscience. The sphere and faculty in which freedom and liberty operate and thrive in, is called conscience where “the voice of God is heard amid the din of human passions.” In order that this special place and the activity that takes place in it may be preserved and enhanced, fallen man is counseled to keep by empowering grace, their “conscience void of offense” to Creator and Redeemer. Man was created with a natural desire to worship and adore his Creator, but having the will, he had the choice to act out this desire in accordance with his conscience. This is what underlines and defines the fundamental creature-Creator relationship, the first, foremost and transcendent of all relationships possible. Obedience of this nature is the highest form of worship and homage ever possible of creature to Creator.
thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength.”
No one has any right or possesses any authority whatsoever to be conscience for others. God Himself never does this for its against His character and wisdom. Only apostate and heathen religions, as well as misguided, confused, and delusional secular powers do. This is why religionists and believers of all shades, particularly in these last days, should constantly remember that Biblical salvation is individual, never corporate. No can resist my temptations for me nor overcome my sins for and in my behalf. I have to be a personal overcomer. You have to be an overcomer. And both of us are “to overcome even as Christ overcame.” Rev. 3: 21.
The Two Adams. What a gripping moment that would be, both for universe assembled when the two Adams finally meet in the resurrection morning! A careful study of God’s Word regarding the origin of man and his nature “made a little lower than angels” (Heb. 2: 6-9), and so was Christ in His incarnation (Heb. 2: 9-18), shows that only human nature is subject to temptation—i.e., temptation as we know it by the fall of Adam and Eve in Eden.
By comparison and contrast, Paul present to us the “two Adams” in 1 Cor. 15: 34-49. (Note: there are only two Adams—the first physical Adam, and Christ, the spiritual Adam. Some claim there were two different Adams revealed in Genesis!) According to the written history of the creation, fall, and the story and plan of redemption, this much is clear: the first Adam experienced the two sides of the human nature—both subject to temptation: the one before the fall, which was sinless and unfallen and the one after that had become sinful and fallen, the latter being more a description of its status, condition, and quality. But it was of the exact same human nature—subject to temptation, and of the exact same human being—Adam. What had changed that same human nature was Adam’s fall. Satan’s temptations will continue to wax greater until it reaches its climax described in Revelation as “the hour of temptation (trial) that shall come whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Rev. 3: 10).
Note that these two sides of human nature, confined to Adam and Eve alone, were not divinely fore-ordained or designed to be such in their creation. Man was originally made in the image and likeness of God, and God does not have such two sides of the divine nature. To entertain or speculate on such ideas is a manifestation of ignorance of who God is as revealed in Christ. To dare say so is blasphemy indeed. This “duality” of the human nature, sinless/unfallen on one side and sinful/fallen, once more, experienced by Adam and Eve alone, was a result of the terrible experiment with disobedience, which is sin the transgression of the law.
One the other hand, all of the Adam’s offspring, beginning with Cain and Abel to the very last human being to be born before the close of earth’s history, have only one side of the human nature; that side after the fall, sinful, fallen. Only Adam and Eve will have experienced the two sides of human nature, beginning with the sinless and unfallen to the sinful and fallen, yet both subject to temptation.
Both angels and man fell. But there was a difference. Human nature was subject to temptations in its flesh-and-blood human nature. Hence, “sins of the flesh.” The angels who fell, who are spirit, were not tempted as flesh-and-blood human nature is. God’s Word does not suggest that the third of the angels who fell as having technically fallen through the same temptations as Adam and Eve fell for, but through Satan’s deceptions. The following extracts are from the chapter “Why Was Sin Permitted?’ by E.G. White, Patriarchs & Prophets. It shows how and why Lucifer and angels fell, in contrast to the fall of Adam and Eve:–
“The Father wrought by His Son in the creation of all heavenly beings [Col. 1: 16 quoted}. Angels are God’s ministers, radiant with the light ever flowing from His presence, and speeding on raid wings to execute His will. But the Son, the anointed of God, the “express image of His person” [Heb. 1: 3, 8 quoted] holds supremacy over them all. [Jer. 17: 12; Ps. 96: 6; 89: 14 quoted]. The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with all its great principles of righteousness. God desires from all His creatures the service of love,—service that springs from an appreciation of His character. He takes no pleasure in forced obedience; and to all He grants freedom of will, that they may render Him voluntary service. . . .
“But a change came over this happy estate. There was one who perverted the freedom that God had granted to His creatures. Sin originated with him, who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God, and was highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven. Lucifer, ‘son of the morning,’ was first of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled. He stood in the presence of the great Creator, and the ceaseless beams of glory enshrouding the eternal God, rested upon him. [Eze. 28: 12-15, 17 quoted].
“Little by little, Lucifer came to indulge the desire for self-exaltation. The Scripture says: ‘Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty’ [Eze. 28: 17; Isa. 14: 13, 14 quoted]. Though all his glory was from God, this mighty angel came to regard it as pertaining to himself. . . . And coveting the glory with which the infinite Father had invested in His Son, this prince of angels aspired to power that was the prerogative of Christ alone.
“Now the perfect harmony of heaven was broken. Lucifer’s disposition to serve himself instead of His Creator, aroused a feeling of apprehension when observed by those who considered that the glory of God should be supreme. In heavenly councils the angels pleaded with Lucifer. The Son of God presented before him the greatness, the goodness, and the justice of the Creator, and the sacred, unchanging nature of His law. God Himself had established the order of heaven; and in departing from it, Lucifer would dishonor his Maker, and bring ruin upon himself. But the warning, given in infinite love and mercy, only aroused a spirit of resistance. Lucifer allowed his jealousy of Christ to prevail, and became the more determined.
“To dispute the supremacy of the Son of God, thus impeaching the wisdom and love of the Creator, had become the purpose of this prince of angels. To this object he was about to bend the energies of that master-mind, which, next to Christ’s was first among the hosts of God. But He who would have the will of all His creatures free, left none unguarded to the bewildering sophistry by which rebellion would seek to justify itself. Before the great contest should open, all were to have a clear presentation of His will, whose wisdom and goodness were the spring of all their joy. The King of the universe summoned the heavenly host before Him, that in their presence He might set for the true position of His Son, and show the relation He sustained to all created beings . . . .
“The angels joyfully acknowledged the supremacy of Christ, and prostrating themselves before Him, poured out their love and adoration. Lucifer bowed with them; but in his heart there was a strange, fierce conflict. Truth, justice, and loyalty were struggling against envy and jealousy. The influence of the holy angels seemed for a time to carry him with them . . . . But again he was filled with pride with his own glory. His desire for supremacy returned, and envy of Christ was once more indulged . . . .
“Leaving his place in the immediate presence of the Father, Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels. He worked with mysterious secrecy, and for a time concealed his real purpose under an appearance of reverence for God. He began to insinuate doubts concerning the laws that governed heavenly beings, intimating that though laws might be necessary for the inhabitants of the worlds, angels, being more exalted, needed no such restraint, for their own wisdom was a sufficient guide. . . . Such were the subtle deceptions that through the wiles of Lucifer were fast obtaining in the heavenly courts.
“There had been no change in the position or authority of Christ. Lucifer’s envy and misrepresentation, and his claims to equality with Christ, had made necessary a statement of the true position of the Son of God; but this had been the same from the beginning. Many of the angels, however, were blinded by Lucifer’s deceptions. Taking advantage of the loving, loyal trust reposed in him by the holy beings under his command, he had so artfully instilled into their minds his own distrust and discontent . . .
“In great mercy, according to His divine character, God bore long with Lucifer . . . Many [angels] were disposed to heed God’s counsel, to repent of their disaffection, and seek to be again received into favor with the Father and His Son. But Lucifer had another deception ready. The mighty revolter now declared that the angels who had united with him had gone too far to return; that he was acquainted with the divine law, and knew that God would not forgive. . . . The only course remaining for him and his followers, he said, was to assert their liberty, and gain by force the rights which had not been willingly accorded them.
“So far as Satan himself was concerned, it was true that he had now gone too far to return. But no so with those who had been blinded by his deceptions. . . . had they heeded the warning, they might have broken aware from the snare of Satan. But pride, love for their leader, and the desire for unrestricted freedom, were permitted to bear sway, and the pleadings of divine love and mercy were finally rejected.
“God permitted Satan to carry forward his work until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt. It was necessary for his [Lucifer’s] plans to be fully developed, that their true nature and tendency might be seen by all. Lucifer, as the anointed cherub [Christ was the anointed Messiah], had been highly exalted; he was greatly loved by the heavenly beings, and his influence over them was strong. God’s government included not only the inhabitants of heaven, but all the worlds that He had created [not only earth!]; and Satan had concluded that if he could carry the angels of heaven with him in rebellion, he would carry also all the worlds.
“He had artfully presented his side of the question, employing sophistry and fraud to secure his objects. His power to deceive was very great. By disguising himself in a cloak of falsehood, he had gained an advantage All his acts were clothed with mystery, that it was difficult to disclose to the angels the true nature of his work. Until fully developed, it would not be made to appear the evil thing it was; his disaffection would not be seen to be rebellion. Even the loyal angels could not fully discern his character, or see to what his work was leading.” – End of quote.
The foregoing discussion is one of the reasons why I was compelled to conclude that many more will be eternally lost by deception than by the fear of persecution!
(To be continued next week)