Jesus Revealed in Doctrine THE RISK OF FREEDOM
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him. Gen. 1:27.
When God chose to allow Satan access to this world, to give him opportunity to prove his charges against the justice and love of God, He took a tremendous risk. God knew that by His very nature He Himself was limited to truth, righteousness, and fairness. He knew that Satan could deal in half-truths, deceit, pressure, and force. He knew that Satan would not be fair. God knew that many people would make the wrong choice. Why did He take such a chance?
As we look at the costliness of sin, it should tell us something about how much free choice means to God. He has a great respect for our freedom to think and choose for ourselves. He appeals only to our minds, to our good judgment, to our love for Him that is awakened by His great love for us.
Satan has taken full advantage of the freedoms that God allowed him. He spread rebellion among the angels, gaining almost half of them for his side. And he has worked to add to his numbers from this world ever since.
It says something important to us about the character of Jesus that He is willing to take risks. He knows that He will often be misunderstood--both by those in rebellion, who will accuse Him of cruelty in His dealings with them, and by those who are loyal, who will question His wisdom in permitting the rebels to continue. To allow men free choice is the greatest risk that God could take, but it was the only way He could preserve our freedom. God was willing to go the hard way--to pay the terrible price of freedom--that we may have a universe forever free from sin throughout eternity.
The price of freedom that God was willing to pay can never be comprehended by our minds. God was willing to send His Son to run the risk, along with each of us, of choosing rebellion. God was willing to stand weeping in the shadows as He watched His Son suffer and bleed and die, that we might have the choice to live. Jesus was willing to leave His place of honor and light and glory, finding heaven not a place to be desired if we could not be there with Him. The greatest accusation against God, by the greatest rebel of all time, was answered by the greatest love--and love triumphed, proving conclusively to the entire universe that God is love.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him. Gen. 1:27.
When God chose to allow Satan access to this world, to give him opportunity to prove his charges against the justice and love of God, He took a tremendous risk. God knew that by His very nature He Himself was limited to truth, righteousness, and fairness. He knew that Satan could deal in half-truths, deceit, pressure, and force. He knew that Satan would not be fair. God knew that many people would make the wrong choice. Why did He take such a chance?
As we look at the costliness of sin, it should tell us something about how much free choice means to God. He has a great respect for our freedom to think and choose for ourselves. He appeals only to our minds, to our good judgment, to our love for Him that is awakened by His great love for us.
Satan has taken full advantage of the freedoms that God allowed him. He spread rebellion among the angels, gaining almost half of them for his side. And he has worked to add to his numbers from this world ever since.
It says something important to us about the character of Jesus that He is willing to take risks. He knows that He will often be misunderstood--both by those in rebellion, who will accuse Him of cruelty in His dealings with them, and by those who are loyal, who will question His wisdom in permitting the rebels to continue. To allow men free choice is the greatest risk that God could take, but it was the only way He could preserve our freedom. God was willing to go the hard way--to pay the terrible price of freedom--that we may have a universe forever free from sin throughout eternity.
The price of freedom that God was willing to pay can never be comprehended by our minds. God was willing to send His Son to run the risk, along with each of us, of choosing rebellion. God was willing to stand weeping in the shadows as He watched His Son suffer and bleed and die, that we might have the choice to live. Jesus was willing to leave His place of honor and light and glory, finding heaven not a place to be desired if we could not be there with Him. The greatest accusation against God, by the greatest rebel of all time, was answered by the greatest love--and love triumphed, proving conclusively to the entire universe that God is love.
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