The War on Earth Pt II
Christ is God. His power is immense, but he always limited himself to the faith of the believers. As James said,
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:14-20)
Those who teach that we can be saved regardless of our works would do well to heed the words of James. If freewill and agency mean nothing, if works don’t matter, if there is no sin, then why did Christ go to all that trouble? why the Sermon on the Mount? why the four gospels? why the teachings of all the apostles and prophets? Where my salvation is concerned, I would put my bet on the white horse spoken of by John the Revelator:
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. (Revelation 19:11-16)
Satan is Satan because he lives outside the law. It is the law of justice that holds back chaos. There can be no chinks in the law of justice. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they transgressed the law of justice which brought about the fall. And justice to be whole condemned them forever or God would cease to be God. God can never be divided from himself. He cannot be both perfect and imperfect. He is either one or the other.
Here is the second paradox. Satan became perdition because he willfully rebelled against God and fell outside the protection of the law of justice. He looked only to himself. He wanted to conquer God. As Isaiah said, “He wanted to be like the most high.” In other words he wanted to replace Christ. Remember what he said,
I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
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