THE REBELLION OF SATAN

God’s purpose in His kingdom is based on two classes of beings: angels and mankind. Both have been created with free personal wills. The primary difference between angels and we humans lies in our creation. God created angels by His word; He created man by His word and the indwelling presence of His Spirit. We were created as sons, and our place in God is different accordingly (Heb. 2:5-18). Sin would never exist if there were no wills other than God’s. The reality of sin, the reality of obeying God and the reality of God’s final judgment of sinners, are far greater than we realize.

Sin entered God’s kingdom through the rebellion of Lucifer, a great, beautiful archangel who God had placed in authority over much of His creation. Lucifer means “star of the morning.” After his fall, Lucifer is referred to as Satan or the devil. His sin was three fold in nature.

(1) Pride. He sought to make himself equal to God (Is. 14:14).
(2) Rebellion. He rejected God’s lordship over him, and despised the place of authority he had been given by God (Is. 14:13).
(3) Self-deceit. He was deceived by his senses, being exalted because of his beauty and wisdom (Ez. 28:12, 13, 17).

These three traits of his personal failure are evident in Satan’s temptation of Eve by which she fell into sin against God (Gen. 3:1-6).

She was promised she would be like God in knowledge if she ate the forbidden fruit.
She was tempted to act without consulting her husband, who was her spiritual head.
She was tempted in her senses by the beauty and attractiveness of the fruit, and yielded to the temptation.

The result of sin is spiritual death and separation from God (Rm. 6:23). It is important to view sin as disobedience and rebellion against God, and not refer to sin in terms of social behavior.

God held Adam responsible for the transgression by which sin entered the human race. The following are three pertinent factors concerning his guilt:

It was Adam, not Eve, who God commanded not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17).
Adam listened to the voice of his wife instead of obeying God (Gen. 3:17-19).
Eve was deceived into eating, but Adam was not deceived; he ate knowing that he was disobeying God (1 Tim. 2:13-14).

QUESTIONS: (1) Why has God not yet destroyed Satan?

REFERENCES: Mt. 4:1-11; 2 Cor. 11:14; Eph. 6:11; 1 Pet. 5:8-9; Ja. 4:7.

PERSONAL NOTES:

THE ORIGIN AND ISSUE OF SIN

THE FALL OF MAN

QUESTIONS:
(1) Who is the ruler of this world?
(2) Who is your ruler?
(3) What is the state of those who die with their sins unforgiven?

REFERENCES: Lk. 16:22-31; Mk. 9:42-49; Mt. 10:28; Mt. 25:41; Rev. 20:11-15.

PERSONAL NOTES:

CONTENTS
STUDY OBJECTIVES
THE CREATION OF MAN
THE ORIGIN AND ISSUE OF SIN
THE PROVISION OF GOD
THE PROCESS OF SALVATION
THE PURPOSE OF GOD
THE END OF THIS AGE