This past Wednesday I attended a mid-week class at my church and the topic was the afterlife and more specifically hell. During this discussion we digressed into the fall of satan out of heaven. We also discussed how a portion of the angels followed satan instead of the most high GOD. This raised several interesting ideas that I had never considered.
Why would the angels, who were able to see GOD fully revealed, choose to follow satan instead? Was he able to trick them with his deception? If this is the case, how much easier is it for us to be deceived when we only see GOD through a dark window.
If satan and the angels had free will to rebel against GOD in heaven will humans have the same free will when we get there? Most people I know hold to the theory that if we just suck it up on earth and then get to heaven the hard work is done. But what if heaven requires the same day to day commitment to follow GOD that earth requires? One of the main tenants of those who place emphasis on the free will of man is that GOD wants us to choose to follow him and he would get less pleasure if we simply had to follow him. If this is the case, why would it be any different in heaven? Does GOD want any less of us then?
I make no pretense that my thoughts are true and I welcome correction. I simply offer up my ideas for discussion.
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5 comments:
I'm so theologian either.
Satan is called the Father of Lies. The angels followed Satan because they chose to believe his lies. Out of pride and arrogance they continue to believe Satan's lies. They choose their own fate.
Yes, I believe that we who see GOD only through a glass and darkly are more vulnerable to Satan's lies.
Yes, I believe that we do retain our free will in heaven and we can rebel against GOD even there.
Our love of HIM is our gift to HIM, here on earth and there in heaven.
But I am just me in my opinions.
I hope we do not have free will when we get there, I don't want to even chance it...I can't trust myself here to do the right thing as it is....I want to get there and breath a big sigh of relief and call it good..ya know.
Interesting, haven't thought about free will in heaven much. I'm guessing that being in God's presence will be all-consuming. And with Satan and his temptations removed, I'd just be left with my own pride to trip me up, except I believe that God's Spirit will finish the renewing of our minds as well. I'm hoping to shed my foolish pride when Christ returns if not sooner! God says we will judge the angels. It seems that angels are a less complete/lower form of life. Anyway, the mystery of it all is amazing and convinces me that I'm not God.
The post makes some sense, even is possible. The only thing I could think of the more we come in contact with the glory of the less we want to live an unholy life. As God transforms our minds and wills towards his ways. Free will is such a big part of how we were created that I can't really imagine that it won't exist in heaven.
Revelation 21:1-4 talks about how there will be a new heaven and a new earth and how "the old order of things has passed away."
My opinion is that free-will is part of the "old order" of things...
Something that I have always wondered in regards to satan & the other fallen angels is this... it seems like God only gave them one chance, no offer of forgivenes, no second chances, while as humans we get second, third, nth number of chances.
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