Why an almighty, all-wise, all-loving God permitted sin to enter the universe? —immediately follows below the commentary by Pastor Stam

What Is Grace?

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

“The father of lies” always hates the truth, but he does not always oppose it by the same methods. If he fails to succeed as a roaring lion he may appear as an angel of light, suggesting that surely a God of love will not condemn Christ-rejectors forever. Sinners, he will contend, are not responsible for their sins anyway, for does not Ephesians 1:11 teach that “[God] worketh all things after the counsel of His own will”? And thus God Himself is supposed to have conceived the idea of sin as “a gracious means to a glorious end,” and to have caused man to fall into sin so that He might finally save him from it!

Why an almighty, all-wise, all-loving God permitted sin to enter the universe must, for the time being, remain an impenetrable mystery to us, but one thing is certain: He is not the author of sin, and never accepts the responsibility for it — except that in grace and love He bore its penalty for man.

God calls sinners “children of disobedience” and “children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:2,3), explaining in the clearest language that He hates sin and that His anger is kindled against it (Romans 1:18; Ephesians 5:6; John 3:36). But if God meant man to sin and caused him to sin, how was man disobedient and what cause could God have to be angry? Those who would shift the responsibility for sin from themselves to God should remember that He proclaimed His standards of righteousness in the Law “that every mouth may be stopped and that all the world may be brought in guilty before God” (Romans 3:19).

The contention that all will finally be saved may at first sound like wonderful grace, but actually there is not one particle of grace in it, for it is based on the theory that since God got us into sin it is only just that He save us from its penalty. But grace is God’s mercy and kindness to the undeserving. In Ephesians 2, after calling sinners “children of disobedience” and therefore “children of wrath,” the Apostle Paul goes on to say:

“BUT GOD, who is RICH IN MERCY, for His GREAT LOVE wherewith he loved us… hath quickened us… raised us up… and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come He might show THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS” (Ephesians 2:4-7).

Why an almighty, all-wise, all-loving God permitted sin to enter the universe?

by Ken Pullen

ACP

Monday, April 27th, 2015

I have great respect for the Pastor Cornelius Stam, who left this fleshly realm in March of 2003. I do not always agree with his interpretations of Scripture — example he always wrote of Jesus the Lord coming back to sweep up true believers so they avoid the great tribulation which is coming, and I find no evidence in the Bible where Jesus is going to return to this earth twice. I always and only read Jesus is returning one more time and only one more time, and I do not see how from the short passage used from 2 Thessalonians the entire doctrine of the Church, the remnant of true believers being removed from this earth years before the world comes to its end as it has been known. It is a nice thought of a “rapture” of true believers prior to the coming of the Antichrist, false prophet, and Great Tribulation — but there is no Scripture in which this can be interpreted as a certainty, yet much instruction to bearing trials and tribulation, and suffering for the name and sake of God the Father and Jesus the Lord is in Scripture and is very clear to understand.

I do believe the Bible which tells us Jesus will catch up the remaining believers when He returns — on the last day of this world’s history as it has been, on that last day when Jesus returns and sets His feet upon the Mount of Olives after defeating the Antichrist and the nations of the world, as He comes to rule with a rod of iron.

Why cannot the “rapture” of believers written in 2 Thessalonians be all true believers are in the twinkling of an eyes transfigured and caught up in the clouds with Jesus as He returns the one last final time to this earth on Judgment Day? Read Matthew 24. Read the Bible. In context. Seek the gift of spiritual discernment given by the Holy Spirit — ask for increased spiritual discernment of God and His will (His inerrant word, the Bible).

I have had professed believers of many years look me in the eye and tell me, “God doesn’t want believers to have to suffer and endure what the Great Tribulation will be, God doesn’t want us to suffer!”

I asked these professed believers just what and how much of the Bible have they read?

If Jesus, God come to earth as man, as the Sacrificial Lamb of God could suffer as He did? But we’re exempt from suffering? All the prophets suffered greatly and had tremendous tribulation. Job suffered greatly for the Lord. All the Apostles save John endured suffering beyond the comprehension of most modern-day people. Yet professed believers today are somehow exempt from suffering?

Why?

Because it’s THEM and it’s now and what is swiftly coming they can’t comprehend and remain steadfast in the faith?

If the running to the medicine cabinet, the store, the doctor to get pain pills and anti-depressants is any indication — no, the vast majority can’t comprehend such situations and circumstances and will not remain steadfast until the end keeping the names of God and Jesus Most High and sacred in their hearts, and they will cave to the Antichrist so they can eat, and buy and sell, and not be put into camps, or killed all the day long for the name of Jesus the Lord, Saviour, and Messiah!

What Pastor Stam wrote above regarding “What is Grace?” is truly wonderful —

to answer the question “Why an almighty, all-wise, all-loving God permitted sin to enter the universe?” is not an impenetrable mystery to us, or it should not be.

Lucifer, the devil, that old dragon, the father of lies — had his own free will. As do all angels. Is it the same as human free will? I do not know. I do know there are great differences between angels and human beings, but I also know from the inerrant word of God that angels — of which Lucifer was one, and one of the greatest, most powerful, and most beautiful — he had his own will. He could imagine and had a consciousness, his spirit could decide what it would do and what it would pursue. Just as we all can.

And Lucifer imagined himself higher and greater than God the Father and Jesus the Lord and the Holy Spirit —

Lucifer was one of the greatest beings ever created by God our Father.

‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

13Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

15Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

16By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

17Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

18Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

19All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

Ezekiel 28:13-19 — King James Version

Scripture pertaining to Satan, an angel, who can appear as an angel of light and is beautiful — not the worldly image of a red man with two horns and a forked tail — and the free will, angels choosing whether they will follow and serve God, or the father of lies, that old dragon — the devil, and the devil having his own free will:

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

2 Timothy 2:25-26 — King James Version

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;

2 Peter 2:4 — King James Version

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Jude 1:6 — King James Version

God and Jesus the Lord, Who were before the beginning, and Who both created all we know, and are separate from angels and man, have NO PART IN SIN OR EVIL.

Far too many people imagine, or out and out blame God for sin and evil found in the world, in people. And God and Jesus have no part in sin or evil. It has never touched Them, it cannot touch Them, it never will touch Them.

God and Jesus are perfection and spotless and Most High. Two individual Beings unlike any other except the third individual of the Godhead — the Holy Spirit.

Lucifer was one of the most powerful and greatest of angels created. He was the most beautiful.

It is of the utmost importance this is always kept in mind — God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit created every angel as They created every man and woman — WITH FREE WILL! Angels choose. Just as people do. Which way will I go? Who and what will I serve? Will I worship God the Creator as Most High or do I think I’m a god myself, and I need to impose my will over that of anything else in creation?

Sin entered the universe in the imagination and free individual will, individual soul / spirit of Lucifer who imagined himself greater than He who created him! Talk about vanity? Talk about arrogance? Talk about sin!? And sin further entered the universe — not as a creation of God or Jesus — but I the spirit of Lucifer and in those angels which chose to follow him and rebel against the throne of God in heaven.

I am closing with a very important passage in the inerrant word of God in the times in which we live:

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 Peter 2

Warnings concerning apostate teachers. They will deny redemption by blood, and say the Lord sinned as all men do — many will follow them.

1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

The Godly will Be Delivered

7And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Profane and Blasphemous Seducers

10But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

11Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

12But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

13And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

The marks of the false teachers — they are like Balaam (see Jude verse 11)

15Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

They (false teachers) are destitute of the Spirit — see John 4:14, John 7:37-39, Romans 8:9

17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

Their words are learned and pretentious — see 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

18For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

They affect liberality

19While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Unsaved professors (a large number of those professing belief) run after them

22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.