Chapter 1—Why Was Sin Permitted?
“God is love.” His nature, His law, is love. It ever has been; it ever
will be. Every manifestation of creative power is an expression of
infinite love. The history of the great conflict between good and evil
from the time it first began in heaven is also a demonstration of God’s
unchanging love.
The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of benef-
icence. He had an associate who could appreciate His purpose and
share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. See
John 1:1, 2
.
Christ the Word was one with the eternal Father, one in nature, in
character, in purpose. “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah
9:6
. His “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
Micah
5:2
.
The Father wrought by His Son in the creation of all heavenly
beings. “By Him were all things created, ... whether they be thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers.”
Colossians 1:16
. Angels are
God’s ministers speeding to execute His will. But the Son, the “express
image of His person,” “the brightness of His glory,” “upholding all
things by the word of His power,” holds supremacy over them all. See
Hebrews 1:3, 8
.
God desires from all His creatures the service of love—service that
springs from an appreciation of His character. He takes no pleasure
in a forced obedience; and to all He grants freedom of will, that they
may render Him voluntary service.
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So long as all created beings acknowledged the allegiance of love,
there was perfect harmony throughout the universe of God. There was
no note of discord to mar the celestial harmonies.
But a change came over this happy state. There was one who
perverted the freedom that God had granted to His creatures. Sin
originated with him, who, next to Christ, had been most honored of
God and was highest among the inhabitants of heaven. Lucifer, “son
of the morning,” (
Isaiah 14:12
) was holy and undefiled. “Thus saith
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