Sin Covets Control;
Power is the Illusion
Before the Universe, Before Earth and Before Man; there was a struggle for control of power; This is the essence of all sin. There is only one source of power: God. Satan could not create which is power in action. Only the infinite God creates which at its core requires power; controlled power. Power without control is destructive chaos. Nuclear weapons are the prime example of unthinkable power without control. Once released one has no control over the tremendous destruction both on blast at detonation and long-term radiation. The Trinity demonstrates Power {Father}, Control {Son} and Shared Power {Spirit}. Lucifer-Satan is the lust for control of power for purposes apart from God. This is the essence of sin. This is the goal of Satan and People; both sinners.
Power: Its Existence is Undeniable
Control: Who Controls the Power?
Power is the most elusive quality in this Creation. Its presence is observed everywhere by its effect; yet, its essence remains undefinable by empirical means: Science. Bible writes that the empirical is based on and upheld by the imperial; i.e., power (He 11:3). Enlightenment’s Natural Philosophy, search for God in nature, gave way to the understanding that science is not the search for truth; it is merely the search for what works for whatever problem man understands at the time. Continuing, “How do we know if our theories are correct? They work, they affirm the assumptions, the consequences affirm the basic elements of faith so it must be true. These logical fallacies are consistently used to “prove” the truth of theories that are then “disproved” in favor of other theories” (Science Wars: What Scientists Know and How They Know It. The Great Courses. Goldman, SL.). Thus science, the religion of modern man, is a struggle for control over power; i.e., the forces of God already in existence. In this means man emulates his father Satan, the originator of this struggle for control over God (Jn 8:44). If you do not have control over power then you are subjected to the One Who does have control. This is why Sin at its core is rebellion. Let us see how Lucifer began this struggle for control.
Lucifer was created by God; hence, Lucifer did not have control but was subjected to the one who had the power and control to create him (Is 14:12-17; Ez 28:12-19). All angels are ministering spirits; created to serve as God, source of power and control, designates (He 1:14). Lucifer was the arch-angel created to reflect the glory or light of God throughout Heaven, created as the abode for the angels. Lucifer became confused thinking his position entitled him to control of power; especially the control to decide what was right and wrong which is simply the control over who lives and who dies, imprisonment in the Lake of Fire for eternity. As arch-angel he was the conduit of God’s control over all the angels: Chain of Control {Command}. What would his position become if God were to create another group of beings?
Before Creation God decided to create Man; Creation is simply the abode for man as God prepares Man for eternity future (Ep 1:3-14). Man was created less than the angels with the goal to make Man greater than the angels (Ps 8:4-6; 1Co 6:1-3; 15:20-23; He 2:5-8). The Son, Christ, would become as Man to secure our redemption with the goal of having the angels be ministering spirits to God AND Man. Lucifer, angel of God’s Light, decided he wanted control of God’s power so Man would remain lower than angels. He would exercise control over them AND God, the source of power. After all, without a lesser group to rule one is not a ruler (Pr 14:28). At his rebellion, which involved a third of the angels, God judged Lucifer as worthy of death; eternal separation from God in Lake of Fire (Re 20:14-15). Lucifer accused God of unrighteous judgment; hence the name Satan which simply means Accuser. Let us see the Accuser in action in the Bible as he grovels for Control.
The Father created all matter and energies for this physical creation from nothing. He did not create it in a completed order but as a reflection of its purpose. He brought this Creation into existence as a reflection of Satan’s rebellion over control; chaos in Darkness (Ge 1). The Spirit was present brooding, hovering over this chaos and waiting. He was waiting for the monogenesis of the Son who would be the agent through whom the Father would bring control over chaos (Jn 1:1-18). He was the Light, Father’s glory in Him, shining into the Darkness. This was a sign to Satan, and all who read the Bible, that God’s plan will succeed over Satan’s grasping for control.
Since Satan could not prevent God from creating, he had no control over God exercising His power, he decided to give Man the same choice he made: Control. But, Satan is a deceiver. He never intended to share power with Man; he intended to exercise control over Man. As another created being who sinned, he hoped to prove God was the author of flawed creatures and this unrighteous to judge them for sin; i.e., Lake of Fire.
Satan, in the form of an animal, for rebelling from God’s intended purpose degrades one: Angels and People. Satan tempted Woman with the promise of being able to be as gods through knowledge. Remember, God’s purpose was to make people as son’s of God through Christ’s death, burial and resurrection (Ro 8:13-21). Satan offered Woman the option of obtaining control apart from God. Woman was deceived but Man was not! This implies he was already considering taking control of the world apart from God (Ge 1;29-30; 1Ti 2:14). Man rebelled to take control over this Earth only to discover that he simply passed his position as head of this earth over to Satan. In other words, Adam only changed ownership from God to Satan; it would take Christ’s sacrifice for sin for believers to regain ownership under God again (Ro 3:21-26; 6:15-23). Adam discovered what Satan has yet to admit; rebellion against God brings one into slavery to sin which leads to death; separation from God. Satan was as much a slave to his sin, lust for control, as those he sought to control (1Co 15:54-56; Ja 1:13-15).
God in His mercy and long suffering did not immediately exercise judgment; either over Lucifer or Man for God is not willing that any should perish (Ez 33:11; 2Pe 3:9). God gave Satan and Man over to their desire for control, “He gave them up…” (Ro 1:18-28). This meant that both were now required to exercise what control they could muster over those elements they could perceive: Satan over the spiritual and Man over the empirical. God already told man that they would fail: “cursed is the ground because of you…” (Ge 3:17-19; Ro 8:20-22).
Job, first book actually penned, God asks both Job, Satan implied, how his control was going (Job 38-42)? God asked them if they even understood the elemental forces let alone the empirical processes perceived? Satan does not change; can not change for there is no salvation for fallen angels. Job repents and becomes saved which was the point fo the book. Job’s journey from religious zealot seeking control to sublime saint resting in God Who is control (Mt 11:28-30).
Sinner’s Fallacy: They have Power
Their Control is Illusion of Power
God allows Man space to realize that the more Control he seeks to exercise, the more out of control everything becomes. Why? God increasingly restrains His control so man can realize what he wants; world without God. the Great Tribulation disasters are a demonstration of man’s inability to control even physical forces (2Th 2:3-12). Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit; i.e., sin is lack of control (Ga 5:22-23). Yet, the more people realize their lack of control the more they turn to violence, degradation, drugs and other fleshly appetites to hide from this truth or reinforce their fallacy of control, over self and others.
The next several posts will explore this struggle over Control in various aspects of life. I want to leave us with another quote from The Science Wars, “One is left with the uncomfortable feeling that science is not really about the truth of reality but about our experiences. If this is the case then natural philosophy is NOT about finding out about the truth of God in His physical creation but about man’s ability to control creation and be his own god!” Even modern people acknowledge the truth of the Bible; seeking Control but having no real Power lest all is destroyed (2Ti 3:1-5).
