Posted by Bob - the Alien on December 03, 2003 at 14:10:51:
In Reply to: The correct revealed chronology on Revelation--NEW!!!--Straight from God!!! Only $19.95! posted by PS on December 03, 2003 at 13:32:20:
Frankly, I also wonder if Satan is not already part of the fold...
Hear me out before rejecting that thought entirely.
It presupposes some of my beliefs:
1) There is a specific reason and purpose for our existence, and the existence of this world.
2) God designed the whole thing, good and bad, for a reason. And that reason was to further the purpose. He designed the Fall of Adam, Original Sin, etc, and therefore designed Satan's role in the world.
The basic point is that we are put here to make a choice -- we either follow God, or we do not. That is why sin exists -- in a perfect world, that choice would not be available to us. And then what value is our life if it were lived without choice?
So if we exist to make our choice between the two sides, then there must be someone to represent the wrong choice. He is therefore all that is evil, while at the same time, an integral part of this existence. And therein lies the paradox. Can a being who is fulfilling his designed purpose be wholly evil? When being wholly evil is his purpose? (And his punishment for going against God? Can Satan repent?)
I don't know. Its feels like heresy to even go this direction, but it is a question that has come into my mind. Scripture doesn't even address this, so far as I have found.
(And yes, this is a HUGE oversimplification of things. I know this, but writing it all out would be tens of pages of doctrine on which we might not agree. I simply present it this way to illustrate the dilemma.)
With Love,
Bob - the Alien