We are also enabled to see what sin really is. Contrary to the thought of many who define sin merely as an act, we find it to be an attitude. Before Lucifer had performed one act of a sinful nature, sin was in his heart. All of the diabolical plans of his corrupted wisdom; all the deceit and subtle, crafty working of his great power, are but manifestations of the sin in his heart when he said, “I will”-I instead of God; therefore we may define sin as an attitude of wilful, deliberate resistance to the authority of God. Let the members of the class turn to 1 John 3:4 and compare with the Revised Version which renders “transgression,” lawlessness. Explain the difference between the two words and show how one might transgress without being lawless; e.g., a foreigner coming to our shores might break some of our laws through ignorance, unintentionally; while another person, with knowledge of our laws, might wilfully, deliberately break them. Lawlessness is deliberate transgression; therefore sin is lawlessness. The manifestations of this lawless attitude are sins, or transgressions.
We must not confuse sin and sins. Sin is the wilful attitude toward God; sins are the wilful acts that are the result of sin. Sin is the tap root; sins are the rootlets. Sin is invisible until manifested in sins. “Sins” is not the plural of sin, but rather the manifestation of sin. Sin is what God sees; sins are what men see. God’s estimate of a being is not what he does but what he is; therefore, a being who puts self in the place of God is a sinner, no matter how this sin is manifested. Impress upon the class that sin is a terrible reality. It is a dethronement of God.
Ask the class to read these two remarkable passages, Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-19, carefully many times. As they look at the context they may be somewhat confused, for in the passage in Isaiah, God seems to be addressing the “King of Babylon” (v. 4), and in the passage in Ezekiel, the “King of Tyre” (v. 12). Explain that back of the earthly ruler He sees the one who has used these men as his tools-his puppets; even as the Lord spoke to Satan, who was using Peter as his mouthpiece in the attempt to prevent that decisive act at Calvary which should prove the deathblow to his ambitious plans. (See Matt. 16:23.)
Explain also that many expressions in these passages that seem to indicate a human being, rather than an angel, refer to other tools-other puppets, through whom Satan manifests himself in his attempt to realize his long cherished purpose. A better understanding of these passages would eliminate many difficulties in the interpretation of prophecy.
The question may be asked, “How could this bright anointed cherub, created without iniquity and having no being to tempt him, become a sinner?” This is a mystery. It is the mystery. God has given us no explanation, but He simply states the fact. The approach to this condition, however, is shown us in Ezekiel 28:17: “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.” The bright anointed one contemplated his beauty, his wisdom, his brightness-the gifts of God-instead of God Himself. Alas, does not this show us that self-contemplation, even the contemplation of those gifts bestowed upon us by God, is dangerous? To contemplate the gift, rather than the Giver, is the road to downfall and ruin.
No longer could the anointed cherub walk up and down in the midst of the stones of fire, for a sinner cannot abide in the presence of God’s holiness. (See Isa. 33:14-15; Heb. 12:29.) Cast out from the presence of God, where did he go and what did he do? He was ejected from “heaven itself,” never to return, but permitted to dwell within the bounds of his original dominion-the atmospheric or terrestrial heaven immediately surrounding the earth-from which point of vantage he could control affairs upon the earthly planet. Right here we need to remember that God created this angelic being with the power of choice. Satan had deliberately chosen to be the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. He had declared before all the angels that he was capable of such rulership, and he thought that he was. God’s permissive will must therefore allow him to demonstrate his ability. Limited to that portion of the universe that had been entrusted to him, he must be permitted to enter upon his independent rulership.
God’s omnipotence could crush him; but such crushing would be moral weakness in God.
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