Austin Bible Church
Following Lucifer’s trial and conviction by God’s perfect justice, Satan objected to God's judgment and in objecting, he impugned the perfect character of God by asking; “How can a loving God cast His creatures into the Lake of Fire?” There is no specific Scripture worded in this way, but rather a Scriptural deduction taken from many passages. Satan’s negative volition is the pattern for man’s negative volition. Isaiah 14:12-14.
““How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’” (Isaiah 14:12-14, NASB)
To resolve the Angelic Conflict, an inferior creature (man) was created by God on one planet, Earth. Heb. 2:7.
““YOU HAVE MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND HAVE APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS;” (Hebrews 2:7, NASB)
Man’s volition is being tested under two systems. Before the Fall, man was innocent and was ignorant of sin. Man had no sin nature, but was given free will. After the Fall, in sinfulness, mankind gained an old sin nature, but retained free will. Instead of the Tree of Life to test his volition, he had a new tree to test volition - the Cross. Man could exercise positive volition or non-meritorious faith in the future work of Jesus Christ on the Cross for their sins.
Man’s faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior resolves the Angelic Conflict. The issue is whether mankind, being inferior to angels by birth, would choose to accept the work of Christ. If yes, this resolves the Angelic Conflict. Hebrews 1 and 2.
Jesus Christ took on the form of man through physical birth (virgin birth). By birth, the humanity of Jesus Christ was lower than the angels. The humanity of Christ in resurrection body is now higher than the angels as He sits at the right hand of God the Father. In Christ, we are positionally at the right hand of God. Therefore, we are positionally higher than angels. Heb. 1:13.
“But to which of the angels has He ever said, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET”?” (Hebrews 1:13, NASB)
Mankind is under angelic observation. The angels learn divine judgment of God by watching the human race. Luke 15:7; Luke 15:10; Eph. 3:10; 1 Tim. 5:21; 1 Peter 1:12; 1 Cor. 4:9; 1 Cor. 6:3; 1 Cor. 11:10.
““I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7, NASB)
“so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 3:10, NASB)
“It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.” (1 Peter 1:12, NASB)
“Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?” (1 Corinthians 6:3, NASB)
Through the fall of man, Satan gained control of this planet. Faith in Jesus Christ frees man from Satan’s domination. 2 Cor. 4:4; John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11; Eph. 2:2.
"in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Corinthians 4:4, NASB)
""I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me;" (John 14:30, NASB)
"in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:2, NASB)
The reason we have any information on angels at all is because man was created as an extension of the Angelic Conflict and to resolve it. The man, Jesus Christ, is the victor in the Angelic Conflict. He resolved it by His substitutionary spiritual death on the Cross for the sins of all mankind.
This left only a single decision to decide where each human would reside for eternity. Each of us will either decide to accept by non-meritorious faith the grace salvation gift of Jesus Christ on the Cross and spend eternity in heaven with Him or to reject that work and remain in condemnation with the eternal Lake of Fire as the only remaining destination.