I define it as vanity, lust and greed toward self -- and as jealousy, envy, hostility and resentment of authority against others. The Bible defines it thus: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9) -- and: "The carnal [natural] mind is enmity [hostile] against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7).
You cannot ascribe that attitude or nature to the dumb animals. Does it make sense to suppose a God of love, mercy and great outgoing concern for His human family, deliberately created us to be naturally hostile toward our Maker -- not subject to His law, deceitful and desperately wicked?
Look at the biblical account of human creation. Before Satan got to Adam, God brought to Adam "every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air" (Genesis 2:19), asking Adam to give them names. Did Adam rebel? Did he say, "Go do it yourself?" Did Adam refuse to obey God's command? The answer: "And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field ..." (verse 20). Adam at once did as God instructed.
But from Genesis 3, all through the Bible to Revelation 20, much is said repeatedly about Satan. Isaiah 14 identifies him as the former archangel Lucifer. And Ezekiel 28 affirms that he was a created super being, perfect in all his ways until by his own free choice, iniquity was found in him.
The former Lucifer turned to rebellion against God, to deceit, hostility, becoming cunning, subtle and desperately wicked. He came to be filled with vanity, lust and greed. He turned from God's way of love -- which is outflowing concern and desire to help and share, the way of giving -- to the way of getting.
Resurrected Saints
As the resurrected Christ ascended to heaven in clouds, so He shall return to earth in clouds (Acts 1:9-11; Matthew 24:30). Just as He is returning (I Thessalonians 4:14-17), the dead in Christ -- those who have received and been led by God's Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11, 14), will rise in a gigantic resurrection, made immortal -- including all the prophets of old (Luke 13:28). Those who have the Spirit of God, then living, shall be instantaneously changed from mortal to immortal (I Corinthians 15:50-54) and, together with those resurrected, shall rise to meet the descending glorified Christ (I Thessalonians 4:17) in the clouds in the air. They shall be with Him, where He is, forever (John 14:3). They shall -- with Him -- come down out of the clouds, and stand With Him, therefore, that very same day, on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4-5).
These changed, converted saints, now made immortal, will then rule the nations -- nations of mortals -- under Christ (Daniel 7:22; Revelation 2:26-27; 3:21).
© 1966, 1973, 1979 Worldwide Church of God
© 1979 Worldwide Church of God
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