MARRING THE IMAGE OF GOD IN MAN

     Man has so slandered the truths of life that nearly every aspect of our society, from the appearances of people to their tastes and values have reached a level of deformity that has become hideous to all that is “holy, and just, and good” (Rom.7:12). Among the many opinions of both religious and secular society are the false concepts of the appearance and objectives of life's chief assailant: Satan. Man love’s to make him look ugly and visually detestable: even to treat him as a joke, believing he is fictional and therefore no threat against life. But nothing could be further from the truth.

     The Apostle Paul warned of this danger: “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” II Cor.2:11; 11:14,15. Stealth, deception, and betrayal are the key components of Satan’s agenda in his relationship with man. And his puppets among men are his key players to carryout the destruction of man through the free exercise of sin both in and out of the church.

     The LORD, through His prophet Ezekiel describes every faculty of the devil: from his appearance, intellect, evil, as well as his eventual destruction. After reviewing the passage we need to understand OUR PARTICIPATION in this life and death controversy between Christ and Satan.

Ezekiel 28:12-19 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

     Satan is the most beautiful, intelligent, and evil of all created beings. The reasons for his rebellion are easily recognized when we merely look at historical examples of man’s lust for tyrannical rule and the deeds carried to achieve their power. It’s the same spirit. From the above prophecy we can also see Satan’s fate of being reduced “to ashes upon the earth” in “the lake of fire.” This is what he works to avoid. And by corrupting the Gospel of Jesus Christ into evangelizing sin the world over, his life is sustained.

     Sin is the culprit behind every abuse, injustice, atrocity and death. And yet, the world, including ruling Christianity refuses to obey the Ten Commandments as the standard for Christian living. The religions of the world are simply a selfish pick-and-choose obedience that denies GOD’S call to repent from all sin. Nevertheless, men worship their own religion, not “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father” (Ja.1:27).

     Jesus perfectly obeyed the Holy Ten Commandment Law unto His death in order to redeem us. In His own words He tells us that it was He Himself who inscribed these Ten Absolutes with His own finger in the permanence of stone (Jn.8:58; Ex.31:18). Inspite of the clarity of Christ's words, most in the church are denying both GOD'S call to repentance from sin and the entire platform of Satan's accusations against us in the great controversy. But it is so simple a child can understand it. And yet, most seem incapable of receiving what little children can easily comprehend. This is because of people’s pride overshadowing the humility that GOD calls for: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Isa.57:15; Matt.18:3.

     Let’s spell it out in simple terms: Satan’s defense in the court case against him is this: He leads men to violate the same Ten Commandment Law that condemns him. This is verified when “the LORD” declared to him, “thou hast sinned” (Eze.28:16). And the Apostle John gave the clearest definition of sin: “sin is the transgression of the law” (I Jn.3:4). So, Satan’s rebellion is against the Ten Commandments. After tempting men, and leading them to commit sin against the Ten Commandments, Satan then accuses them “before our God day and night” (Rev.12:10) demanding that GOD cannot grant the unrepentant eternal life while he is to be “devoured” by fire (Rev.20:9). In this, Satan’s demand is just. Therefore, any church or religion that circumvents the framework of how GOD can legally save His children from sharing Satan’s destruction is not only illiterate but is also belligerent against the convictions of the Holy Spirit on the conscience concerning right and wrong. And while the righteousness of Christ covers all ignorant sins (Nu.15:27,28), those who know the Ten Commandments and yet knowingly disobey a single one (Ja.2:12), the Holy Spirit has no legal right to dwell in these souls (Nu.15:30; Isa.59:2). And it is only through the Presence and power of the Holy Ghost dwelling in the penitent believer that raises the soul to Glory (Rom.8:11). We cannot raise ourselves.

     With this key doctrine firmly established, a hard reality becomes apparent: If Jesus lived under the doctrines of Roman Catholicism, Nominal Protestantism, Mormonism, the Jehovah’s Witness, Islam, Buddhism, or Hinduism, He would have failed to live without sin, and thus the Earth would have been relinquished to Satan’s jurisdiction forever. But praise the LORD! Jesus lived a sinless life, through whose Victory over sin and the grave, all sin and sinners will one day be vanquished! The prophecies are clear and can safely be summed up in one verse: “They shall be as though they had never been.” Ob.16.

     Man needs to come to terms with one fact: Because of sin, the entire population of the world is in a legal battle for the eternal survival of every man, woman, and child. And Bible prophecy declares that the vast majority, who have ever lived, will not escape the condemnation of sin, as Jesus said: “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt.7:14).

     But our LORD, Saviour and KING always provides the remedy: “but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt.19:17. GOD would never ask of us anything beyond His power to provide, and our ability to receive. And that includes the prayerful invitation for the Presence of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit to give us of His faith when ours is low; His perseverance when we feel like giving up; His wisdom when we are perplexed—and His love when we have doubt that GOD loves us “with an everlasting love” (Jer.31:3).

     In summation: sin murdered Jesus Christ. And all who remain in sin will be held as accomplices to those who nailed His hands and feet to a tree and left Him there to die. So, the age-old call of the LORD, from Adam to the last man, remains unto this day: “repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mk.1:15.

     While the dominant churches and religions of the Earth are prophesied to never repent, this does not mean that we have to share their fate of condemnation in the end of time: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” II Cor.5:10; Eccl.12:.

     As the closing scenes unfold, and evil men in leadership roles drive the blessings of GOD further and further away, resulting in greater and greater calamities (Lev.26; Deut.28), religious leaders will rise to the forefront in the vain attempt to retrace the steps that atheistic philosophy have imposed through industry, medical malpractice, and monopolistic rulers who care nothing for life's perpetuation. But the traditions of the church are no less guilty of sin than those who deny the existence of GOD. Sin is sin regardless of man's tone of piety. This is why Peter warned of the order of which GOD’S judgments will unfold: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved [THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE ON THE CHURCH BOOKS], where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” I Pet.4:17-19.

     Jesus said it plain enough: “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” This is why the Apostle Paul admonished the saints to be “filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” Phil.1:11. Nevertheless, the same unrepentant spirit that imposed sin’s tyrannical authority to crucify our LORD Jesus is ready to be unleashed today. This is why in the days to come, GOD'S last call to everyone will be simple and precious: "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." Rev.18:4,5.

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation);” “and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Josh.24:15; II Cor.6:2; Jn.6:37.