"The world is full of a variety of ideas about God;
--certain ideas cause men to hate God;
--others to serve Him from fear;
--and others inspire men to adore Him so ardently that they delight to do His will and wish they could spend an eternity with Him.
Go back in time about 6,000 years to an Eden home of perfect bliss ....
But an enemy came, saying,
1 God did not tell you the truth when He said you would die if you eat of this tree; you cannot depend on what He says. You will not die.
2 You will enter a higher state—become like God—if you eat the fruit; He is keeping from you that which is for your good; He is hindering your advancement;
3 He has placed a very strict regulation around you forbidding you to do the things which are for your good; such regulations are unjust; He is not fair with you.
4 In thus treating you He is curtailing your liberty—your rights; He is a tyrant!
5 If He were infinite in wisdom, as He says He is, He would know better than to manage His affairs of state like this; He would change His methods.
Thus he gave to Eve a false description of God to change her concept of Him so as to change her attitude toward Him so she would cease to serve Him and turn against Him.
--That experience was the beginning of all false concepts of God in this world.
From that day until this, Satan has sought to make the service of God seem undesirable by putting Him and His ideas in a false light. Among the heathen will be found idols to represent their concepts of God, and some of these are more horrid than any human mind could conceive, apparently trying to make idols as bad in looks as they believe their gods to be in fact.
Thus the conflict—the greatest conflict that has ever raged in the minds of men—is about God!
One author has said, “No science is equal to the science that reveals the character of God.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 393.
"--The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God’s government;
--He desires only the service of love;
--and love cannot be commanded;
--it cannot be won by force or authority.
--Only by love is love awakened.
--To know God is to love Him;
*His character must be manifested in contrast to the character of Satan.
------This work only one Being in all the universe could do.
Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it known.
Upon the world’s dark night the Sun of Righteousness must rise, ‘with healing in His wings’ (Malachi 4:2).” The Desire of Ages, 22."
StepsToLife
--certain ideas cause men to hate God;
--others to serve Him from fear;
--and others inspire men to adore Him so ardently that they delight to do His will and wish they could spend an eternity with Him.
Go back in time about 6,000 years to an Eden home of perfect bliss ....
But an enemy came, saying,
2 You will enter a higher state—become like God—if you eat the fruit; He is keeping from you that which is for your good; He is hindering your advancement;
3 He has placed a very strict regulation around you forbidding you to do the things which are for your good; such regulations are unjust; He is not fair with you.
4 In thus treating you He is curtailing your liberty—your rights; He is a tyrant!
5 If He were infinite in wisdom, as He says He is, He would know better than to manage His affairs of state like this; He would change His methods.
Thus he gave to Eve a false description of God to change her concept of Him so as to change her attitude toward Him so she would cease to serve Him and turn against Him.
--That experience was the beginning of all false concepts of God in this world.
From that day until this, Satan has sought to make the service of God seem undesirable by putting Him and His ideas in a false light. Among the heathen will be found idols to represent their concepts of God, and some of these are more horrid than any human mind could conceive, apparently trying to make idols as bad in looks as they believe their gods to be in fact.
Thus the conflict—the greatest conflict that has ever raged in the minds of men—is about God!
One author has said, “No science is equal to the science that reveals the character of God.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 393.
"--The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God’s government;
--He desires only the service of love;
--and love cannot be commanded;
--it cannot be won by force or authority.
--Only by love is love awakened.
--To know God is to love Him;
*His character must be manifested in contrast to the character of Satan.
------This work only one Being in all the universe could do.
Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it known.
Upon the world’s dark night the Sun of Righteousness must rise, ‘with healing in His wings’ (Malachi 4:2).” The Desire of Ages, 22."
StepsToLife