A theory on angels/the fall/morality/etc/

GOOD and EVIL, OBEDIENCE and DISOBEDIENCE

The major similarity between angels (before the rebellion) and human
beings (after the fall) is one of the knowledge of good and evil and
therefore obedience and disobedience.

HUMANS and ANGELS - the similarity

Both humans (Genesis 1:27) and angels ('sons of God') are created in
the image of God. The image of God for humans does not include
inherent moral judgement which only came by eating of the forbidden
fruit, but it does for angels. Angels do not go through a lifecycle so
they cannot learn anything, they cannot become more or less moral.

When Satan sinned, he knew what he was doing because he was created
with the knowledge of good and evil in him.
However, when Adam and Eve were created they were not created with the
knowledge of good and evil. Before eating from the tree of knowledge
of good and evil, they had no concept of right and wrong.

The knowledge of good and evil (a conscience) entered them when they
ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Immediately having received this conscience, they realised that they
had disobeyed God, and were ashamed, trying to cover up their nudity
with fig leaves and hiding from God walking around in the Garden.

HUMANS and ANGELS - the difference

The major difference between humans and angels, however, is that we
have spiritual bodies whereas they do not. It is interesting therefore
to note that the first humans received this knowledge through putting
forbidden fruit into their bodies, something that an angel - being
incorporeal - cannot do.

When Satan, as the serpent, tempted Adam and Eve he said, 'For God
knows that in the day that you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and
you will be likeGod, knowing good and evil.' (Genesis 3:5) In other
words, they would have a conscience and a concept of morality, like
angels, and God do. Unfortunately they will be entering this new form
of living through the backdoor of disobedience, rather than through
the narrow door of obedience to God's express commands.

IMAGE of GOD

So, it seems right to say that in terms of obedience to God, it
differs for both pre-fall humans and pre-rebellion angels in that
angels were made directly in God's image in the sense of already
possessing the knowledge of good and evil at the point of creation.

Humans, although in the image of God in another, more intimate sense,
were not created with moral knowledge - it was external to them at
that point. The image of God means something different, although I
cannot get into it here.

Conscience and a moral point of view came to humans externally butwith
angels it has always been internal.

POST-FALL HUMAN CONSCIENCE

Humans after the fall have this knowledge internally, although it is
not a perfect knowledge of good and evil, being somewhat distorted.

In other words, we have a conscience but it is not a perfect discerner
of truth, being warped by sin.

Whether God would have eternally forbidden eating from the tree of
knowledge of good and evil or waited for a point in time when Adam and
Eve were ready, is a matter of debate.

I'm sure I haven't explained myself fully here, but tell me what you
think. Let me know if you see any flaws in the argument.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Evil and Good, how many time are we going to discuss this?
    ... Humans like to fight each other. ... God and the Government compete for your distractions. ... The countries that score higher in the education ... I guess if I had to accept good and evil then ...
    (rec.org.mensa)
  • Re: Do you think?
    ... there an Evil One if God created all? ... vaporize or make it as if Satan had never ... There are nine orders of Angels to consider. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: The Vapor Canopy Model Resurrected
    ... third of the angels who rebelled against God. ... So the angels may have been exiled for thought crimes. ... many angels couldn't last this long, why would humans think they would ... "Evidence confirming an observation is ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: demons
    ... >> certain nature for God, and that nature of God doesn't seem ... > spiritual beings) were given some choice just as Adam did. ... If yes, then we're into the usual issue of choice vs omnipotence, but applied to angels instead of people. ... I find it striking that the descriptions of angels and the devil etc. in the Bible show all the mental/emotional characteristics of humans, but exaggerated, so that where humans have complex personalities, angels show either all the good traits or all the bad traits. ...
    (uk.religion.christian)
  • Re: "Dog-whistle Catholicism"
    ... you're saying God's design of humans was flawed. ... You're also implying that God didn't already know they were weak, ... sense - which said that to create beings with a higher level of free ... will than that of angels, so that they could repent after having ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)