3-The Origin Of Evil - NIV

1. God Is Love.
1 John 4:8 _Whoever_ does not love does not know God, _because_ God is love.

2. The Enemy of God and Man.
Matthew 13:24-28 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. [25] But while _everyone_ was _sleeping_, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. [26] When the wheat _sprouted_ and formed heads, then the weeds also _appeared_. [27] "The _owner's_ servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' [28] " 'An enemy did this,' he _replied_. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'

3. Lucifer Was Once Part of Heaven.
Ezekiel 28:12-17 "Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the _Sovereign_ LORD says: " 'You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. [13] You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, _chrysolite_, onyx and jasper, sapphire, _turquoise_ and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. [14] You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. [15] You were _blameless_ in your ways from the day you were created till _wickedness_ was found in you. [16] Through your _widespread_ trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in _disgrace_ from the mount of God, and I _expelled_ you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. [17] Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you _corrupted_ your wisdom because of your _splendor_. So I threw you to the earth; I made a _spectacle_ of you before kings.

4. Lucifer Wanted to Exalt Himself.
Isaiah 14:12-14 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the _nations_! [13] You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit _enthroned_ on the mount of _assembly_, on the utmost _heights_ of the sacred _mountain_. [14] I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."

5. War in Heaven and Satan (Lucifer) Cast Out.
Revelation 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven. _Michael_ and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. [8] But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. [9] The great dragon was hurled down--that _ancient_ _serpent_ called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world _astray_. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Luke 10:18 He _replied_, "I saw Satan fall like _lightning_ from heaven.

6. God Created Man in His Image.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and _female_ he created _them_.

7. Sin Lead to Mistrust, Separation, and Death.
Genesis 3:1-7 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" [2] The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, [3] but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " [4] "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. [5] "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, _knowing_ good and evil." [6] When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and _pleasing_ to the eye, and also _desirable_ for _gaining_ _wisdom_, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her _husband_, who was with her, and he ate it. [7] Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they _realized_ they were naked; so they sewed fig _leaves_ _together_ and made _coverings_ for _themselves_.

Isaiah 59:1-2 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. [2] But your _iniquities_ have _separated_ you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is _eternal_ life in _Christ_ Jesus our Lord.

8. The Nature of Man Changed.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is _deceitful_ above all things and beyond cure. Who can _understand_ it?

9. The Entire Human Race Was Affected.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin _entered_ the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, _because_ all sinned--

Romans 6:16 Don't you know that when you offer _yourselves_ to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to _righteousness_?

10. Jesus Took Man's Nature and Was Victorious.
Hebrews 2:14-17 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their _humanity_ so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- [15] and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. [16] For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's _descendants_. [17] For this reason he had to be made like his _brothers_ in every way, in order that he might become a _merciful_ and _faithful_ high priest in service to God, and that he might make _atonement_ for the sins of the people.

Romans 5:17-19 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant _provision_ of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. [18] _Consequently_, just as the result of one trespass was _condemnation_ for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was _justification_ that brings life for all men. [19] For just as through the dis_obedience_ of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the _obedience_ of the one man the many will be made righteous.

11. Through Jesus Salvation Is Ours As a Gift.
Romans 3:24-25 And are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to _demonstrate_ his justice, because in his _forbearance_ he had left the sins committed _beforehand_ unpunished--

12. Jesus Is with Us.
Isaiah 41:13 For I am the LORD, your God, who _takes_ hold of your _right_ hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

13. Satan Will Be Destroyed.
Ezekiel 28:17-18 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a _spectacle_ of you before kings. [18] By your many sins and _dishonest_ trade you have _desecrated_ your _sanctuaries_. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching.

14. Our God Will Make All Things New.
Revelation 21:1-5 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. [2] I saw the Holy City, the new _Jerusalem_, coming down out of heaven from God, _prepared_ as a bride beautifully _dressed_ for her _husband_. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the _dwelling_ of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God _himself_ will be with them and be their God. [4] He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or _mourning_ or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." [5] He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making _everything_ new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are _trustworthy_ and true."

15. Sin Will Never Be Again.
Nahum 1:9 _Whatever_ they plot against the LORD he will bring to an end; _trouble_ will not come a second time.

Next Bible Study: 4-Prophecies Of The Messiah

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