In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and created man, giving him His breath of the spirit of life, that he might have full happiness, and live forever. Because of God's justice, man was subjected to a test of faith and obedience, before which he unfortunately exercised his free right of choice and fell, despising God's grace and light, and because of sin, he left the corruption, the Kingdom of Darkness and death enter the world. Man is a heavenly project that was made to succeed, not to fail. He should only have overcome the just test of faith imposed on him, as the future heir of the universe, so that he could prove his faithfulness and obedience, and be approved to actually inherit the full and unlimited life for which he was created and destined.
"Why, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed on all men, for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:12)
But God, full of tender love and mercy for the world, had already devised a plan of salvation for the human project, delivering His Son, from before the foundation of the world, to be the guarantor and legal substitute of the Adamic experiment, in case he failed in faith and obedience, rebelling against the Creator. Before God ordained this temporal dimension to come into existence, from eternity, He saw the heart of man and all that would happen, and was broken because of the destruction of His handiwork, and loved the world with eternal love, sending Christ into the world, who became man, even though without sin, so that he might then overcome the trial of divine justice for our redemption, living a life of faith and perfect obedience, dying for our sins and rising on the third day, that we might be forgiven, delivered, and raised from spiritual death to eternal life.
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation [offering] for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
From the fall of the first man, God began His blessed intervention through the ages to carry out His work of salvation for all who would believe, and since Eden, man and the world have entered into a state of divine experience and proof of faith, with a view to the coming and redemptive work of the Son of God for love of all who seek the truth and set their hearts for the Kingdom of God. When man accepted the Serpent's despicable slander and cast a final vow against the integrity of the Almighty Father of Light, he gave up everything in exchange for nothing, the eternal existence of happiness, harmony and justice in exchange for eternal destruction, and because of sin, this Universe and this world were already doomed to extermination. But, because of the love of God, and the work of Christ, which was to come, the Earth and the Kingdom of the World became a great testing ground of faith and heavenly experiment of hearts for the future and for the light, until the End of Times. This world is a fallen world. This life and this world now are but a probationary field of experience for eternity, which is the true future and the true life to come.
All that is happening here is a great conflict involving the Heavens and the Dark Powers of Destruction. All these tribulations, hatreds, wars, pains, sufferings, catastrophes, sorrows and deaths are the consequence of the unbelief and sin of the first man, who generated the whole world.
"I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:10)
Having God, from the beginning, intervened in the world, performing great acts of liberation and justice among His people, and manifesting His faithfulness and His power, finally sent His Son, Jesus, to carry out the work of our salvation and bring back His Kingdom among men. By the works of God, and by His wondrous acts of salvation, the testimony of His Word is being made manifest in the world, the confirmation that He is true, faithful, worthy, just and holy, the Almighty and Only God of Eternity, so that there is no excuse for all those who, having clearly seen His truth, remain unbelieving, loving darkness and justifying the lie.
"And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keep covenant and mercy with your servants that walk before you with all their heart." (1 Kings 8:23)
"If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin." (John 15:22)
God has been working in the world since the fall of Adam, and He continues to sustain everyone with His power, bestowing the Sun, the air for breathing, the weather, the rain, the fruitfulness of food on earth, the seasons, His goodness, His inspiration, His protective superior government, His intervention of merciful protection from heaven, His grace, His daily forgiveness, His patience, His light, His spirit of life, His Almighty Hand and His Word, so that all men, without any discrimination, may all have the opportunity to contemplate the divine works, to repent of evil deeds and to believe in His power to be saved.
He has been working powerfully in the world since the beginning of mankind's probationary time, acting actively, especially in the midst of His people, who are Israel, the Church and all who seek Him, so that all may know His Kingdom of Light and His Justice, that they may convert and be saved.
"Look to me, and be you saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:22)
Therefore, beloved brethren, this present life and this world are not to be loved as if they were forever, and also as regards the passing glories and pleasures of this evil age (all this evil time), and all this turmoil and illusion of covetousness that happens among unbelievers and that dances before our eyes trying to ensnare us and seduce us into sin. Meditate on how brief and temporary is our life and our passage through this world. So why are we going to invest our hearts' desire, our souls and our eternity in a single grain of sand, next to an eternal sea of dunes that awaits us in front of us? It doesn't mean that we shouldn't live, work, grow in knowledge, do good, give a good witness, be good and honest citizens, fight the good fight of faith and win in faith, persevering faithful to the end.
"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:11-12)
Yes, we must live, as born again of light and citizens of heaven. But we were begotten of God, in Christ, for eternal life, we are pilgrims and strangers on this earth, we do not belong to this world, but we belong to the Higher Kingdom of God, saved by Jesus Christ, God the Son, and we look forward to new heavens and a new Earth, an undying heavenly homeland, and a Kingdom of Eternal Light that is to come, and is very near. For all those who are saved, this life and this world is a great experiment in faith and an opportunity to live a life of obedience that glorifies God, practicing love and righteousness and obeying His Word to gain a good witness and become a winner in the light. The aim of our life is to obtain approval in Faith before God.
The children of God were not made to love this world, but to overcome it, glorify God and shine in righteousness, enduring tribulations and sufferings with patience and persevering faithfully until they complete their careers and obtain entry and permanent citizenship in the Kingdom of Heavens, for the life and righteousness of Christ, our Greatest Example, Forerunner and Master, by which we are freed, justified and saved through faith.
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you: But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ' sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy." (1 Peter 4:12-13)
After the fall of Adam, the Earth is no longer a permanent place of life, as if we were to live here forever, but it has become a great arena of a wondrous temporary spiritual conflict of faith and proof of faithfulness to test the hearts of all men who, because of Christ's work of redemption and the possibility of God's full forgiveness and salvation, have now, in this passing time, the opportunity to turn to God, overcome the world by doing righteousness, and become a Son of Light to inherit the future resurrection and eternal life, in the Heavenly Kingdom of Justice and Peace to come. Now, during this fleeting life of divine proof, everyone can freely choose between believing the truth or loving a lie, between practicing justice or selling themselves to impiety, between practicing love for their neighbor or locking themselves into selfishness thinking only of themselves, between suffer for obedience to the truth or enjoy the sweet baits of sin, and between recognizing Christ, accepting him as Lord, through faith, or surrendering to the Kingdom of Darkness, loving this apparent life as if it were forever, to the eternal destruction. Today is still the time for repentance, and today is still the time for salvation for all who turn to the truth, confessing the victory of peace and justice, conquered by the Son of God on the Cross.
"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found to praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ;" (1 Peter 1:7)
"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." (Revelation 21:7)
