The biblical account of the "Fallen Angel", the Devil, is, in some ways analogous with the story of humans. The Devil's punishment for defying God was banishment to a place where he had the authority over humans who, like himself, defied and challenged the ultimate authority of God. Apparently, the Devil, was never contrite and refused God's forgiveness, like so many humans.
I don't know why, and I am not sure the catechism's explanation is complete, God created man. He had created what you would think would be perfect beings, Angels, yet, some disobeyed and rebelled against Him. What He had in mind when He created less perfect beings is hard to even guess at. Perhaps he thought that unlike the Angels, who existed before there was a Hell and could not imagine their punishment, humans would, knowing there would be consequences, be better behaved and live by his standards, much like we give our children a set of rules. which he gave us through Moses and reenforced by Christ. Was He ever wrong. Probably the only mistake He ever made.
Like the Angels, we have a free will to choose how we will live. We can choose to be good or bad but He knew we would sometimes make the wrong choice but immediately would want to take it back, so he gave us a way to erase it if we were really sorry and would sincerely try to not repeat it.
To show His sincerity, He offered Himself, through His Son ( Somebody had to watch the store), to show us how much he wanted us to succeed and join Him in Heaven some day. Through His sacrifice in allowing Himself to be crucified because of the things he taught us, He showed us that He meant what he had preached and wanted us to defend them to the same extent. He gave us a way to become "clean" again, We must be a real disappointment to Him. Those thousands of Christians who are being slaughtered in the Middle East show more courage in defending their faith than most western Christians who have succumbed to materialistic secularism. "After all", we justify, "it is 2015". The rules haven't changed.
Easter reminds us that even though we are all sinners, we can be redeemed because of Christ's love for us and can some day rise with Him to our Father in Heaven.
I don't know why, and I am not sure the catechism's explanation is complete, God created man. He had created what you would think would be perfect beings, Angels, yet, some disobeyed and rebelled against Him. What He had in mind when He created less perfect beings is hard to even guess at. Perhaps he thought that unlike the Angels, who existed before there was a Hell and could not imagine their punishment, humans would, knowing there would be consequences, be better behaved and live by his standards, much like we give our children a set of rules. which he gave us through Moses and reenforced by Christ. Was He ever wrong. Probably the only mistake He ever made.
Like the Angels, we have a free will to choose how we will live. We can choose to be good or bad but He knew we would sometimes make the wrong choice but immediately would want to take it back, so he gave us a way to erase it if we were really sorry and would sincerely try to not repeat it.
To show His sincerity, He offered Himself, through His Son ( Somebody had to watch the store), to show us how much he wanted us to succeed and join Him in Heaven some day. Through His sacrifice in allowing Himself to be crucified because of the things he taught us, He showed us that He meant what he had preached and wanted us to defend them to the same extent. He gave us a way to become "clean" again, We must be a real disappointment to Him. Those thousands of Christians who are being slaughtered in the Middle East show more courage in defending their faith than most western Christians who have succumbed to materialistic secularism. "After all", we justify, "it is 2015". The rules haven't changed.
Easter reminds us that even though we are all sinners, we can be redeemed because of Christ's love for us and can some day rise with Him to our Father in Heaven.
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