Evil in the heavenly realms

[postroad]

All authority was given to Jesus according to his recorded conversation. He also said that Satan had been cast out. Another text has the rebellious angels chained in hell.

Paul has them still in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.


Yet Jude indicated that spiritual powers still inhabiting the heavenly realms and were due proper veneration.

Jude 8-10 New International Version (NIV)

8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!�[a]

Peter has these entities under the authority of Jesus.
Ok
1 Peter 3:22
who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Paul claims that through Jesus himself all these came into being.

Colossians 1:15-17 New International Version (NIV)

The Supremacy of the Son of God
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

How can anyone claim that these powers act against the very thing that created and sustains them?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 10 by ttruscott]

So implied Satan the Devil.

The reality is that nobody but God is free in the absolute, and even He self imposes constraints. All God's creatures are free in the relative, so no they were not free to transform themselves into a banana nor free to jump from a great height without breaking their necks. But they would have been free from sickness and death, free from crime, cancer, debilitating old age, homelessness, free poverty, pollution, war, anxiety, freedom from racism and taxes.... and that freedom is what they gave up; for themselves and their children.

I for one am not liking them apples.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:17

Where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom.�

JW

To learn more please go to other posts related to...

FREE WILL, THE ORIGINAL SIN and ... THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND BAD

[ttruscott]

[Replying to post 10 by ttruscott]

So implied Satan the Devil.

Ooooooohhh, scathing attack. With no support.

The reality is that nobody but God is free in the absolute, and even He self imposes constraints. All God's creatures are free in the relative, so no they were not free to transform themselves into a banana nor free to jump from a great height without breaking their necks.

Umm, I left such considerations behind in high school because they have nothing to do with free will WHICH IS THE ABILITY TO CHOSE NOT THE ABILITY TO FULFILL THEIR CHOICE!!!

You suddenly talk about the free ability to fulfill any choice and call it free will....? A free will is the ability to choose what you want without coercion for or against what you want within the scope of the choice you face.

[JehovahsWitness]

As long as they are constrained by restraints their will is NOT free, no matter how much they can do as they please.

A free will is the ability to choose what you want without coercion for or against what you want within the scope of the choice you face.

SCOPE: space or opportunity for unhampered motion, activity, or thought
3 : extent of treatment, activity, or influence
4 : range of operation:


RANGE: The limits of a series : the distance or extent between possible extremes;the space or extent included, covered, or used : SCOPE
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/range

By your own definition free will exists within certain limits/constraints , for that is what "scope" means, it's the range between or the space to operate within certain defined limits.

Free Will to do as they please within the [strike]limits[/strike] scope imposed by the supreme ruler of the universe.

Given the above would you be so kind as to clarify why you are attempting to challenge what I said?


JW

[ttruscott]

A free will is the ability to choose what you want without coercion for or against what you want within the scope of the choice you face.

Given the above would you be so kind as to clarify why you are attempting to challenge what I said? JW

The scope of the choice refers only to the question being discussed: will you go left or right for instance...which doesn't include the direction up. It does not refer to the limits placed upon our response by HIS determination of anything by limiting our scope.

Our lack of a free will on earth is due to our sinfulness, not HIS decree against free will.