Agreed?

Yes, and as I've said, I think GC gave a good explanation as to why.

Ellen gave the reasons why Jesus had to earn the right to pardon and save sinners in the following passages:

[Paul] lifted up Christ as One who hates sin and loves the sinner, the One who bore our sins that He might have full power and authority to impart to us His righteousness. {UL 342.4}

Mere forgiveness of sin is not the sole result of the death of Jesus. He made the infinite sacrifice not only that sin might be removed, but that human nature might be restored, rebeautified, reconstructed from its ruins, and made fit for the presence of God. (3SM 154)

Our salvation was wrought out by infinite suffering to the Son of God. His divine bosom received the anguish, the agony, the pain that the sinfulness of Adam brought upon the race. The heel of Christ was indeed bruised when His humanity suffered, and grief heavier than that which ever oppressed the beings He had created weighed down His soul as He was engaged in paying the vast debt which man owed to God. {HP 44.4}

On the cross of Calvary He paid the redemption price of the race. And thus He gained the right to take the captives from the grasp of the great deceiver, who, by a lie, framed against the government of God, caused the fall of man, and thus forfeited all claim to be called a loyal subject of God's glorious everlasting kingdom. {1SM 309.4}

Had they known that they were putting to torture One who had come to save the sinful race from eternal ruin, they would have been seized with remorse and horror. But their ignorance did not remove their guilt; for it was their privilege to know and accept Jesus as their Saviour. Some of them would yet see their sin, and repent, and be converted. Some by their impenitence would make it an impossibility for the prayer of Christ to be answered for them. Yet, just the same, God's purpose was reaching its fulfillment. Jesus was earning the right to become the advocate of men in the Father's presence. {DA 744.3}

Christ bore all this suffering in order to obtain the right to confer eternal righteousness upon as many as would believe on Him. {TDG 216.4}

To the believer, Christ is the resurrection and the life. In our Saviour the life that was lost through sin is restored; for He has life in Himself to quicken whom He will. He is invested with the right to give immortality. The life that He laid down in humanity, He takes up again, and gives to humanity. {DA 786.4}

Death entered the world because of transgression. But Christ gave His life that man should have another trial. He did not die on the cross to abolish the law of God, but to secure for man a second probation. He did not die to make sin an immortal attribute; He died to secure the right to destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. He suffered the full penalty of a broken law for the whole world. This He did, not that men might continue in transgression, but that they might return to their loyalty and keep God's commandments and His law as the apple of their eye. {TM 134.1}

There's too many to look at all of these, so let's try the alpha and the omega. Here's the alpha:



What is the "full power and authority" speaking of here? This is the very first question I asked on this thread.

GC addressed this issue in his posts. He pointed out that the authority is a moral one, on the basis of love.

Here's the omega:



Note the underlined portion. How is the devil, who had the power of death, destroyed?



You see that the destruction of the devil is related to:

1.Christ's taking our human nature.
2.Christ's death.
3.Delivering those who were in fear of bondage.

This isn't a physical destruction, but a destruction of ideas. That is, the devil enslaves us by false idea. He is destroyed (his ability to hold us in bondage) by being exposed.

Ellen White eloquently speaks to this point in "It Is Finished" (the chapter in the Desire of Ages which explains the meaning of Christ's death.)



This is how Satan was destroyed.

Notice that the casting down of Satan occurred when he was exposed. This is very significant.

In order to understand the casting down of Satan, we need to understand how he wields his power.



He relied upon deception to gain power. When the deception is unmasked, his power is broken.

Tom, you seem to have switched gears, changed to a new topic. Do you agree with me that the 8 short passages above, taken as a whole, make it clear that Jesus earned the right to save and pardon sinners and to restore paradise?

Yes, Jesus earned the right.

It's the same subject, MM. I'm explaining how Jesus earned the right. It's similar to what GC wrote.

I think if you proceed along the lines of asking what the problem is that needs to be solved, that's a good way to start. If you look at the DA passages I cited, they point out the problem.

Tom, the reason Jesus had to suffer and die to earn the right to pardon and save sinners and to punish and destroy the wicked is because law and justice demand death for sin. This aspect of law and justice cannot be dismissed simply because sinners cease to sin.

I think GC did a good job explaining what this means.

GC agrees with me. Do you agree with him?