For what was the great controversy permitted to continue throughout the ages? Why was it that Satan's existence was not cut short at the outset of his rebellion? It was that the universe might be convinced of God's justice in His dealing with evil; that sin might receive eternal condemnation. In the plan of redemption there are heights and depths that eternity itself can never exhaust, marvels into which the angels desire to look. The redeemed only, of all created beings, have in their own experience known the actual conflict with sin; they have wrought with Christ, and, as even the angels could not do, have entered into the fellowship of His sufferings; will they have no testimony as to the science of redemption --nothing that will be of worth to unfallen beings?

Hvorfor fik den store strid lov til at fortsætte gennem tiderne? Hvad var grunden til, at Satans tilværelse ikke blev afbrudt ved begyndelsen til hans oprør? Det var, for at universet kunne blive overbevist om Guds retfærdighed i hans handlemåde over for det onde; for at synden kunne blive evigt fordømt. I frelsesplanen findes der højder og dybder, som ikke kan udgranskes selv i evigheden vidundere, som englene begærer at få indblik i. Blandt alle skabte væsener er det kun de frelste, som af egen erfaring har kendt den virkelige kamp mod synden. De har arbejdet sammen med Kristus og er blevet fælles med ham om hans lidelser på en måde, som selv englene ikke kunne blive det. Har de intet vidnesbyrd at aflægge om visdommen i frelsesplanen intet, der kan være af værdi for de ikke faldne skabninger?