In a sinless universe, do you think things would continue functioning flawlessly without God's participation?

Ananias and Sapphira wished to be regarded as giving all, and yet keep part. In order to do this, they falsified. Both of them agreed to practice deception, but they did it at the cost of their lives. God struck them both with death. Thus He passed judgment on those who, while His grace and light and power were working, dared to commit sin against the Holy Spirit. This God did to warn the believers against fraud and deception and every species of dishonesty. He knew that doors of temptation would open before those who were bringing in of their means to sustain His cause. He knew that those not under the control of His Spirit would be tempted to work as they had done before they were brought under gospel principles. Some would think that they were not paid sufficient for their work, and would appropriate money or goods to supply this fancied deficiency. This would bring in untold evil. {13MR 188.4}

The mother's heart was filled with joy and praise, and she longed to pour forth her gratitude to God. The Spirit of Inspiration came upon her; "and Hannah prayed, and said:


"My heart rejoiceth in the Lord;
Mine horn is exalted in the Lord;
My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies;
Because I rejoice in Thy salvation.
There is none holy as the Lord:
For there is none beside Thee:
Neither is there any rock like our God.
Talk no more so exceeding proudly;
Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth;
For Jehovah is a God of knowledge,
And by Him actions are weighed. . . .
The Lord killeth, and maketh alive:
He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich:
He bringeth low, and lifteth up.
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,
And lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill,
To set them among princes,
And to make them inherit the throne of glory:
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,
And He hath set the world upon them.
He will keep the feet of His saints,
And the wicked shall be silent in darkness;
For by strength shall no man prevail.
The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;
Out of heaven shall He thunder upon them:
The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth;
And He shall give strength unto His king,
And exalt the horn of His anointed." {PP 571.2}
Hannah's words were prophetic, both of David, who should reign as king of Israel, and of the Messiah, the Lord's Anointed. Referring first to the boasting of an insolent and contentious woman, the song points to the destruction of the enemies of God and the final triumph of His redeemed people. {PP 572.1}

I was pointed back to ancient Israel, held in bondage by the Egyptians. The Lord wrought by Moses and Aaron to deliver them. Miracles were performed before Pharaoh to convince him that these men were especially sent of God to bid him let Israel go. But Pharaoh's heart was hardened against the messengers of God, and he reasoned away the miracles performed by them. Then the Egyptians were made to feel God's judgments. They were visited with plagues, and while suffering under the effect of them, Pharaoh consented to let Israel go. But as soon as the cause of their suffering was removed, his heart was hardened. His counselors and mighty men strengthened themselves against God and endeavored to explain the plagues as the result of natural causes. Each visitation from God was more severe than the preceding one, yet they would not release the children of Israel until the angel of the Lord slew the first-born of the Egyptians. From the king upon the throne down to the most humble and lowly, there was wailing and mourning. Then Pharaoh commanded to let Israel go; but after the Egyptians had buried their dead, he repented that he had let Israel go. His counselors and mighty men tried to account for their bereavement. They would not admit that the visitation or judgment was from God, and therefore they pursued after the children of Israel. {1T 264.4}

Forbid them not, saith the Lord. They hear my message, and if they will heed my cautions and warnings they will not be led into Satan's snare, but will harmonize. Truth for this time is to make for itself a place. A decided message of warning must be borne, for before the Lord strikes, he will warn the church and the world. New York City is to be warned. And the rich men, those called men of power, will hear the last message of mercy.--Letter 158, 1901, pp. 1-3. (To Brother and Sister Haskell, October 31, 1901.) {6MR 238.5}

The principles of kindness, mercy, and love, taught and exemplified by our Saviour, are a transcript of the will and character of God. Christ declared that he taught nothing except that which he had received from his Father. The principles of the divine government are in perfect harmony with the Saviour's precept, "Love your enemies." God executes justice upon the wicked, for the good of the universe, and even for the good of those upon whom his judgments are visited. He would make them happy if he could do so in accordance with the laws of his government and the justice of his character. He surrounds them with the tokens of his love, he grants them a knowledge of his law, and follows them with the offers of his mercy; but they despise his love, make void his law, and reject his mercy. While constantly receiving his gifts, they dishonor the Giver; they hate God because they know that he abhors their sins. The Lord bears long with their perversity; but the decisive hour will come at last, when their destiny is to be decided. Will he then chain these rebels to his side? Will he force them to do his will? {GC88 542.1}
...They would welcome destruction, that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them. The destiny of the wicked is fixed by their own choice. Their exclusion from Heaven is voluntary with themselves, and just and merciful on the part of God. {GC88 542.3}
Like the waters of the flood, the fires of the great day declare God's verdict that the wicked are incurable. They have no disposition to submit to divine authority. Their will has been exercised in revolt; and when life is ended, it is too late to turn the current of their thoughts in the opposite direction, --too late to turn from transgression to obedience, from hatred to love. {GC88 543.1}
In sparing the life of Cain the murderer, God gave the world an example of what would be the result of permitting the sinner to live, to continue a course of unbridled iniquity. Through the influence of Cain's teaching and example, multitudes of his descendants were led into sin, until "the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence." [Genesis 6:5, 11.] {GC88 543.2}
In mercy to the world, God blotted out its wicked inhabitants in Noah's time. In mercy he destroyed the corrupt dwellers in Sodom. Through the deceptive power of Satan, the workers of iniquity obtain sympathy and admiration, and are thus constantly leading others to rebellion. It was so in Cain's and in Noah's day, and in the time of Abraham and Lot; it is so in our time. It is in mercy to the universe that God will finally destroy the rejecters of his grace. {GC88 543.3}
"The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." [Romans 6:23.] While life is the inheritance of the righteous, death is the portion of the wicked. Moses declared to Israel, "I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil." [Deuteronomy 30:15.] The death referred to in these scriptures is not that pronounced upon Adam, for all mankind suffer the penalty of his transgression. It is the "second death" that is placed in contrast with everlasting life. {GC88 544.1}
In consequence of Adam's sin, death passed upon the whole human race. All alike go down into the grave. And through the provisions of the plan of salvation, all are to be brought forth from their graves. "There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust;" [Acts 24:15.] "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." [1 Corinthians 15:22.] But a distinction is made between the two classes that are brought forth. "All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." [John 5:28,29.] They who have been "accounted worthy" of the resurrection of life are "Blessed and holy." "On such the second death hath no power." [Revelation 20:6.] But those who have not, through repentance and faith, secured pardon, must receive the penalty of transgression," "The wages of sin." They suffer punishment varying in duration and intensity, "according to their works," but finally ending in the second death. Since it is impossible for God, consistently with his justice and mercy, to save the sinner in his sins, he deprives him of the existence which his transgressions have forfeited, and of which he has proved himself unworthy. Says an inspired writer, "Yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be." And another declares, "They shall be as though they had not been." [Psalm 37:10; Obadiah 16.] Covered with infamy, they sink into hopeless, eternal oblivion. {GC88 544.2}
Thus will be made an end of sin, with all the woe and ruin which have resulted from it. Says the psalmist: "Thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name forever and ever. O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end." [Psalm 9:5, 6.] John, in the Revelation, looking forward to the eternal state, hears a universal anthem of praise, undisturbed by one note of discord. Every creature in Heaven and earth was heard ascribing glory to God. [Revelation 5:13.] There will then be no lost souls to blaspheme God, as they writhe in never-ending torment; no wretched beings in hell will mingle their shrieks with the songs of the saved. {GC88 545.1}

I must admire your ability to put things in a negative way when it comes to God's doing things, but I don't agree that God will force people to do things against their will.

My understanding is that force is contrary to the principle of God's government, and that His principles are of this order. If this were only true sometimes, then we should say instead something like "Generally speaking, force is not a principle of God's government. Usually the Lord's principles are not of this order. Generally speaking, compelling power is only to be found in the government of the enemy."

But Jesus repulsed the enemy, and forced him to depart, a conquered foe. {ST, August 19, 1886 par. 5}

Certainly if God were to act contrary to the principles of His government during the final judgment, the purpose of which is the vindication of God and His government, that would be irony of the highest order.

What will happen is that those who are wrong in what they think God's principles are will be corrected.

These bring out the importance that God ascribes to reason, which is because God respects free will so highly. In order for us to do things of our own free will, our reason must be involved. Otherwise, if reason is bypassed, our obedience becomes robotic and unthinking.
...
The position that God appeals to our reason when asking us to do His will, you consider as not obedience to Him, but obedience to self. If it is true that God does appeal to our reason in regards to obedience, then your paragraph here is indirectly an accusation against God.

Regarding your point about commanding versus requesting, the word I would use is "counsel." That is, God counsels us, and we choose whether to heed His counsel or not, since God does not force the will. If we choose not to, He does not arbitrarily punish us, because we didn't do what He said, but we suffer the consequences of setting aside His wise counsel.

My thinking is that the second law of thermodynamics has to do with inefficiencies, and that without sin things would run with 100% efficiency, hence the second law of thermodynamics wouldn't apply.

I think it's the fire that causes the heat, and I think the fire comes from the earth (molten lava and such).

If I'm using the same reasoning Ty uses, this doesn't matter, does it? That is, my point applies, that we can discuss the final judgment without discussing whether God has killed in the past.

So, would you say if I have good character, I can do any acts? Or are you saying a good character results in good acts? Which then comes around to whether the acts are good or not. Which then brings up that God and Satan do the same act of killing.

But really, it is not the same act. What was the sinful act that Eve did. I disagree with what you just said.