Biblical Principles
Principle 1
The existence of God is expressed by the generic name ‘YHWH’. It is from the Hebrew verb ‘to be’. When God said to Moses, “I am who I am” (Exod. 3:14; 6:2-3): It is translated from the Hebrew phrase ‘ehyeh asher ehyeh’. Its root idea is of independent existence. It affirms that God is ‘He is’. He is in a supreme state (being self-existent) that no other being is (Neh. 9:6; Isa. 45:5-6; 18b). Such a unique difference is due to this - His being is found in Himself.
‘The Lord is the Almighty’ is a divinely inspired belief throughout the Bible. The LORD is the eternally self-existent One. He is because He is. He is called the Almighty (Exod. 6:3, Ruth 1:21; Joel 1:15; 2 Cor. 6:18; Rev. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7). ‘Being the Almighty’ conveys the truth that the complete and incomparable power is inherent within His own existence, which is beyond the reach of any known beings.
“I am the LORD and there is no other” (Isa 45:18b). There is none who can create the universe (Isa 45:18a). That is precisely the reason that the Lord says He is the only Creator (Isa 45:18a; 48:12-13; Jer 10:11-13). To say Satan is self-existent is equal to saying He has the power to create the universe. This is a damning statement on the Lord and makes Him a liar.
Principle 2
Looking at the teaching of Elder John, it is clear that Satan sinned from the beginning (1 Jn. 3:8). He has been the first to violate the command (law) of the Lord, as John teaches that sin is lawlessness (1 Jn. 3:4). Clearly, in the beginning he was made to be subject under the rule of God.
Jude teaches that angels who do not keep their proper domain were cast into the chain of darkness (Jude 6). They have left the positions in which God has put them. In the case of the evil one, he became puffed up. That is why Paul warns that a novice should not be given the role of a presbytery for fear of falling into the condemnation of the devil (1 Tim 3:7), should he become proud. The teaching of Paul is expressly clear about Satan is under the dictate of a higher power. Otherwise, there is no reason for him to be judged and condemned.
Principle 3
Eternity is an idea introduced in the space and time continuum. God is before everything and His fullness fills all in all. Since eternity, like ‘the beginning’, is part of the all things, it has to be created by God, and thus, He is before it.
‘The beginning’ has to be used accurately and precisely according to each context. For example, John says Satan was a murderer from the beginning (Jn. 8:44). Does it mean that before the universe, in his own existence, he committed murder? This does not make sense biblically. The murder here is one in the physical world. In this case, he instigated the murder of Abel through Cain. Even if one insists that this is not the case, it will end up saying that he has sinned by murdering a being from the beginning, which the Bible does not talk about. In which case, he still sinned, not as ‘the self-existence of Satan’ (SS) proposed, but rather, he existed in a form of sin. So, the two usages of ‘the beginning’ cannot be put on par as being equal in existence.
Principle 4
The teachings of the Bible are not based upon human suppositions or logical deductions. Neither are they founded on assumptive arguments. Whatever the Bible teaches is always clear and verifiable by other parts of the Bible. Since God is an infinite God, it is utterly wrong to suggest that He does not know the deeds of the wicked before they are committed.
There are many examples which state otherwise. In Deuteronomy, before Moses died, God told him that the people of God would commit harlotry with the locals after they had gained entry into the land (Deut. 31:16). Is this not the foreknowledge of God of evil deeds before they are done at its clearest fore?
In Revelation, God forewarned the church at Smyrna that Satan was about to strike. For that reason, God sent a messenger to warn the church of this impending strike from Satan (Rev. 2:10). Again is this not an unquestionable foreknowledge of God of evil before it is done?
With the above biblical proofs, is it wrong to claim that God did not know beforehand that Adam would sin against Him? Does this make God a wicked God on account of knowing what He would create would sin against Him? Surely, it cannot be right for us to fit God’s function into our mode of thinking.
Principle 5
The Bible clearly tells us that the earth is for man to live in (Isa. 45:18). Being the Supreme Being, He has created the earth for man to enjoy and to have dominion over all the creatures (Gen 1:26, 28). This is the unquestionable intent of the Lord.
The Lord had glory even before the world was (Jn. 17:5). The universe has been created to declare the glory of the Lord (Ps. 19:1). For God alone is to be glorified, none must usurp the glory of the Lord (Ps 29:1-2; 96:8; 115:1). He is above all gods, and none is like Him in any sense (Ps. 95:3; 96:4; 97:9).
With the word of God, the universe was created. Through the existence of the universe, the knowledge of the Lord (Ps. 19:2) is revealed. The operation of the universe, in an orderly manner, shows how great the wisdom of the Lord is. With the same word, the universe is sustained (2 Pet. 3:7).
To say that the existence of the universe serves as a battle ground to destroy Satan is going against the very nature of the Lord. The creation of the universe demonstrates the mercy of the Lord (Ps. 136:5). Coming in the flesh into the world to defeat Satan is hugely different from creating the universe as a battle ground to defeat Satan. The former demonstrates the mercy and the love of the Lord, but the latter depicts the Lord to be a shrewd strategist, and worst still, a heartless perpetrator to achieve His end at the loss of countless souls.