The way that I understand it, the devil does exist.
From what the Bible says, the devil was created as Lucifer, and was basically Heaven’s version of a super famous rockstar. He was the head of all music in Heaven, and was in a position over one third of all the angels in Heaven, which is a position termed by many to be an “Archangel”, or Chief Angel. It can get confusing, because there is also a sort of “species” of angel called an archangel. So I’ll use the term Chief Angel.
Now, angels are not dead people that led good lives, go to heaven, and grow wings and a halo. Angels are a specific type of creation; spirits that exist for a purpose. They declare what they see, they take messages to and from places, they have specific tasks, and exist to do the Will of God. Some are even described as being created to be living symbols of God’s power, glory, and grace. And though they are spirits, they are not Speaking Spirits, which is the Hebrew term for beings that are able to create things by hopeful thought, words spoken in love, and faithful actions. Man is the only being in creation described as a Speaking Spirit.
So, because angels are not dead people, and are not speaking spirits, they have no Creative Power. They cannot call things into existence like God did during creation. They cannot create works of art like humans can. But they are much like human spirits in every other way. They have free will, feelings, desires, emotions, they can talk and deliver messages, they communicate with one another, and with other beings. They are alive, and are capable of dying (in the sense that death is separation from God, not death as in a physical body that decays).
Lucifer, at some point in time, stopped following the Will of God, and began following his own desires and will. Lucifer wanted to be like God. Now, wanting to be like God is NOT a bad thing. If Lucifer had gone to the Father, it would have been fine. “Creator, you gave me life, and I want to be like you. Lead me, guide me, so that I can be like the Creator I so adore.” It says that God loved Lucifer dearly, just as God loves all his creations. If Lucifer had approached God with love, and humility, the devil would not exist.
But Lucifer did not do that. And since angels cannot create anything, the only way for Lucifer, in his own power, to be “like God”, was to mimic what God did, and then twist it by turning it backwards. Where Lucifer saw the Love of God to all creations, he twisted it into selfishness and pride; love of the self. And that pride deluded his mind, causing a rift between him and God. The Bible says that “iniquity was found within him.”
Now, the presence of God and the presence of Sin cannot exist in the same place. They are like polarized magnetic fields: they push each other away. And the greater force stays still, while the smaller force is flung away. When iniquity was found within Lucifer, he had already corrupted a third of the angels in Heaven. And because they could not exist in the presence of God, they were cast out, or sent flying, because of that sin within them.
At that moment, they died. They became separated from God, who is life. And that is why we call Lucifer things like “satan” or “the devil” now. Because Lucifer, the living angel, beloved creation of God, is dead. And all that is left is the devil. And that is also why I say that the devil is not a part of God; Lucifer was cut off from Life, and no longer exists in creation. Fallen angels exist in a lifeless, empty void that we call “hell”. It is not a part of creation, but rather the absence of creation. And it is where dead spirits, who are separated from God’s life, are sent; because they cannot exist in the presence of God.
Anonymous
MattBaumG
Dalek Karan
Melodys
.Eli.
r.holmes
Kmax
black rose (male)
Blest