Highest angel in heaven chooses self-exaltation; sin begins. – Ezekiel 28:14-18 – ¹⁴You were the anointed cherub who covers; established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. ¹⁵You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.” ¹⁶”By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones.” ¹⁷“Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you before kings, That they might gaze at you.” ¹⁸” defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the  iniquity of your trading; therefore I brought fire from your midst; it devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you.”

God’s Principles – and Satan’s
It was a being of wonderful power and glory that had set himself against God. Of Lucifer the Lord says, “Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12). Lucifer had been the covering cherub. He had stood in the light of God’s presence. He had been the highest of all created beings and had been foremost in revealing God’s purposes to the universe. After he sinned, his power to deceive was the more deceptive, and the unveiling of this character was the more difficult, because of the exalted position he had held with the Father. God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this. Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan’s government. The Lord’s principles are not of this order. His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God’s government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power. It was God’s purpose to place things on an eternal basis of security, and in the councils of heaven it was decided that time must be given for Satan to develop the principles which were the foundation of his system of government. He had claimed that these were superior to God’s principles. Time was given for the working of Satan’s principles, that they might be seen by the heavenly universe. DA 758, 759

Why Was Satan Spared
Satan is a deceiver. When he sinned in heaven, even the loyal angels did not fully discern his character. This was why God did not at once destroy Satan. Had He done so, the holy angels would not have perceived the justice and love of God. A doubt of God’s goodness would have been as evil seed that would yield the bitter fruit of sin and woe. Therefore, the author of evil was spared, fully to develop his character. COL 72

Love Versus Lies
Sin originated in self-seeking. Lucifer, the covering cherub, desired to be first in heaven. He sought to gain control of heavenly beings, to draw them away from their Creator, and to win their homage to himself. Therefore, he misrepresented God, attributing to Him the desire for self-exaltation. With his own evil characteristics, he sought to invest the loving Creator. Thus, he deceived angels. Thus, he deceived men. He led them to doubt the word of God, and to distrust His goodness. Because God is a God of justice and terrible majesty, Satan caused them to look upon Him as severe and unforgiving. Thus, he drew men to join him in rebellion against God. That the gloomy shadows might be lightened, that the world might be brought back to God, Satan’s deceptive power was to be broken. This could not be done by force. The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God’s government; He desires only the service of love; and love cannot be commanded; it cannot be won by force or authority. Only by love is love awakened. To know God is to love Him; His character must be manifested in contrast to the character of Satan. This work only one Being in all the universe could do. Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it known. Upon the world’s dark night the Sun of Righteousness must rise, “with healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2) DA 21, 22

Sin – Never Again
The whole universe will have become witnesses to the nature and results of sin. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels and dishonor to God, will now vindicate His love and establish His honor before the universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law. Never will evil again be manifest. Says the word of God: “Affliction shall not rise up the second time” (Nahum 1:9). GC 504

Pride leads to Lucifer’s fall. – Isaiah 14:12-14 – ¹²”How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! ¹³For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the starts of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; ¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’

Sin Begins With Lucifer
Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God and who stood highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven. Before his fall, Lucifer was first of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled… Lucifer might have remained in favor with God, beloved and honored by all the angelic host, exercising his noble powers to bless others and to glorify his Maker… Instead of seeking to make God supreme in the affections and allegiance of His creatures, it was Lucifer’s endeavor to win their service and homage to himself. GC 493, 494

The Circle of Love Is Broken, Part One
Pride in his glory nourished the desire for supremacy. The high honors conferred upon Lucifer were not appreciated as the gift of God and called forth no gratitude to the Creator. He gloried in his brightness and exaltation and aspired to be equal with God. He was beloved and reverenced by the heavenly host. Angels delighted to execute his commands, and he was clothed with wisdom and glory above them all… Working with mysterious secrecy, and for a time concealing his real purpose under an appearance of reverence for God, he endeavored to excite dissatisfaction concerning the laws that governed heavenly beings, intimating that they imposed an unnecessary restraint. Since their natures were holy, he urged that the angels should obey the dictates of their own will. He sought to create sympathy for himself by representing that God had dealt unjustly with him in bestowing supreme honor upon Christ. He claimed that in aspiring to greater power and honor he was not aiming at self-exaltation but was seeking to secure liberty for all the inhabitants of heaven, that by this means they might attain to a higher state of existence. God in His mercy bore long with Lucifer… Though he had forsaken his position as covering cherub, yet if he had been willing to return to God, acknowledging the Creator’s wisdom, and satisfied to fill the place appointed him in God’s great plan, he would have been reinstated in his office. But pride forbade him to submit. He persistently defended his own course, maintained that he had no need of repentance, and fully committed himself, in the great controversy, against his Maker. All the powers of his master mind were now bent to the work of deception, to secure the sympathy of the angels that had been under this command… All whom he could not subvert and bring fully to his side he accused of indifference to the interests of heavenly beings. The very work which he himself was doing he charged upon those who remained true to God. And to sustain his charge of God’s injustice towards him, he resorted to misrepresentation of the words and acts of the Creator. GC 495-497

The Circle of Love Is Broken, Part Two
God in His wisdom permitted Satan to carry forward his work, until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt. It was necessary for his plan to be fully developed, that their true nature and tendency might be seen by all… Until fully developed, sin would not appear the evil thing it was. Heretofore it had had no place in the universe of God, and holy beings had no conception of its nature and malignity. They could not discern the terrible consequences that would result from setting aside the divine law… In His dealing with sin, God could employ only righteousness and truth. Satan could use what God could not – flattery and deceit… Therefore, it must be demonstrated before the inhabitants of heaven, as well as of all the worlds, that God’s government was just, His law perfect. Satan had made it appear that he himself was seeking to promote the good of the universe. The true character of the usurper, and his real object, must be understood by all. He must have time to manifest himself by his wicked works… Had he been immediately blotted from existence, they would have served God from fear rather than from love. The influence of the deceiver would not have been fully destroyed, nor would the spirit of rebellion have been utterly eradicated. Evil must be permitted to come to maturity. For the good of the entire universe through ceaseless ages Satan must more fully develop his principles, that his charges against the divine government might be seen in their true light by all created beings, that the justice and mercy of God and the immutability of His law might forever be placed beyond all question. Satan’s rebellion was to be a lesson to the universe through all coming ages, a perpetual testimony to the nature and terrible results of sin. The working out of Satan’s rule, its effects upon both men and angels, would show what must be the fruit of setting aside the divine authority. GC 497-499

Lucifer goes to war against God and is cast out of heaven. – Revelation 12:7-9 – ⁷And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, ⁸but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. ⁹So the great dragon was cast out, the serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The God of Wisdom and Love
Had [Satan] been immediately blotted from existence, [the inhabitants of heaven and of other worlds] would have served God from fear rather than from love… Satan’ rebellion was to be a lesson to the universe through all coming ages, a perpetual testimony to the nature and terrible results of sin… When it was announced that with all his sympathizers he must be expelled from the abodes of bliss, then the rebel leader boldly avowed his contempt for the Creator’s law. GC 499

God tests Adam and Eve; states the penalty for failing. – Genesis 2:15-17 – ¹⁵The the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. ¹⁶And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Obey and Live
Like the angels, the dwellers in Eden had been placed upon probation; their happy estate could be retained only on condition of fidelity to the Creator’s law. They could obey and live or disobey and perish. God had made them the recipients of rich blessings; but should they disregard His will, He who spared not the angels that sinned, cold not spare them; transgression would forfeit His gifts and bring upon them misery and ruin. PP 53

Tragically, Adam and Eve fail the test and sin. – Genesis 3:6 – So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

God restates the penalty for choosing sin and self. – Genesis 3:19 – “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

All have sinned and come short of God’s perfect ideal. – Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Death penalty falls also on all Adam’s descendants. – Romans 5:12-14 – ¹²Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned – ¹³For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

The wages, or penalty, of sin, is death. – Romans 6:23 – The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Only the Gospel Can Free Us
The law reveals to man his sins, but it provides no remedy. While it promises life to the obedient, it declares that death is the portion of the transgressor. The gospel of Christ alone can free him from the condemnation of the defilement of sin. GC 467, 468

God sent His Son Jesus to die in out place. – John 3:16, 17 – 16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17FSor God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Christ did die for us as our Substitute. – Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Grace Only for the Unworthy
Grace is an attribute of God exercised toward underserving human beings. We did not seek for it, but it was sent in search of us. God rejoices to bestow His grace upon us, not because we are worthy, but because we are so utterly unworthy. Our only claim to His mercy is our great need. MH 161

Death through Adam, but life through Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:22 – For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

We receive Jesus as our Savior, by faith. – John 1:12 – But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, to those who believe in His name.

A Transcript of God’s Character
This power is not in the human agent. It is the power of God. When a soul receives Christ, he receives power to live the life of Christ. God requires perfection of His children. His law is a transcript of His own character, and it is the standard of all character. COL 314, 315

Salvation is a free gift, which we cannot earn by “being good.” – Ephesians 2:8, 9 & 8 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast.

When Christ Dwells in the Heart
There are those who profess to serve God, while they rely upon their own efforts to obey His law, to from a right character, and secure salvation. Their hearts are not moved by any deep sense of the love of Christ, but they seek to perform the duties of the Christian life as that which God requires of them in order to gain heaven. Such religion is worth nothing. When Christ dwells in the heart, the soul will bel so filled with love, with the joy of communion with Him, that it will cleave to Him; and in the contemplation of Him, self will bel forgotten. Love to Christ will be the spring of action. Those who feel the constraining love of God, do not ask how little may be given to meet the requirements of God; they do not ask for the lowest standard, but aim at perfect conformity to the will of their Redeemer. With earnest desire they yield all and manifest an interest proportionate to the value of the object which they seek. A profession of Christ without this deep love is mere talk, dry formality, and heavy drudgery. SC 44, 45