Although I’m sure I cannot imagine how busy you are, I have a favor to ask you. My dear friend and teammate Dave and I got into quite a long disagreement tonight. We were discussing the “Origin of Satan.” He was shocked and dismayed that I could believe that God created Satan as Satan from the beginning and not as an archangel who eventually fell from heaven because of his own pride, etc. I’ve also directed Dave to download the MP3 files on this topic as well, but he sent me the following email that I’d like you to respond to if you can. As you can tell from the information of his email below, I’m not nearly knowledgeable enough of Church history to give my own response. I made it very clear that you nor I are “Augustinian”! Could you respond to his email? Thank you so much Steve! May the Holy Spirit lead us into all Truth!
From Dave:
A FriendBelow you will find the result of an exhaustive set of the earliest references to the Fall of Satan in the Church. No other commentary was expressed in the first 300 years. I want to tell you that I can now see exactly where the view of God creating Satan evil comes from – Augustinianism. I am confident that if I look at Calvin and or other Augustinians (i.e. Luther) I would expect to find the perspective you articulated expressed.
At this point, I will go with Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen and Justin Martyr over and above Steve Gregg and whoever else might share his view – I’m in good company.
The apostate angel, having caused the disobedience of mankind by means of the serpent, imagined that he escaped the notice of the Lord. As a result, God assigned him the form and name [of a serpent]. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.462.
From this we learn that this was the apostate angel and the enemy. For he was envious of God's workmanship and took in hand to render this workmanship into something at enmity with God. For this reason, too, God has banished from His presence the one who of his own accord stealthily sowed the tares. I am referring to the one who brought about the transgression. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.524.
The devil was one of those angels who are placed over the spirit of the air. ...However, becoming envious of man, he was rendered an apostate from the divine law. ...The Word of God, however, the Maker of all things, conquered him by means of human nature. So, showing him to be an apostate, Christ has, on the contrary, put him under the power of man. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.553.
From where did this malice of lying and deceit towards man—and slandering of God—originate? Most certainly not from God! For He made the angel good after the fashion of His good works. Indeed, before he became the devil, he stood forth as the wisest of creatures. And wisdom is no evil. If you turn to the prophecy of Ezekiel, you will at once realize that this angel was good by creation. It was by choice that he became corrupt. For in the person of the prince of Tyre, it says things in reference to the devil. Tertullian (c. 207, W), 3.305.
Regarding the devil, his angels, and the opposing forces, the teaching of the Church is that these beings do indeed exist. However, the Church has not explained with sufficient clarity what they are, or how they exist. Most Christians, however, hold this opinion: that the devil was an angel and that, having become an apostate, he induced as many of the angels as possible to fall away with him. Origen (c. 225, E), 4.240.
We find in the prophet Ezekiel two prophecies written to the king of Tyre. ...The second is clearly of such a kind that it cannot be at all understood about a man. It must refer to some superior power who had fallen away from a higher position and had been reduced to a lower and worse condition. I will take from it an illustration by which it may be demonstrated with the utmost clearness that those opposing and malignant spiritual powers were not formed or created so by nature. Rather, they fell from a better to a worse position and were converted into wicked beings. ...Now, who could be supposed to be stainless from the very day of his creation? Of whom could it be said that wickedness was only afterwards discovered in him? Must this not be said of him who was cast forth upon the earth? ...I have shown, then, that what we have quoted regarding the king of Tyre from the prophet Ezekiel refers to an adverse power. And from this, it is most clearly proved that this power was formerly holy and happy. Origen (c. 225, E), 4.259.
“From the day when you were created with the cherubim, I placed you in the holy mountain of God.” Who could so water down the meaning of this passage so as to suppose that this language was referring to some man or saint—not to mention the prince of Tyre? Who could imagine that any man could live in the midst of fiery stones? Who could be supposed to be stainless from the very day of his creation, wickedness only being discovered in him at a later time? No, this must be said of someone who was cast down to the earth? ...I have shown, then, that what I have quoted concerning the prince of Tyre from the prophet Ezekiel refers to an adverse power. And it clearly shows that this power was once holy and happy. Yet, he fell from this state of happiness from the time that evil was found in him. So he was hurled to the earth. Yet, [this evil] was not in him by nature or by creation. I am of the opinion that these words are spoken of a certain angel who had received the office of governing the nation of Tyre. Origen (c. 225, E), 4.259.
He compares [Satan] to lightning and says that he fell from heaven. He shows by this that Satan had at one time been in heaven and had enjoyed a place among the saints. He had enjoyed a portion of that light in which all the saints participate, by which they are made angels of light. Origen (c. 225, E), 4.259.
In the prophecies of Ezekiel, the prince of Tyre is shown unmistakenly to be a type of spiritual power. Origen (c. 225, E), 4.335.
What is said about the ruler of Tyre cannot be understood of a certain man who ruled over Tyre. Origen (c. 225, E), 4.372.
“Behold a red dragon, having seven heads.” Now, that he says that this dragon was of a red color,...it was the result of his works that give him such a color. For, from the beginning, he was a murderer. And he has oppressed the entire human race. ...He seduced the third part of the angels who were subject to him, for he was still a ruler when he descended from his estate. ...He approached Jesus to tempt Him as man. But when he found that Jesus was not what he thought Him to be, he departed from Him. Victorinus (c. 280, W), 7.355.
God made another being, in whom the disposition of the divine origin did not remain. Therefore, he was infected with his own envy, as with poison. So he passed from good to evil. Through his own will, which had been given to him by God unfettered, he acquired for himself a contrary name. From this, it appears that the source of all evils is envy. For he envied his predecessor [i.e., the Son], who through His steadfastness is acceptable and dear to God the Father. This person, who from good became evil by his own act, is called by the Greeks diabolos [i.e., slanderer]. We call him the Accuser, for he reports to God the faults to which he himself entices us. Lactantius (c. 304-313, W), 7.52,53.
Certain of the angels, refusing to submit themselves to the commandment of God, resisted his will. And one of them indeed fell like a flash of lightning upon the earth. ...And that angel who was cast down to earth, finding no further admittance into any of the regions of heaven, now flaunts about among men, deceiving them and luring them to become transgressors like himself. Even to this day, he is an adversary to the commandments of God. ...For this reason, he has also obtained the name of “devil,” because he has passed over from the heavenly places and appeared on earth as the disparager of God's commandment. Disputation of Archelaus and Manes (c. 320, E), 6.205.
Concerning another opposing power, we are taught the following by the prophet Isaiah: The prophet says, “How is Lucifer, who used to arise in the morning, fallen from heaven!” ...Most evidently by these words a being is shown to have fallen from heaven—he who formerly was Lucifer, and who used to arise in the morning. For if he originally had a nature of darkness (as some think), how is it said that Lucifer existed this way before? Or how could he arise in the morning—if he had in himself nothing of the light? Nay, even the Savior Himself teaches us, saying of the devil, “Behold, I see Satan fallen from heaven like lightning.” For at one time he was light. Origen (c. 225, E), 4.259.
Lucifer, star of the morning, fell from heaven to be warred against and destroyed by Jesus. Origen (c. 228, E), 10.304.
Angels sinned and revolted from God. Justin Martyr (c. 160, E), 1.238.
An example of this are the angels, who renounced the beauty of God for a beauty that fades, and so fell from heaven to earth. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.274.
By our sacred books, we are instructed how from certain angels, who fell of their own free will, there sprang an even more wicked demon brood. Tertullian (c. 197, W), 3.36.
