Volume 52 | Number 3 | May–June 2024

Inglés Español

Self-Born Versus God-Created


By Dr. H. T. Spence

For the next two issues of Straightway, we draw from the words the Lord prayed late Thursday night on His way to the Mount of Olives:

Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him (John 17:1, 2).

From these opening words we read, “Thou hast given him power over all flesh.” Although the burden of these two issues will draw upon the word flesh and Christ’s authority over this unique power, we must begin with the creation of the angelic world, especially the creation of Lucifer. He would become the critical influence behind the beginning of the power of the flesh.

The Creation and Fall of Lucifer

One of the great biblical enigmas, as well as a source for continual debates throughout Church history, has been the subject of Satan. Who and what was this creature? Why did God create this powerful angel, knowing the outcome of this created being and the mysterious, overwhelming wickedness he would birth both in heaven and throughout the history of the earth? Yes, why did God create Satan? To approach this question from a biblical perspective, we must carefully view the few scriptures given concerning his beginning.

There are two important passages of Scripture for this opening insight: Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14. In these two passages the Holy Spirit couches the story in both proverb and lamentation. In Ezekiel 28 we read a lamentation, or a weeping, taken up upon the King of Tyrus (28:12); in Isaiah 14 we read a proverb taken up against the King of Babylon (14:4). In both of these passages, the prophets give particular insights into the mighty power behind the kings of Tyrus and Babylon.

The King of Tyrus is called both a prince (28:2) and a king (28:12). In verse 2 he declares, “I am a God, I sit in the seat of God.” In response, God declares, “Yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God.” As the chapter unfolds, we read of the exquisite description of this prince/king as well as the power behind this prince/king: Satan. Although he was perfect in all aspects of creation, something happened:

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee (28:15).

What was this iniquity that sprang forth? Note the response:

By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee (28:16, 17).

Isaiah 14:12–17 records the thoughts that came into this being’s heart before God:

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High (14:13, 14).

In Ezekiel 28 it seems we see the power and history behind the fall of the King of Tyrus. Is this an insight that God lamented the fall of Lucifer? Yet the description reveals the perfection of Lucifer, notwithstanding his fall before God. What was this perspective? He was created in the privilege of an anointed cherub, a covering of the Throne of God, and the highest beauty of creation. We read, “Thou hast” (28:13) and “Thou wast” (28:15). Oh, the perfections and glories that accompanied this creature at his creation and his divine appointment by God above all the angels. Perfection, anointing, coverings, beauty, and the Creator’s workmanship “till iniquity was found in thee” (28:15b). This creature was designed for beauty and for glory, as a doxology to God. Yes, he was perfect in his ways “till iniquity was found in thee [him].”

What happened to this creature? Isaiah 14 reveals that the will of this creature rose up against the will of God in the thoughts of his heart. It is not indicated that these were words declared vocally; these were the thoughts of this creature within his heart. Bringing these two chapters together, his thoughts were, “With all my beauty and glory, and perfection, I could be the one that is worshiped and glorified. Yea, I could be God.”

The Scriptures make it very clear that Lucifer was God-created, the shining one, the brilliant one, the beautiful one, a musical doxology to God. But, this creature, within his heart, with thoughts that united with his will, birthed another entity: Satan, the Adversary, and the Devil—the accuser and slanderer. Lucifer birthed or made another creature, another self.

In Luke 10:18 the Lord Jesus revealed He personally witnessed the fall of Lucifer in heaven: “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” The verb beheld is in the imperfect tense, indicating there was a process in the present tense of beholding him that led up to the crisis, aorist-tense “fall.” Did God create Satan? No, He created the perfect creature Lucifer. Lucifer himself birthed Satan, the Devil. Satan was self-born. This is an enigma that often has marked the history of nations, such as Tyre and Babylon.

The Enigma of Israel

The prophet Isaiah unveils an unusual parable in chapter 5 concerning the nation of Israel. A song is taken up of the Lord and His vineyard planted on a very fruitful hill. In the Hebrew language the hill is called Ben Shemen, or “son of oil.” A sorek (“choicest”) seed was planted that was guaranteed to bring about the choicest vine in the vineyard. A tower was built; a wine press was placed in the vineyard. The land was perfect, the seed was perfect, and the preparation was perfect. Yes, it seemed that the best of grapes must be the inevitable result. Shockingly, when the time came for harvest and the grapes were placed in the winepress (judged under the crushing feet), the fruit was revealed to be bushim grapes: “He looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes” (5:2); these wild grapes produced a bad smell. Isaiah 5:3, 4 states, “Judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?” The answer was obvious—nothing more could have been done! Although we are not told how this came about, there was no failure on the part of the owner.

The Enigma of King Saul

The life of King Saul, Israel’s first king, is yet another enigma found in the historical annals of Scripture. There is still debate among Bible commentators of whether Saul was a saved man. He is introduced to Bible history in 1 Samuel 9 when he was chosen by God to be the king of Israel. We read in chapter 10 of several impressive characteristics that are uniquely identified with him. First Samuel 10:7 states, “for God is with thee”; in 10:10, that the Spirit of God came upon him; in 10:9, that “God gave him another heart”; in 10:11, that “he prophesied among the prophets”; in 10:21, 22, that he “hid himself,” revealing himself to be a humble man; and in 10:27, that when the children of Belial refused to bring him gifts (acknowledging his having become king), “he held his peace” rather than retaliate against them. When Saul returned home, “there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched” (10:26). Tender words are written in 10:1, “Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?”

As his history unfolds, we see him projecting himself into the priestly office and offering the burnt offerings and peace offerings, which he should not have done. This necessitated the rebuke of the prophet Samuel; it is evident Saul’s spirit was changing. By the time of 1 Samuel 15, providence gave him another test to utterly exterminate the Amalekites, which he did not; furthermore, he was deceptive when Samuel inquired of the matter:

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king (15:22, 23).

From the day Saul sought a witch for help to his eventual thoughts of suicide, this man was in a life of darkness. An evil spirit sent by the Lord controlled his thinking; he was obsessed with hatred against David for the last thirteen years of his life. The world with its sympathy for such an individual may present a number of psychological reasons why this happened to Saul. They may even reason that Samuel was too hard on him, or he was under great pressure to do right.

Nevertheless, the Scriptures reveal what led to Saul’s destruction. He was a consistently disobedient man to God’s Word; he did not hearken to the things of God; he was a rebellious, obtuse, and stubborn man. Obedience is a crucial truth needed in walking with God; God can only be served from the heart, not through mere outward sacrifice. Saul became self-deceived; he boldly rejected the Word of the Lord for his rule in life. He came to believe truth a different way, from a perspective other than of God and His Word. He believed he had a right to go against God’s Word. Saul created himself! He became a self-centered man, consumed in his own desires and ambitions which alienated him from God.

The Enigmas Found Today

It is not considered unusual for a child to grow up in a drunkard’s home of foul-mouthed communication, lying, and cheating, and to become the same kind of person. Apart from a miracle of deliverance, such an end is typically assumed.

In the county jail some thirty-five years ago, I met a grandfather, a father, and a son who found themselves together in three different cells at the same time for drunk driving. There is no enigma in this, for the grandfather and the father became role models for the seventeen-year-old boy. The sad reality of that evening was that the grandson had never met the grandfather! This reunion took place in jail, when the three were arrested for drunk driving on three separate nights! Yes, there is no mystery in this situation.

Now, consider a child born in a loving, caring home with parents given to God and living in His precious will. The child in such a home is trained in the ways of God. Yet as he grows up, the concepts of life start to change from those which have been instilled in his heart. He leaves home, leaving the God of those parents and what was given in love to him or her.

Oh, the complexity of the concept of human thought! Babies do not initially reason; they experience only simple images upon the mind. But once a concept of language develops, thoughts form. These thoughts are rationally rather simple at the beginning. The more children learn, see, and take into the mind, the broader their conceptual thinking becomes.  There is a crisis point, a season in the life of the child when he or she begins to think. The child begins contemplating thought independently of what he was taught. This happens to all children, both in secular homes and Christian homes, when the heart of self begins to think independently from the father and mother. Such thoughts are influenced by heart and will. These thoughts are very powerful, with the potential of life now being viewed solely by self. A young person can grow up in a Christian home, a Bible church, and perhaps even rarer, attend a separatist Christian school. Yes, even taught and instilled with principles and concepts of God, that young person may still think independently through the powerful influence of self.

There may come a season, however, when the heart of self begins to re-adjust from what it has been taught. And by the time one becomes a young adult, he may retreat in heart from the most basic concepts of God and the clear biblical concept of what a true Christian is to be. Such young people are creating their own belief, even while they sit and hear the Word of God, the Truth. In their thoughts they create failures in others to justify their own failures. Through all of this secret thought life, they (child, teenager, young adult) birth a Christianity of their own; they are self-born. This possibility is not just confined to teenagers and young adults, but any Christian who secretly leaves God and the work of His Son will begin the process of backsliding. Then there will be the danger of changing truth in order to accommodate one’s backsliding. He will create new thoughts about the Christian life, about biblical separation, about biblical doctrine, and, ultimately, about truth and the Bible, and a pastor and teacher. The will and these thoughts begin to unite and bring about a self-born entity. He becomes a stranger to God and to God’s people. God did not make him this way; he is now a self-born enemy of God. Dear reader, this was even true of one who was an anointed cherub, covering the very throne of God. Oh, the power of self to alter truth into error and believe it to be the truth!

The Need of Psalm 51

We recall the historical story of David’s sin with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11. It is evident through that chapter how this precious king endeavored to cover his sin of adultery and, ultimately, the murder of Bathsheba’s husband Uriah. A child was conceived from this sin. The Lord’s providence permitted this sin to be hidden for nine months until the prophet Nathan confronted David at the birth of the child (2 Sam. 12). It is evident that David repented before the prophet and before the Lord immediately after the prophet declared, “Thou art the man.” It was then that David went before the Lord for seven days within the tent that he erected for the Ark when it was brought to Jerusalem on Mount Zion. We believe it was during this time that the king penned Psalm 51.

When David was confronted for this sin, he could have retaliated against God and even against Nathan the prophet. But Psalm 51 is the insight of this dear man’s cry of acknowledgment, keeping the record straight before others but especially before self. Another “David” could have been “born” at this time that would have altered his entire life away from God and away from the fullness of a life we know he experienced after his repentance and recovery.

What are the spiritual keys in this psalm concerning David? It is evident that this sin brought both sight and insight to David concerning the past of self. Self-born people do not see the continuity of life being lived. The tendency is to view life fragmented and in isolated pieces. There is no law, order, or design to their lives. But David looks back as if to say, “This is the way I have always been; I see this! I see myself.” And as the psalm unfolds, David knows what must be done to right his wrong. If a person ever leaves the creation of God of the self and creates his own self, it will not include God! He will not see what should be done! Yes, David knew what must be done: “Create in me a clean heart” (51:10); “Renew a right spirit in me” (51:10); “Cast me not away from thy presence” (51:11); “Uphold me” (51:12). The heart is the core of the self. This is why in Proverbs 23:26 the sage of Jerusalem declared, “My son, give me thine heart.” I am under a father, a natural father for a season of life. But I am always under a spiritual Father; His care is constant. I will not give obedience unless I see this precious relationship. A father-and-son relationship is not an enemy relationship, nor is it a slave relationship; it is a precious son relationship.

We must remember that the heart has many claimants. Even heaven and hell contend for our hearts. The world, with its riches, honors, and pleasures, is vying with the cry, “Give me thine heart!” And then, there is Satan who is calling us: “If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.” The Devil wants us to be as himself: self-born, away from God.

Conclusion

Yes, the Father of heaven is calling, “My son, give me thine heart.” Do we have a heart for God? Some may say, “I do not know what I am going to do with my life; I cannot make up my mind yet.” Oh, we must come to this very soon; later may be too late! We cannot live the Christian life if we have not given God our heart. Conviction must come to the heart in order to give all the heart to him! The heart must be given fully in order for the rest of our being to become His. God wants the heart as a gift given to Him, even though rightfully it is to be His. He deals with us, He convicts us, He draws us. At times He must strive with our will, but He wants all that we are, including the throne room of our being. Delilah told Samson when he would not tell her his secret, “How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me?” (Judg. 16:15). Before God the heart cannot be divided; before God it must only be broken. The heart is given either to self or to God. When the heart is regenerated, the love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost.

Dear reader, are you self-born or are you God-born? The potential of the transition is always there: will the heart and will unite in a process of time? Of utmost importance in your life is that you allow the power of Christ to deal with the self, in the heart and will. Will the danger of creating a self that is antithetical to the one that God created and intended for you become the reality?

May the Lord grant us discernment to see whether we are truly born of God into the Kingdom to conform us to His Son’s image, or if we are the product of being self-born. God must not only be dwelling in us, but He must also be working effectually in our hearts daily.