I believe that everything God created was perfect, including everything that has now become evil. However, my view is that all living things were also holy and pure.
For living things to be holy and pure, it means that they cannot commit evil and they cannot think evil thoughts.
All living things, including God, the angels He created (divine beings) and human beings (mortals) have instincts. Instincts define a being's character and personality. Good instincts are things like love, patience, kindness, generosity, etc. Evil instincts are the opposite -- hatred, greed, arrogance, selfishness, lust, etc.
This relates to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, Galatians 5:16-26 and Colossians 3:5-11.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry . . .
Colossians 3:5-11
Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature . . .
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law . . .
Galatians 5:16-26
So, the question is, how did evil enter our universe?
One theory was that the angel Lucifer was the beginning of all evil.
Lucifer was one of the brightest, most beautiful and most handsome angels that God had created. He was also one of the most intelligent.
Intelligence doesn't mean that a person will never do evil. It's actually the other way around. It's a sign of intelligence for people to do either the right thing or to do the wrong thing. Good character is a sign of intelligence, but bad character is also a sign of intelligence.
So how did Lucifer become evil? He used his intelligence to justify evil. That made him feel smart about himself. He started to justify other kinds of evil too. What he did was actually quite dangerous. Sure, Lucifer was just showing off, but that also made him arrogant.
Lucifer even justified his own arrogance. King Solomon was very much like Lucifer in that he had abundant wisdom but he become too proud.
Lucifer and Solomon are examples of how
WISE GUYS can become corrupt. They become too wise for their own good.
In this sense Lucifer was perfect in what God made him to be, even to the point where Lucifer, by his own choice, becomes arrogant and corrupt.
Also, Lucifer was an angel. Angels are far more powerful than human beings, when they choose to change their character or personality, their choice is final.
He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 8:42-44
Lucifer became Satan, the Father of Lies. Lucifer, with his newfound ability to justify evil, deceived himself in believing that he could not become evil himself. By deceiving himself he became the Deceiver.
He caused Adam to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. So Adam inherits the
same newfound evil that
Lucifer already has.
From then until now he has continued this foolish and stupid behaviour and has come to be known as the Devil.
Satan is really serving God's purposes. We can learn from evil. If we have never seen hatred, selfishness, arrogance, greed, etc., how can we know how horrible it is?
We've seen what it does to the world. Evil may be a sign of intelligence and but it is also the stupidest kind of intelligence we will ever know. And yet we fall for it because we think we're so smart. Good and evil are the difference between true and false wisdom.
Evil must come first before we can be accepted into God's kingdom.
