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cooperatively, rather t han with
antagonism, hostility or threats of
retaliation. One could also call the
give way t he
/ove
way of life .
All competition is not wrong.
Beneficia! compet ition can exist
when persons are self-motivated to
strive for the highest good and
development
of everyone.
"Iron sharpeneth iron," says
Scripture (Prov. 27:17). When indi–
viduals are inspired to improve
themselves because of the good
example of another and the benefits
they derive from the right way of
living, that's healthy compet ition.
lt's worth promoting. But those
blessed with more abilities or who
have achieved greater accomplish–
ments must realize they have the
responsibility to help and inspi re
others to achieve higher standards of
living.
T he destructive competitive spir–
it, by contrast, wants to "get all the
marbles" and it's too bad if others
get hurt or left behind in the pro–
cess.
Primary
Source
The father of the world's destructive
competitive spirit is none other than
Satan, a great fallen spirit being. The
Bible reveals him as "the prince of
the power of the air," who bombards
unsuspecting minds
with his alti–
tudes
(Eph. 2:2-3).
But leading educators and econo–
mists today don't see bis influence
on human minds at al!. To even
postulate in a forum of world econ–
omists such a spirit being influenc–
ing mankind, is to be ridiculed and
labeled a lunatic.
But the God of the universe, who
made all things, reveals to man in
the Bible the real cause of competi–
tive human nature.
Once there was no destructive
competitive spirit anywhere in the
earth-or universe. Scripture re–
veals that, before his rebellion
against God, Satan was called
Light-bringer- Lucifer in Latin.
Lucifer was an archangel, the
most beautiful and intelligent being
created by God. He was to be the
bringer of God's truth, God's way
of life to the earth.
But Lucifer allowed his beauty
and brilliance of intellect to be
filled with jealousy and the spirit of
competition with God. He wanted
June / J uly 1982
to exalt his throne, which God had
given him over the earth, to the
leve! of God's t hrone. He wanted to
knock God off his throne by war
and aggression. His mind and rea–
soning became perverted.
Lucifer led a host of angels whom
he swayed with his attitude into
rebellion against their Maker. But
they were hurled back to earth.
Lucifer's name was changed to
Satan, meaning Adversary. His fall–
en angels became demons. T hese
events are revealed in Isaiah 14:12-
15, Ezekiel 28:12-17 and Luke
10:18.
God had originally created a per–
fect and beautiful earth (Gen. 1:1
and Job 38:4-7) . But Satan's hostile
and competitive nature led him to
retalíate
against God's beautiful cre–
at ion. He destroyed the surface of
the earth. This is the cause of the
destruction described in Genesis l :2.
The first two chapters of Genesis
describe God's re-creation of the
earth to a habitable condition and
the creation of the first man and
woman, Adam and Eve. These chap–
ters reveal God talked directly with
Adam and Eve. He gave them many
personal instructions in the way to
live.
But Satan at the first opportunity
implanted in the first couple atti–
tudes. of disbelief, doubt and rebel–
lion against God (Gen. 3). They
didn't resist Satan's thoughts. They
chose to disbelieve God and experi-
ment for themselves. They diso–
beyed and took (stole) of the "tree of
the knowledge of good and evil."
They chose to decide for themselves
what was good and evil.
For their rebellion and rejection
of God's ways, God cut them off
from access to his Spirit-the way
of love or give-symbolized by the
' 'tree of life."
All this knowledge is critica! to
understanding this evil world
today!
God decreed that manki nd
would be allowed to live its own
ways of life for 6,000 years under
Satan's sway. God would intervene
only to fulfill his pu rposes and plan.
T he Scriptures reveal Satan has
deceived and misled all mankind
(Rev.
12:9).
T he first sons of Adam and
Eve- Cain and Abel-chose to fol–
low diametrically opposite ways of
life. Abe! feared and obeyed God.
He was led by God's Spirit and was
called "righteous Abe!" (Matt.
23:35) . But Cain "was of tbe evil
one"
(I
John 3:12, RSV).
Cain became jealous and angry
because his ways didn't please God
as Abel's did. The resentful atti–
t ude in Cain caused him to rise up,
retaliate and kili his brother. When
God asked Caín where bis brother
was, Caín snorted back the answer,
"Am
1
my brother's keeper?"
(Gen. 4:9).
That spirit in Cain- which was
27