“None of us liveth to himself.” Romans 14:7. This is a law of God in heaven and on earth. God is the great center. From Him all life proceeds. To Him all service, homage, and allegiance belong. For all created beings there is the one great principle of life—dependence upon and co-operation with God. The relationship existing in the pure family of God in heaven was to exist in the family of God on earth. Under God, Adam was to stand at the head of the earthly family to maintain the principles of the heavenly family. This would have brought peace and happiness. But the law that none “liveth to himself” Satan was determined to oppose. He desired to live for self. He sought to make himself a center of influence. It was this that incited rebellion in heaven, and it was man’s acceptance of this principle that brought sin on earth. When Adam sinned, man broke away from the heaven-ordained center. A demon became the central power in the world. Where God’s throne should have been, Satan had placed his throne. The world laid its homage, as a willing offering, at the feet of the enemy. {6T 236.1}

»Thi ingen af os lever for sig selv.« Rom.14,7. Det er Guds lov i himlen og på jorden. Gud er det store center. Fra ham kommer al liv. Ham tilkommer al tjeneste, hyldest og lydighed. For alle skabte væsener er der ét stort livsprincip: afhængighed af og samarbejde med Gud. Det forhold der var i Guds rene familie i himlen, skulle være i Guds familie på jorden. Adam skulle stå, under Gud, som hovedet for den jordiske familie og opretholde den himmelske families principper. Dette ville have bragt fred og lykke. Men loven at »ingen ... lever for sig selv,« var Satan opsat på at modarbejde. Han ønskede at leve for selvet. Han søgte at gøre sig selv til et center for indflydelse. Det var dét, der ansporede til oprør i himlen og det var menneskets accept af dette princip der bragte synd til jorden. Da Adam syndede, brød mennesket med det himmelsk forordnede center. En dæmon blev den centrale magt i verden. Hvor Guds trone burde have været, har Satan sat sin trone. Verden har lagt sin hyldest for fjendens fødder, som et villigt offer.