Our God is a perfectly loving being. We learned that God created everyone with love, including sinners. But does God love Satan or have any affection for him, who, through his denial of God, became the cause of sin? How could God be perfect and pleasing if He does not love Satan?
The Bible’s portrayal of Satan[1] is the best way to determine whether or not God likes him. The Bible says that everyone is initially at odds with God. For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life” (Romans 5:10).
Key Takeaways
- God despises the fallen, sinful being Satan has become due to his pride and rebellion against God, despite originally creating him as a good, powerful angel.
- Although Satan retains some metaphysical goodness from his creation, God’s love for him is overshadowed by his moral failure and destructive actions against God’s creation.
- Satan, unredeemable and destined for judgment, contrasts with humanity, which can find redemption and love from God through repentance and faith.
Contents
Is Satan Totally Evil?
While Satan is entirely evil morally, he is not wholly wrong metaphysically. The Bible refers to Satan as “the evil one” (1 John 5:19), who is a liar by nature (John 8:44). There can be no good in Satan; after all, is he not entirely evil? He is undoubtedly wholly wrong morally, but not in a philosophical sense. Satan still possesses some of the goodness God bestowed upon him when he was a created angel, just as fallen humanity retains some of God’s image.
The Shining One
In actuality, Satan (meaning “Shining One”), the chief of all angels, was indeed created by God and was described in the Bible as powerful, intellectual, attractive, and extremely good. But Satan also has free will, which allows him to make decisions.
Like Adam, Satan had an option. He had the option of accepting that God was God or deciding that he would become God in his own right. He chose to rebel against God and proclaimed himself to be “Most High,” as evidenced by his repeated “I wills.”
Satan became arrogant because of his beauty, knowledge, and strength—all the positive qualities God had bestowed upon him. He rebelled and fell because of his hubris, but he never lost (and hence still possesses) any of his abilities or characteristics.
He spearheads a cosmic uprising against his Creator to determine who will become God. The Bible instructs us to oppose Satan and his nefarious plans (Ephesians 6:11). Additionally, since Satan opposes God’s people, Christians cannot love him.
Does God Love Satan?
Lucifer’s arrogance caused him to become Satan (the deceiver). This host of conceited, evil entities has been actively attempting to “steal, kill, and destroy” throughout God’s creation, battling against God’s plans and people at every turn. These have been proven wrong and are destined for the “lake of fire” mentioned in Revelation 19:20.
Although God does love the angel He created, He despises the fallen, sinful being he has become and the harm he causes to what is good, holy, pure, and just. Since the beginning, Satan has been lying, tricking people, and committing iniquity. He is the originator of all sins. There is no chance for Satan to be saved.
Because Of What Jesus Did For Us, Every Person Is Redeemable
No matter how sinful or distant from God a person may be, through repentance and faith, they can all be reconciled to God and adopted into His family. Where sin is prevalent, God’s grace is much more prevalent. This is Jonah’s message and the great repentance of the Ninevites in the face of God’s severe threat of judgment (Jonah 3:6–10).
How Could God Love Satan?
There is still some goodness left in some of Satan’s creations. There is enough room for God to adore Satan if he possesses even a little bit of the metaphysical goodness of God’s creation. Therefore, it is impossible to prove that God despises Satan. As a result, it would be reasonable to claim that God hates Satan morally and loves him in a metaphysical sense.
What Prompted Satan To Rebel Against God?
Knowing whether or not you can win against a possible opponent is an essential component of being “smart.” Even the meager creature power that Satan may have had (and still has) would not have been enough for a victorious uprising against His Creator.
Understanding God’s Love For Satan
We could rationally maintain the idea that God loves Satan since Satan still possesses a small amount of the goodness of God’s creations in a metaphysical sense. In other words, God has a supernatural love for Satan. However, Satan is a moral failure. God cannot love the actions of a morally depraved being. As a result, this moral sense may lend support to the notion that God despises Satan (for his destructive activities).
Significantly, it is impossible to deny God’s love for Satan completely. This claim may be supported by just one argument: Satan and unbelieving humanity are subject to God’s judgment depending on their use of free will.
However, God’s love for His creation is independent of His just judgment. It is dependent on His creation’s quality. To summarize, it is only possible to maintain the belief that God loves Satan if the issues can be overcome.
What Is Satan Doing Today?
Therefore, God did not create a “bad devil,” but a solid and wise celestial being who, motivated by pride, has led a rebellion against God. According to the Bible, “Satan himself poses as an angel of light. The fact that his servants also pose as servants of righteousness is therefore not surprising” (2 Corinthians 11:14–15).
Because Satan and his followers can pose as “light,” we are more susceptible to being duped. This is why it is so crucial that we comprehend the gospel for ourselves to avoid evil things.
Summary
We love God and others who are fashioned in God’s image, including our enemies. We cannot adore Satan because he represents all that is opposed to the God we love. Because holiness is the antithesis of evil, we would be compelled to detest God if we loved Satan.
God has already decided that Satan will not be pardoned; instead, we are the recipients of God’s selfless love manifested on the cross. God was “putting Satan to open shame” when He graciously and mercifully restored humankind (Colossians 2:15). The extent of God’s immense love for us will include His judgment of Satan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does God Love Satan?
While God originally created Satan as a good and powerful angel, He despises the fallen, sinful being Satan has become due to his pride and rebellion, making it difficult to say God loves him in the moral sense, though there may still be a metaphysical aspect of love due to Satan’s original creation.
Is Satan Totally Evil?
Morally, Satan is considered totally evil due to his actions and rebellion against God, but metaphysically, he retains some of the goodness from his original creation as an angel, making him not wholly evil in that sense.
Can Satan Be Redeemed?
According to biblical texts, Satan cannot be redeemed, as he is destined for judgment and the “lake of fire,” in contrast to humanity, which can be redeemed through repentance and faith.
What Caused Satan To Rebel Against God?
Satan’s rebellion against God was driven by pride and arrogance, stemming from his beauty, knowledge, and power, leading him to attempt to usurp God’s position as the Most High.
What Is Satan’s Role Today?
Today, Satan continues to oppose God and His creation, attempting to deceive, corrupt, and destroy God’s works and lead people away from God by masquerading as an angel of light.
How Should Christians View Satan?
Christians are called to view Satan as the enemy, opposing his schemes and resisting him through faith and adherence to God’s word, acknowledging his role as a deceiver and destroyer.