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Why Did God Create Evil and Satan? (part 2)

In part one, we tackled the problem of evil and God’s allowance of our free will. This free will exists so we can freely choose to genuinely live in relationship with him. Due to this free will, however, we can also reject God. This choice is the source of moral evils in the world.

Now to tackle a similar question: why did God create Satan?

Let’s set some facts straight. First of all, yes, there is a devil who exists. Yes, he is evil. He didn’t start out that way, though. Satan was originally created as an angel living in harmony with God. Originally called Lucifer, he was the greatest among God’s angelic host, a servant before the throne of God. Scripture indicates that he was sort of the worship leader of heaven. All in all, not a bad job. He lived with God in adoration and worship of his Creator and King.

So what happened? Well, Lucifer had a choice, just like we have a choice. He could choose to live in relationship with God or to rebel against him. Lucifer desired to have God’s power and God’s throne and so he chose rebellion and sin. God had no choice but to cast Lucifer out of heaven for his rebellious decision.

What does this mean for us then? How much does the devil have to do with us? We cry, “The devil made me do it!” when we get in trouble for a poor decision. It turns out, however, that Satan doesn’t have power over us until we give him power through our choices. Only when we first rebel against God can Satan play any part in our lives. Satan doesn’t dominate anything by default. Instead, he has to deceive and lie, gaining tiny footholds in the world. Remember Adam and Eve in the garden? He had to deceive them both, drawing them away from God.

How do we deal with Satan’s lies and traps? In James 4:7 (NLT), the Apostle James writes, “Humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” There you have it. Humbly come before God. Choose his will over your own, and the devil will turn and run away. He was never stronger than God, and his power is pale and puny compared to God’s love for you.