One of God's chief angelic creatures, "Lucifer" (the "light-bearer"), was "perfect in all [his] ways from the day [he] was created, till iniquity was found in [him]" (Ezekiel 28:15). Note therefore that God created Satan sinless, but he became prideful, and he desired to conquer God, to "be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:12-15; 1 Timothy 3:6).
Since Satan made his own choices, he becomes an instrument in the hands of God. God uses Satan (through his temptations and deceit) to test the hearts and motives of people. This is not to punish people but rather to give them free will.
Think of Adam and Eve. Before Satan even tempted Eve, there was a tree of life and a tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God placed them in the garden and told them not to eat of that second tree. So, even without Satan, God gave Adam and Eve free will and choice to show faith in Him or to have faith in themselves. Satan eventually twisted the Word of God and made Eve doubt the instruction of God.
From this time on, God has used Satan in place of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Mankind makes their choices to follow God's word or Satan's temptations and deceit. Nobody escapes this testing of free will and commitment. Even Jesus was tempted of the devil in the wilderness.
The last temptation and deceit recorded in the Word will occur at the end of the Millennial Kingdom. Those born of flesh during the 1,000-year kingdom must also make a clear decision to have faith in (follow) Jesus Christ or to have faith in (follow) Satan. In order to fully exercise their free will, God will release Satan from the pit at the end of the Millennium to see who of them will follow Satan to his doom and who will be faithful to Jesus Christ. This fulfills the purposes of God allowing Satan to exist in the first place; God did not destroy Satan when he fell into sin, but rather God uses Satan's falsehood program to fit into His plan of allowing mankind free will choice. With Satan active, mankind has another avenue to follow, which creates the option for choice and a demonstration of faith.
Rev.20:7-10 tells us Satan will deceive and gather "the nations (Gk. ethnos, Gentiles)" to come against the city of Jerusalem, at the end of the Millennium. But the "fire of God" will come down from heaven to "devour them." The Lord God will have then used Satan to purge the kingdom of unbelievers, so that only believers remain and go on into eternity future.
Satan in an instrument in Gods hands. A surgical knife to cut out unbelief and rebellion, not by God's hand, but by the free choice of that individual person who faces the decision to choose the truth of God's Word, versus the deceit of the devil.
Follow-up Questions
How can God gift Satan with the freedom and power to torment mankind and encourage sin? Is that Gods choice and responsibility?
No. It’s not God’s choice. It was man’s choice. (Adam). It was never God’s desire to have the world under a curse and men under sin. God has since rectified the situation through Christ cross-work, but we are still under the consequence of sin until the redemption of our bodies.
Satan has full power to torment and encourage sin as he is the god of this world.
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Adam handed over that title to Satan in the garden. However, when a person comes to salvation, Satan does not have full power over God’s redeemed (as we see per example in the book of Job). They are not his to destroy anymore!
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If Adam and Eve had no knowledge of good and evil how could they know whether it was good or evil to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil or whether it was good or evil to disobey God. It seems free will is used as an excuse to explain Gods lack of foresight or power to do otherwise.
You are right. Adam and Eve didn’t know anything about good and evil. The command of God, to not eat of that tree, was not about good vs. evil, but to inspire faith. Adam had a choice to place his faith in what God said and to trust that unconditionally, above his own will. But he didn’t. Only then, after the act, did they know what evil is.
Adam and Eve also didn’t know anything about disobeying God, but the opportunity for it was always there because of free will. There was nothing stopping Adam from making up his own mind, but the moment he placed his faith (trust) in something else, other that God’s word, evil was conceived.
Throughout all of the history of humanity, God has never asked anything else of people but to trust Him, to have faith in Him. All sin has its roots (or beginnings) in not having faith in what God said.
Rom.14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
The lack of foresight and power to act lies squarely on the heads of men! God had pre-knowledge of Adam’s choice but He could not intervene in the free choice of Adam. The bible declares that God had already planned a solution to the situation.
Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning [the full span of human existence], and from ancient times the things that are not yet done [long before Adam was even created God know what he would do], saying, My counsel shall stand [a plan of redemption], and I will do all my pleasure:
Psalm 33:11 The counsel [purpose] of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.
See also: Psalm 147:5; Psalm 139:4; Hebrews 4:13; Psalm 139:1-4
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