God has made it known through His word that love is defined as Himself. Being cognizant of who He is and what that entails is probably what created His desire to create other living beings; that they too may get to experience His essence. This was the opportunity given to Lucifer.

Lucifer, from what we can gather, was probably the closest angel to God. He was created good. He was created the most beautiful. He was made a leader, gifted with the utmost intelligence and probably private counsel from the Lord. Certainly he was special in the role given him, but more importantly, he was special in the sense that all of God’s creatures are special; that is, he simply had life. God’s love treasures life.

But Lucifer, of course, was a sentient being with the power of choice who thought, entertained, and put into action the idea of turning against God and all that God stood for. At that point, his character changed and he became the rebellious Satan.

Nonetheless, I believe God continues to love him, as any normal parent, though disappointed, continues to love a wayward, even violent child. Just as God, because of His love, showed mercy towards humanity; He exhibited that same compassion towards Satan by not wiping him out at the onset of his trespasses.

But that’s where God’s love stops— at Satan’s trespasses. Though God loves the being, an expression of life, albeit an aberrant expression; He hates the evil that Satan has caused.

It is evil; it is sin that hurts the potential for God’s creation of life. That naturally will cause God to exercise that aspect of love called justice. Those He loves, who by faith in Jesus have overcome sin, will be rewarded. Those He loves who embrace sin will be taken out of their misery. Sin and sinners cannot go unpunished forever.

By way of God’s love, Satan, like humanity, has been given the opportunity of repentance. But forgiveness is not to be for Satan. He has refused and will continue to reject God’s righteousness. This we know from the God who knows the end from the beginning. It is because Satan’s actions are so enormous that the Lord has made public, the fate of this angel whom I believe He loves.