By: Alex J. Nagem © July 8, 2025
1. God Respects Free Will — Even Among Angels
Lucifer (the devil), like all angels, was created for good, but with the freedom of choice. God created angels, like humans, with free will. Lucifer chose to rebel. If God created beings without the capacity to choose good or evil, He would have made slaves, not those who would choose to love Him and others. If God destroyed every being who misused their freedom, then freedom itself would be meaningless, and love, which requires freedom, would be impossible.
- Love cannot be forced; it must be chosen. Love, to be love, must be freely given, and that means it can be freely rejected.
- God allows even the devil to exist for the sake of preserving the dignity and reality of free will.
2. God Brings Greater Good from Evil
In His omnipotence, God permits evil only because He can bring a greater good from it.
- The cross stands as the clearest example: the worst evil in history, the murder of the Son of God, became the foundation of our salvation
Think of Christ’s crucifixion: the devil’s apparent triumph became his defeat, and the world’s greatest evil became our salvation.
3. The Devil Is Already Defeated, But Not Yet Destroyed
God hasn’t yet destroyed the devil because we are living in a time of mercy and testing, but the devil’s ultimate defeat is guaranteed. Jesus said:
“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” (Luke 10:18)
- At the cross, Christ defeated Satan, sin, and death.
- At the Final Judgment, God will cast the devil into eternal punishment (Revelation 20:10). His destruction is not forgotten; it is awaited.
4. God Allows Us to Choose Whom We Will Serve
The presence of temptation and evil forces us to decide every day: do we follow God or not? Without choice, there would be no true moral growth or heroism in virtue. The devil’s ongoing activity provides context for spiritual warfare and for the saints to shine.
God allows this time so that we can:
- Grow in virtue by resisting temptation.
- Freely choose holiness in the face of spiritual warfare.
- Be purified and conformed to Christ through struggle.
5. A Mystery of Providence
Ultimately, why God permits anything is rooted in His mysterious wisdom. What we do know is that God is all-good, all-powerful, and all-loving, and that nothing escapes His providential care.
St. Peter wrote: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Even in the face of the devil’s destruction, God is patient, allowing history to unfold so that souls can turn to Him, even those caught in sin and deception.
A final thought:
God could have easily destroyed Lucifer and his followers, in doing so, we might never have known:
- The depths of God’s mercy
- The cost of real freedom
- The greatness of Christ’s victory.
God permits the devil’s presence so we might be strengthened, purified, and made faithful in the battle. For it is in the heat of that trial that saints are forged.
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host,
by the power of God, cast into hell, Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Vocatus Atque Non Vocatus Deus Aderit
Alex J. Nagem