Hello M,
Thank you for contacting BibleAsk
God created angels and humans with the freedom of choice (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20). The Lord wanted to create beings with free choice because only creatures with freedom could have a real loving relationship with Him (1 John 4:19). And since the very nature of freedom is to be free from coercion, any decisions made by the creatures are their own and the Creator is not responsible for them (James 1:13).
Lucifer chose to rebel against God (Isaiah 14:13, 14). And if God was to destroy immediately all those that opposed Him, freedom of choice would not exist. And God’s creatures may worship Him out of fear not out of love (1 John 4:18). So, God did not destroy Lucifer immediately but He is giving him a chance to demonstrate his rule (1 John 3:8).
When Satan tempted Adam and Eve and they chose to follow him, they fell (Genesis 3) and he became the ruler of this Earth (2 Corinthians 4:4). All the pain, suffering and death we have in the world today is the direct consequence of the devil’s rule (Romans 8:22).
But the Lord in His infinite love planned a way of redemption through Jesus (John 3:16). He sent His innocent Son to die to pay the penalty of man’s sin and deliver him from the devil (John 3:16). “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).
The Lord will eventually destroy the devil and his followers only after every being in the universe has seen that the devil’s government is deadly (2 Thessalonians 2:8). And when the controversy ends, everyone will see the difference between the love of God and the cruel hate of the devil (Philippians 2:10).
Freedom of choice is the basis of God’s government (Joshua 24:15). While the Lord took upon Himself the role of saving humans and giving them a second chance, they alone are responsible for their own sins (Romans 14:10,12).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team