Satan - can he be forgiven?

[Harmony1988]

We all know this story in it’s different variation. What if God forgave Satan, can Satan repent, can Satan do this, can Satan do that, what if etc. bla bla bla.

But seriously now, if God in his all powerful nature wanted to, he could strictly speaking forgive Satan and offer salvation to Satan in such a way that Satan accepts it right?

Adding to this, can Satan be tempted to do the right thing? We all talk about temptation as an evil, since Satan is the prince of lies and most evil one, his temptation (if there was any) would be to be good again.

Since Satan is an intelligent being, more so than us. Isn’t it possible that he sometimes regrets his actions ? That he thinks sometimes, ‘what have I done’ - feels any remorse for what he does.

 

[stbruno]

I don’t think so…but that would be a miracle wouldn’t it. Maybe we have been praying for the wrong thing all along…however, there is more than just Satan…he’s got lots of help along the way.

 

[Nan_S]

We all know this story in it’s different variation. What if God forgave Satan, can Satan repent, can Satan do this, can Satan do that, what if etc. bla bla bla.

But seriously now, if God in his all powerful nature wanted to, he could strictly speaking forgive Satan and offer salvation to Satan in such a way that Satan accepts it right?

“I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse.” Remember that line? Coercion. That’s a violation of the Free Will God granted to angels and men.

God forgave Satan the first time Satan turned against him. But God’s forgiveness will never reach Satan until he is ready to ask for it. Since Satan has already decided he will never again serve God, he’s never going to ask for forgiveness.

Adding to this, can Satan be tempted to do the right thing? We all talk about temptation as an evil, since Satan is the prince of lies and most evil one, his temptation (if there was any) would be to be good again.

Satan often can and does do the right thing. It is part of Satan’s absolute evil to do whatever is most expedient to reach his ends. If that means doing something intrinsically good because it is an easier and faster way to commit evil, that’s what he does.

Think on it this way. The 9/11 hijackers were about as close to intrinsically evil (at least in our eyes) as anyone could be. But they BOUGHT airplane tickets (an intrinsic good) instead of stowing away in the toilet compartments because it was a more effective means to enable them to reach their evil ends.

Since Satan is an intelligent being, more so than us. Isn’t it possible that he sometimes regrets his actions ? That he thinks sometimes, ‘what have I done’ - feels any remorse for what he does.

I question whether he is any more intelligent than us. It is the mark of intelligence - and wisdom - to both recognise that you are not the all-powerful creator of the universe, and to give respect and honor to the one who is.

Of course Satan regrets his actions. But his regret is over-ridden by hatred for his own shortcomings. It’s an extreme example of transferrence of guilt: “I hate you because you made me commit that evil act,” rather than acknowledging his own responsibility. And since misery loves company, since misery can’t stand to see happiness, Satan finds perverse joy in persuading others to become as miserable as he is.

 

[masterjedi747]

But seriously now, if God in his all powerful nature wanted to, he could strictly speaking forgive Satan and offer salvation to Satan in such a way that Satan accepts it right?

I don’t think so. It would violate the free will of their angelic nature in some way. The point is that the angels knew what they were doing when they rejected God, and chose their fate deliberately rather than serve God. They cannot change their minds, and God will never ever force them to, because He desires true love, which can only be given, never taken.

Since Satan is an intelligent being, more so than us. Isn’t it possible that he sometimes regrets his actions?

Uh… he’s not an intelligent being.
He was, certainly, but he essentially rejected everything good that he had when he rejected God. He still has his angelic nature, but he’s only as powerful as God allows him to be.

As I’ve heard from priests before, Satan’s thought process is now much, much more along the lines of that alien in Independence Day that just hisses “die…” with every ounce of hatred and loathing imaginable. It truly doesn’t go far beyond that.

 

[FCEGM]

We all know this story in it’s different variation. What if God forgave Satan, can Satan repent, can Satan do this, can Satan do that, what if etc. bla bla bla.

But seriously now, if God in his all powerful nature wanted to, he could strictly speaking forgive Satan and offer salvation to Satan in such a way that Satan accepts it right?

Adding to this, can Satan be tempted to do the right thing? We all talk about temptation as an evil, since Satan is the prince of lies and most evil one, his temptation (if there was any) would be to be good again.

Since Satan is an intelligent being, more so than us. Isn’t it possible that he sometimes regrets his actions ? That he thinks sometimes, ‘what have I done’ - feels any remorse for what he does.

No. He has locked himself in his pride and anger and cannot feel regret or remorse. Further, God does not tempt (cf. James 1:13-14).

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m not an angelologist. But as I understand it, angels’ intellects and wills are perfectly unified, not separated like ours. Also, their choices are irrevocable. In that, they are not intellectually inferior to us, but superiod. They do not have doubts and never did. Nor do they have second thoughts.

It’s really hard to get this inside the context of a human mind, but my understanding is that Satan, et al, knew exactly, and in every detail, what their choice meant, and willed the choice. They can’t will another or imagine another outcome.

Hard to imagine. But I read where some saint said if we ever “saw” an angel (perceived it as it is) , we would not doubt for an instant that it was God, such is their magnificence and what we would perceive as their perfection.

In a way then, I can imagine that irrevocability. The choice, it seems, was to worship themselves rather than God, knowing how it would be. A vanity so titanic that we “Hobbits” here on earth can’t even begin to picture it. So we don’t.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I just remembered something else. Each angel is a unique species. While we think of them all as being more or less similar, they are as different from one another as we are from earthworms…more so. Each is perfect in itself for what it is. Therefore, if God “changed” Satan, Satan would no longer be Satan but a totally different creature, and Satan would not have “changed” but ceased to exist entirely.

 

[palmas85]

We all know this story in it’s different variation. What if God forgave Satan, can Satan repent, can Satan do this, can Satan do that, what if etc. bla bla bla.

But seriously now, if God in his all powerful nature wanted to, he could strictly speaking forgive Satan and offer salvation to Satan in such a way that Satan accepts it right?

Adding to this, can Satan be tempted to do the right thing? We all talk about temptation as an evil, since Satan is the prince of lies and most evil one, his temptation (if there was any) would be to be good again.

Since Satan is an intelligent being, more so than us. Isn’t it possible that he sometimes regrets his actions ? That he thinks sometimes, ‘what have I done’ - feels any remorse for what he does.

Why would he want to be?

 

[sandusky]

Harmony1988:

But seriously now, if God in his all powerful nature wanted to, he could strictly speaking forgive Satan and offer salvation to Satan in such a way that Satan accepts it right?

No, God doesn’t redeem fallen angels:**Hebrews 2:14-16

14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham** (cf Gal 3:7, 14).

 

[CreosMary]

Some years ago, I asked Dr Hayden Ramsay, a moral theologian and philosophy professor (Sydney) this very question.
He said because satan made his decision to rebel in the total fullness of knowledge, of his past, present and future, he therefore cannot be forgiven.
When we make mistakes / sin our knowledge is imperfect and our concept of time is linear so therefore we can be forgiven.
God bless

 

[jdmayer]

Just read this thread… really great answers from everyone! Spot on as far as I know.

 

[DanteAlighieri]

We all know this story in it’s different variation. What if God forgave Satan, can Satan repent, can Satan do this, can Satan do that, what if etc. bla bla bla.

But seriously now, if God in his all powerful nature wanted to, he could strictly speaking forgive Satan and offer salvation to Satan in such a way that Satan accepts it right?

Adding to this, can Satan be tempted to do the right thing? We all talk about temptation as an evil, since Satan is the prince of lies and most evil one, his temptation (if there was any) would be to be good again.

Since Satan is an intelligent being, more so than us. Isn’t it possible that he sometimes regrets his actions ? That he thinks sometimes, ‘what have I done’ - feels any remorse for what he does.

We don’t know what knowledge the angels were given before they made their choices, but we know they made them. Those who chose God are eternally in His presence, and thus have their wills united with His; those who chose to rebel are eternally outside His presence, and thus have their wills separated from His.

Simply put, the angels made their respective beds, and are now lying in them. Satan not only will never, but could never seek forgivness.

Peace,
Dante

 

[joseph_virgen]

interesting question. very.

it is difficult to believe the Most Holy withholding forgiveness to any of his creation.

unfortunately, throughout history, the fallen one is constant on his mission to be worshiped as our Father.

wouldn’t hurt to pray for the fallen one to come to his senses.

and yes, i know that’s unlikely, but the Nazarene teaches us to love our enemy, and who is our most feared enemy if not the fallen one?

 

[jdmayer]

As people have explained above, it doesn’t have to do with God withholding His love/forgiveness from the devil. Rather the devil totally rejects God. God is Love, and Love by nature will not force itself on anyone.

Praying for the Devil’s conversion just doesn’t jive with orthodox theology.

 

[Hastrman]

It is not possible for a pure spirit to change.

Look, that word is useless. Satan’s a subsistent form–that is, he’s basically a pure idea. Can the concept of pinkness, considered in and of itself, become somehow different?

Answer’s no, not without ceasing to exist as pinkness.

Satan’s the same way–he can’t change without ceasing to exist. And it is better to exist than not to, therefore God, in his love and mercy, maintains Satan in existence. Of course Satan’s warped now, so he hates the good…so God’s action upon him, of maintaining his existence, is experienced as pure anguish.

In other words, Hell.

 

[Hastrman]

I think I ought to explain that the reason the angels cannot change is they simply chose, ab initio, what they were going to be–good or evil. We’re complicated, they’re not (they’re much, much stronger than we are, because of that–no parts means no breaking).

 

[Mystic_Warrior]

We all know this story in it’s different variation. What if God forgave Satan, can Satan repent, can Satan do this, can Satan do that, what if etc. bla bla bla.

But seriously now, if God in his all powerful nature wanted to, he could strictly speaking forgive Satan and offer salvation to Satan in such a way that Satan accepts it right?

No. God cannot choose the light for Satan. Satan made his choice. He will not repent, therefore no forgiveness is in order.

Adding to this, can Satan be tempted to do the right thing? We all talk about temptation as an evil, since Satan is the prince of lies and most evil one, his temptation (if there was any) would be to be good again.

Tempted to do the right thing? I don’t understand the choice of words here. He is not “tempted” to do good in any way. He only does what is in his best interests. He has the biggest ego in the universe.

Since Satan is an intelligent being, more so than us. Isn’t it possible that he sometimes regrets his actions ? That he thinks sometimes, ‘what have I done’ - feels any remorse for what he does.

No, I don’t think he regrets it one bit. His hate for the Father is too strong. There is no light in him, none. Darkness in him is complete and irrevocable. He therefore he has no ability to repent. Once he rebelled he lost all hope of turning back.

Peace…

MW

 

[lorathon]

If Satan can be forgiven or not doesn’t matter. Satan would never ask for forgiveness. All sin boils down to the root which is Pride and Satan is the essence of PRIDE.

Just my thoughts

 

[Dameedna]

Of course.

The area, I disagree with most “denominations” of christianity, is that a choice made at one point(our human lives, or Satans choice in heaven), is …once made…eternally reacted to.

If Satan chose to go back to God, he could.

Wether or not he does, is up to Him.

I don’t believe that Hell is a matter of eternity. The choice will alway’s be there. Some people, may never choose god…but the choice itself, will alway’s be there.

If everyone did eventually choose to go back to God(which i suspect they will), then…Satan will get awfully lonely

 

[Mystic_Warrior]

Of course.

The area, I disagree with most “denominations” of christianity, is that a choice made at one point(our human lives, or Satans choice in heaven), is …once made…eternally reacted to.

If Satan chose to go back to God, he could.

Wether or not he does, is up to Him.

I don’t believe that Hell is a matter of eternity. The choice will alway’s be there. Some people, may never choose god…but the choice itself, will alway’s be there.

If everyone did eventually choose to go back to God(which i suspect they will), then…Satan will get awfully lonely

Matthew 25:41 says, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels.”

The one who was found to have iniquity in his heart because of pride and selfishness will never return back to God. It would be up to God to forgive Him and I wouldn’t criticize His judgment. He knows better than I.

However, Satan has no more light in him. If he hasn’t turned back now after “X” amount of years since he rebelled, he’s not going to. I assure you he is just as hate-filled and far from grace today as ever.

Actually, I believe Satan and the other fallen ones are sealed to destruction. You have to understand too that celestial beings such as angels are completely different than we are. They are pure spirits and have different inherent natures. They are responsible for those actions made long, long ago.

Humans are the epitomy of God’s creation and as such we have the option of receiving grace and forgiveness. Angels, light and dark, do not have that option. I’m walking a tightrope by saying that because I’m not a demonologist or angelologist. This is simply what I have learned from others.

It is telling that there is no Scripture or Tradition that speaks of light angels SINCE the fall who have turned their backs on the Father. There was one rebellion in heaven. Since then there has not been another.

Peace…

MW