Bible Question:

The Bible tells us to love our enemy. So since Satan is our enemy, should we love him?

Bible Answer:

Satan is a proud and evil angel and he has an army of evil angels who follow him. That is the testimony of scripture (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Revelation 12:3-4).

You were the anointed cherub who covers,
And I placed you there.
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.

. . .

Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. Ezekiel 28:14, 17 (NASB)

Satan Is God’s Enemy

Satan is the enemy of God. Scripture teaches that Satan has already tried to defeat God (Revelation 12:3-4) and some day will enter heaven and try to defeat God once again (Revelation 12:7-9). When Christ walked among us, Satan tried to motivate Christ to sin (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus revealed the nature of Satan when He informed Peter that Satan wanted to sift Him as wheat.

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Luke 22:31 (NASB)

In Matthew 16:21-23 and Mark 8:31-33 we discover that Satan tried to stop Jesus from dying on the cross.

Satan Is Our Enemy

Satan is also our enemy (Matthew 13:39). 1 Peter 5:8 states that Satan is like a lion seeking to devour Christians.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NASB)

In 2 Corinthians 2:11 we are also told that Satan schemes against us. In Ephesians 6:12 we discover that our struggles are actually against Satan and his demons.

Love or Hate Satan?

First, God warns us to avoid Satan and have nothing to do with the occult (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). We are commanded to resist Satan and not follow him (Ephesians 4:27; 1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7).

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (NASB)

In Psalm 5:4-5 we are told that God hates wickedness and everyone who acts wickedly. Yet, this does not mean that God loves only Christians. Why? The answer is found in John 3:16 which states that God loves the world.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB)

Romans 5:8; Titus 3:4 and 1 John 4:9-10 also tell us that God loved us when we were His enemies. It is God’s nature to love.  Jonah 4:11 teaches us that God has compassion for the wicked. Therefore, Psalm 5:4-5 and passages like John 3:16 reveal that God loves the wicked, His enemies, but He hates their evil behavior. Yet, in comparison to His love for the saints, He hates the wicked. We are commanded to resist and avoid Satan (Deuteronomy 18:10-12; James 4:7) but never to hate him! If we should hate him, why doesn’t God say so?

Resist Satan but Never Hate Him

1 John 4:8 states that God is love. God by His very nature is love. Since God is infinite in all of His attributes, He loves infinitely. There is no one person that He hates. Ezekiel 18:23, 32 and Ezekiel 33:11 state that God does no pleasure in the death of the wicked. That is, God does not hate the wicked and longs for their death. Therefore, should we conclude that He hates Satan? The answer is that would be contrary to the very nature of God. If we assumed that God should hate the wicked, whether angels or people, because they act wickedly, then He could hate you and me for our wicked behavior. Couldn’t He?

Therefore, how should we respond to Satan? Jesus told us love our enemies. Here is His statement. This is consistent with the very nature of God.

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” Matthew 5:43-44 (NASB)

This statement is very clear. Even though the Bible does not say that God loves Satan, the scriptures do reveal that God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). That is His character. He loves everyone and Satan is an invisible, wicked angel whom God created, originally without sin. The biblical concept of love does not mean that we are to approve of a person’s actions, viewpoints, or character traits. Love calls us to pray for people, to care about their souls, and to encourage them in right conduct. Love also means that we encourage others to follow and obey God (Ephesians 4:15). Satan will not do that. It is important to notice that God warns us to resist Satan. We are not to explore the occult or to seek a relationship with him.

Conclusion:

We are called to love everyone. Love must be tough. Sometimes it must call a person to obedience and hopefully never have to rebuke a person for their sins. Satan has rejected God and some day our loving God will send him to the Lake of Fire where he will spend eternity. Remember Satan is not your friend. He is not someone to seek. He is your enemy and seeks your harm. We would encourage you to read about Satan in the study on Angels – Good and Evil.  and understand his evil nature. We are commanded to resist Satan but never to hate him!

Suggested Links:

Angels - Good & Evil
Is Satan An Angel?
Where Did Satan Come From?
What Is Satanism?
What is the biblical belief on communing with the dead?
Searching For God
Does the Bible teach love the sinner but hate the sin?
Does God hate sinners? Psalm 5:5 seems to say He does.
Satan In A Rage
Does God love Satan?