If Forgiveness Is The Key, Why Can't God Forgive Satan?

Jerome Bogan Ministry Blog 072710



If Forgiveness Is The Key, Why Can't God Forgive Satan?


I was wondering why I couldn't sleep. I know it's hot and I know I had a nice long nap earlier and that may have had something to do with it. But when I got up I found this profound question posted on Facebook by my inquisitive co-worker, I thought the reason why I was unable to sleep at 2:30 AM might be because I was divinely chosen to attempt to answer this question - If forgiveness is the key, why can't God forgive Satan?

I pray that God has prepared me with the wisdom and understanding to tackle such a difficult task because sometimes how we answer can alter the course of someone's life; reinforcing an already existing faith or casting one that is undecided into total unbelief.

Just earlier today I was contemplating my own walk of faith and I decided to make a stand for what I believe to be right; to try and live as morally correct as possible. Given my personal circumstances; environment, upbringing, spiritual maturity (or lack thereof) and personality, I realized immediately that this would be no easy task for me, one that would require a period of purification, introspection and prayer.

It is not because I am so completely morally corrupt that I must struggle so intensely to satisfy God's requirement for absolute moral perfection, but rather it is God's absolute moral perfection that makes my simplest imperfection seem so imperfect. On earth we measure everything in finite measurements like the distance from here to the airport might be five miles. And so we measure Satan's sinfulness the way we measure our own - in degrees as on a scale from 1 to 10. If a lie is 5 on the scale, then surely a murder must be a 9 and raping and murdering a child, oh that has to be an unforgivable sin, we would call that a 10! But with God all sin is a 10! That is why the penalty for every sin is the same. There is a death penalty attached to every sin. The only difference between our death sentence and Satan's death sentence is that we are eligible for a "governor's pardon" through faith in Jesus Christ.

In a finite existence such as ours where distance can be measured in inches or miles and time can be measured in seconds or years it may be appropriate to apply finite measurements to facilitate our understanding. However, in the spiritual realm, the realm of the Creator, God the Father of Jesus Christ and the Creator of the heavenly creation, and the realm from which Lucifer who became Satan when he sinned against God came, earthly measurements do not apply. For whereas we can measure the distance between America and England we cannot measure the distance from where God sits on His throne to the earth where Satan fell, and if the distance can be measured it is not given for us to know for it is not written in the Holy Scriptures. Likewise, we cannot measure the appropriate penalty for a sin of the infinite magnitude that a high-ranking official such as Lucifer committed. We know that God is a righteous and a good God and He is compassionate and loving. If He has purposed in His heart that Satan must die we must accept it and know that God is yet merciful and righteous and holy. What is man that we should judge God? Although He welcomes our humble questions, the answer remains the same - God is merciful and righteous and holy.

What is man that we should judge God?

So we are finite men with a definite beginning and a definite end talking about God who is infinite and immeasurable and Satan who was once the great angel Lucifer and who was created into that infinity. The fact of the matter is that Satan's sin was far greater than ours because of one solitary fact - HE WANTED TO BE GOD!

Isaiah 14:12, which tells us of Lucifer/Satan's choice. "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High."


You may argue that there are men who also want to be God, Julius Caesar was one but there are key differences. Man is made a "little lower than the angels."

Psalm 8:5 KJV - "For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour."

Now we know that this scripture refers mainly to Christ himself but keep in mind that although Christ is 100% God He is also %100 man. If man is "lower than the angels" than it makes sense to assume that angels are higher than man in the hierarchy of creation. Then it also makes sense to infer that "angels" are held to a higher standard.

All of the creatures that God created prior to the fall of man were perfect, had eternal life, extraordinary intelligence and immortality. Men and angels were also given freedom to choose and to make key life-changing decisions on their own without interference or coercion from God, but God made clear what the consequences of rebellion and disobedience would be - He is a good, kind and loving Father but He had to let them know that He is God Almighty; the Source of all Life and to disobey Him would be spiritual suicide.

Now I have to ask you, who do you think was the higher evolved creature, more capable of making a sound decision, more familiar with God's character, and to whom was God's glory revealed; having been given authority to create music in heavens by simply moving, because in his wings were instruments whose majestic harmonies doubtlessly sang glorious praises unto the Most High God? Satan or Adam?

There are many reasons why Satan cannot be forgiven. Lucifer knew God, perhaps better than anyone in heaven except for Logos The Word, who became Christ Jesus in the incarnation. Lucifer was given extraordinary beauty and power and was possibly the highest ranking official in heaven after God himself and Christ. Moreover, because of his perfection and intellect he would have been fully aware that his decision to be "like the Most High" would create huge political and spiritual problems both in heaven and on earth. Not only did Lucifer decide to rebel against God, as some that translate the scriptures believe, he also recruited a "third of the angels" to make war in heaven in an effort to overthrow the Sovereign Government of the Most High God in a "coup d'etat."

Jude 1:6 - "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."

Since he was a high ranking official in heaven he was also immortal which would mean that he would have been an immortal enemy had God not decided to ultimately end Satan's life.

One more thing to consider is that given the history of events over which Satan has been allowed influence, nothing has gotten better under Satan's control. The world has become increasingly evil and Satan has never made an effort to repent. Under Satan's influence this world and its inhabitants have become increasingly violent and immoral, moving quickly away from the principles that God set forth for our own good and clearly we see that we are suffering dire consequences as a result. In his pride and arrogance he may even actually believe that he can defeat God and achieve world dominance. Ironically, he even offered the kingdoms of this world to Christ, who is already heir to the kingdoms of this world. And if that's not enough, the book of Revelation teaches us that Satan will gather the nations of this world to war against
God and His people.

Revelation 16:13 - "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon."

One last point. If Satan is the true enemy of God then he would have to at least be a worthy competitor. If God is infinitely good, then it seems fair to assume that Satan is infinitely evil. Evil that deep cannot be forgiven; it has to be destroyed. God Himself will do it when He appears again as Jesus Christ and evil will be destroyed forever. We will live as we were originally intended - in perfect peace and harmony with no possibility of evil ever returning. It will be destroyed forever in a lake of fire. Evil is not a concept, it is a person and his name is Satan. I no longer have sympathy for him for I know that he is infinitely evil just as I know that God is infinitely good!