Theology: Can the Devil have forgiveness?

[Cheetah]

The title should be easy enough to understand, no?

(And of course this question is mostly applicable to the Abrahamic religions, though I don't mind other views as well.)

Considering that God is almighty, loving and forgiving; is there a reason why Lucifer/the Devil/whatever can't also receive forgiveness?

Hypothetically, what if the Devil regrets his actions and repents? Would God forgive? Why/Why not?

 

[kochman]

The title should be easy enough to understand, no?

(And of course this question is mostly applicable to the Abrahamic religions, though I don't mind other views as well.)

Considering that God is almighty, loving and forgiving; is there a reason why Lucifer/the Devil/whatever can't also receive forgiveness?

Hypothetically, what if the Devil regrets his actions and repents? Would God forgive? Why/Why not?

My initial thoughts are, no... I remember reading that one who specifically rejects God, after KNOWING God, is out for good.

However, all judgment is reserved by God, so...

 

[Kyriakos]

I think that most people view "the devil" as a sort of symbol of human negative qualities, and not really the cause behind those qualities. In that respect if you took out the human negative traits you would be left with something very different- if it could function at all anyway; the balances it would have would differ dramatically from ours.

So in that respect the evil cannot be negated, it is part of human nature.

 

[kochman]

I think that most people view "the devil" as a sort of symbol of human negative qualities, and not really the cause behind those qualities. In that respect if you took out the human negative traits you would be left with something very different- if it could function at all anyway; the balances it would have would differ dramatically from ours.

So in that respect the evil cannot be negated, it is part of human nature.

I'm guessing he means the devil specifically talked about in the Bible, who rebelled, etc...

 

[IdiotsOpposite]

It is not the place of Man to judge - only God may judge, and in his infinite wisdom, He may judge Lucifer to be worthy of forgiveness in time.

Assuming the truth of the Bible, which I believe the premise of this thread does, that is what I would say.

 

[warpus]

The title should be easy enough to understand, no?

(And of course this question is mostly applicable to the Abrahamic religions, though I don't mind other views as well.)

Considering that God is almighty, loving and forgiving; is there a reason why Lucifer/the Devil/whatever can't also receive forgiveness?

Hypothetically, what if the Devil regrets his actions and repents? Would God forgive? Why/Why not?

Wouldn't God have to do that if the devil accepted Jesus as his saviour?

I keep hearing from Christians that that's the most important part - that you have to accept Jesus as your own personal saviour... and that everything else is secondary.

 

[Berzerker]

is this the same devil who brought ruin upon Job so God could prove he was righteous?

I'd say both God and the devil lack the moral authority to forgive people if thats how they spend their spare time, kinda reminds me of the little brat who delights at pulling the legs off bugs

to hell with them both

 

[IdiotsOpposite]

Wouldn't God have to do that if the devil accepted Jesus as his saviour?

I keep hearing from Christians that that's the most important part - that you have to accept Jesus as your own personal saviour... and that everything else is secondary.

I think there are a couple of exceptions, warpus - suicide being the one I hear about the most. It's supposed to be the one "unforgivable sin".

 

[Berzerker]

Jesus committed suicide by cop

 

[emzie]

My initial thoughts are, no... I remember reading that one who specifically rejects God, after KNOWING God, is out for good.

However, all judgment is reserved by God, so...

It's something like one who doubts the holy spirit has committed an unforgivable sin.

 

[Verbose]

As I recall that has been a bit of theological for rather a long time. Apokatastasis...
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01599a.htm

Though... Where's Plotinus when you need him?

 

[BvBPL]

The Devil can have forgiveness, but he'd have to repent first and develop a self-awareness of his sins. Forgiveness isn't lacking or hard to find, what's keeping him in Cocytus is an unwillingness to swallow his pride and admit he's wrong.

 

[_random_]

Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) recounted the story of traveling with a bishop as a seminarian and asking this very question, expecting a good theological discussion. The response was a simple "Mind your own business." Several prominent church fathers have entertained the possibility:

If thou, thyself, wretched being, wouldst but desist from attacking mankind, and even, at this period, when the day of judgment is at hand, wouldst only repent of your deeds, I, with a true confidence in the Lord, would promise you the mercy of Christ.

What is a merciful heart? It is a heart that burns with love for the whole creation — for men, for birds, for beasts, for demons and for every creature.

A certain deception was indeed practised upon the Evil one, by concealing the Divine nature within the human; but for the latter, as himself a deceiver, it was only a just recompense that he should be deceived himself: the great adversary must himself at last find that what has been done is just and salutary, when he also shall experience the benefit of the Incarnation. He, as well as humanity, will be purged.

Of course, plenty would disagree with the above, especially St. Gregory's boldness. So the answer is a resounding "maybe."

 

[BasketCase]

Hypothetically, what if the Devil regrets his actions and repents? Would God forgive? Why/Why not?

What if the Devil never did anything that requires repenting....?

The Bible was written by people. The perception of the Devil as the Ultimate Douchebag is our perception. It could be completely wrong. What if God and the Devil were working together from the start? Evil people need to go somewhere (whether Hell or Purgatory or Gehenna or Bakersfield or whatever else it's called), and that somewhere needs somebody to run it. In the same way that handling your weekly trash doesn't make your local garbage collector a bad person, Satan could simply be the guy who decided to take the rather thankless job of cleaning up the afterlife's trash......

 

[PeteAtoms]

So why do unforgivable sins exist at all? Why aren't ALL sins forgivable by an omnipotent and benevolent being?

 

[Kyriakos]

In practice there is both a sustaining false sense of sin, and a hyperbole of realizing as sin actions which remain human (although obviously pathological). Hence we have both the case of fabricated negations of natural urges (in the case of prudence) and that of mob-mentality against murderers. Mankind has developed a lot in those last thousands of years, but not very much in some respects, such as collective sense of logic.

 

[azzaman333]

Only if he stopped being a fickhead

 

[aelf]

Apparently, the Devil and fallen angels have no Redeemer and will thus not be redeemed.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

He does have all the best tunes though.

 

[Integral]

I think there are a couple of exceptions, warpus - suicide being the one I hear about the most. It's supposed to be the one "unforgivable sin".

I've never heard suicide as the "unforgivable sin". I don't think there's a clear stand on the status of suicide in the Church.

Now, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, that'll get ya.

I think in principle the Devil could be saved - what does Paul write? "Whoever confesses with their mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believes in his heart God raised him from the dead, will be saved." Those sound like necessary & sufficient conditions to me. I'm still shaky on how much insight the mortal Paul had on the divine, of course.

Now, I wonder how many heresies I have committed in the previous few lines...?