Why did God Create the Devil?

In the video below, a Fr. Spitzer’s Universe viewer writes:

"Dear Father, my question is: God is all-knowing. God knew then that his angel of light would be consumed with pride and turn into the devil. Why did he go ahead and create him?" -Larry

This question is commonly asked by Catholics and Christians alike. The answer to why God created the devil lies in the notion of free will. 

Did God Create the Devil for No Reason? 

Father Spitzer explains that God wanted to create free creatures. This means that both angels and humans are rational beings capable of using an intellect and a will. 

Yet, in order to make free creatures, God had to make them actually free! This means free creatures have the choice to either accept or reject God’s love and love others or cause suffering.

In the case of humans, without the ability to choose, it would be impossible for us to exist as rational. Our choices are what make us who we are. Yet, since the devil is an angel and immortal, his choice is a choice of permanent evil. 

Did God Create the Devil for Hell? 

God created all the angels out of an act of pure love. Yet, through loving them perfectly, He also gifted them with the ability to choose or reject love. 

The devil chose pride instead of God’s love. In choosing pride, the devil perpetually rejects God’s love and attempts to lure our freedom of choice in the same direction of eternal damnation. 

The devil and his evil win when human freedom chooses the wrong path. But, since we are given many choices in life, evil can only win for a time. We have the ability to choose God’s love each and every day, even if we sometimes choose evil. Although the devil chose a destiny of eternal fire, we are constantly called to choose a destiny of unbounded and unending love in God.

Watch Fr. Spitzer’s response in this clip from Fr. Spitzer’s Universe: