There is an existential battle that continues in the world today. This short article outlines the two sides in the battle. Among other things the battle is a battle for your soul! Your soul is the essence of who you are. It is the real you! You are the trophy. You are the stakes. One side or the other is going to own you.
On one side of the battle is the God-of-the-Universe, God for short. God has many titles and attributes. There is only one God. All these characteristics and features belong to that one God. These adjectives and qualities exist in a complementary and beautiful entity and whatever apparent conflicts exist between these qualities exist because the human mind is finite and limited and not because there is a defect in God. What is presented here is in fact a limited and abbreviated list of attributes of God because the human is limited and God's attributes are infinite.
On the opposing side is Satan, a.k.a.the Devil. Satan was, at one time, Lucifer. Lucifer was created by God as one of His agents to act as a leader on behalf of God. God gave Lucifer free will, great intellect, great power and a position of authority in His government. Over a period of time, Lucifer began to use his free will to explore thoughts that were in opposition to God. Instead of recognizing the danger and downside of nuturing these thoughts he continued to pursue his own way until he became thoroughly corrupted. Step by step he developed pride, arrogance, ambition and other harmful attributes. He ultimately enlisted other created beings into his distorted mindset and fomented a rebellion in the universe which is ongoing to this day.
Lucifer is not only Satan's name but describes his original status and position. At one point known only to God Satan passed a point of no return. Because of his pride and ambition he made the irrevocable decision to permanently oppose God. This means that he no longer is Lucifer in its original meaning. Even so he claims the title of Lucifer along with the implied power and authority. The implications are serious and important.
The ability to create is not limited to God, the Creator. Satan has also created some things. Satan created lies and deceit. All evil finds its source in this created being. He is completely set in his rebellion against God. Satan has created false narratives and a number of false worldviews. He has led people into accepting or believing these false views or "fake universes". At this time it seems that two of these are ascendant. One we can call the pagan worldview. The other I choose to call the "forensic" worldview. I use the word "forensic" because it encompasses legal and scientific aspects. Said differently forensic involves aspects of law, tit for tat and punishment.
Satan is happy to let you think these two worldviews are the two sides in the conflict. In reality they are both creations of Satan and corrupt. Both reflect false views of God.
The pagan viewpoint is most obviously in opposition to God as described earlier. We don't necessarily need to spend a lot of time considering its various aspects.
The forensic viewpoint seems to be attractive to many people, even people that think of themselves as Christian. The main issue dividing the forensic view and God is in how you answer this question. How does God resolve the issue of sin and rebellion?
The first principle to use in resolving this issue is rooted in an understanding of the true character of God. Satan's alure is rooted in one or other form of distortion in relation to God's character and attributes. This is actually a common theme in discussions of this topic. In theological circles it falls in the category of soteriology.
It is perhaps easiest to consider this in the context of two of God's significant attributes. God is the Righteous Judge and God is Love. As Righteous Judge He must reward good with good and evil with evil. Human judges are fallible and imperfect yet God must be above, superior and infinite in His justice. When one being with free will abuses or violates God's universal laws the results and consequences must be perfectly executed in God's infinite wisdom. By rights every sinner along with Satan and his legiouns of angel followers deserve immediate execution of the consequences of their evil. As Creator and Righteous Judge He has the right to suspend or delay judgement. But this also has its risks and dangers.
The other side of this issue pertains to God's love. It is quite impossible for God with infinite knowledge and wisdom to create the universe and simply destroy what He created. What would He do then? Keep creating new universes and destroying them one after another while hoping to get a different result? Even we as fallible mortals would call that insanity, doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different result. So, let's entertain a possible definition of God's love. God's love is defining the "rules of the game" such that the end result is the best of all possible outcomes.
Put another way, God is directing events so that in the end the universe will be secure against any future irruption of evil.
This was prepared for my personal use but is available publicly in case it is of some value to someone else.