...why did he create Lucifer knowing that he would turn bad? Also did God not make a mistake by creating humans? Where's the proof that God is all-knowing? Is he perfect?
These are tough theological questions. Allow me to answer the last two questions first.
1. Where is the proof that God is all-knowing?
There is no definitive proof of God's omniscience (How can a human being possibly know that God knows all things? It just doesn't work that way!) That being said, Scripture does REVEAL that God does have foreknowledge of all things. God's knowledge of events is described as his "omniscience," or his ability to fully know all things actual and possible in "one simple and eternal act." God is "perfect in knowledge" (Job 37:16) and knows all things (1 John 3:20). He knows all things ACTUAL, meaning all things that exist and all things that happen. He also knows all things that will happen in the future (Isa. 46:9-10) - even the smallest details of life (Matthew 10:30). In addition, God knows all things POSSIBLE, meaning God knows information regarding events that might happen but that do not actually happen. Jesus himself spoke about God's knowledge of possible events in Matthew 11:21, "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes." Jesus is saying that Tyre and Sidon WOULD HAVE repented if Jesus' own miracles had been done there.*
2. Is God perfect?
YES. God is perfect in all ways, even in his omniscience or his knowledge of all things actual and possible. The apostle John once wrote "God is light and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). "Light" - in this context means that God is both morally pure and fully aware of everything.
3. Why did he create Lucifer knowing that he would turn bad? Also did God not make a mistake by creating humans?
I know you are wondering how can God be perfect if he made his creatures with the full knowledge that they would one day sin. The answer: Just because God is knew that his creatures would sin against Him does not make God imperfect. After all, the reason God created the universe (and everything in it) was for his glory (Psalm 19:1). Even though we may not understand it fully, God's glory is displayed in the act of redeeming his creation. At this point, please read the following article by GodQuestions. Thankfully, they have already answered your question in a concise, biblical manner. Their conclusion?
1. The rebellion of Satan and the fall of mankind were foreknown and foreordained by God.I know you'll be frustrated as you wrestle with this issue. In my own experience, I have found the proper/best response when you have questions about why God allows certain things to happen is to be humble and trust in Him. God has perfect knowledge of all events AND He has our goodness in mind. This is reason enough to stay humble and trust Him - no matter what happens.
2. Those who would become the people of God, the elect, were foreknown and foreordained by God.
3. The crucifixion of Christ, as atonement for God’s people, was foreknown and foreordained by God.
So we are left with the following questions: Why create mankind with the knowledge of the fall? Why create mankind knowing that only some would be ‘saved?’ Why send Jesus knowingly to die for a people that knowingly fell into sin? From man’s perspective, it doesn’t make sense. If the meta-narrative moves from paradise to paradise lost to paradise regained, why not just go straight to paradise regained and avoid the whole paradise lost interlude?
The only conclusion we can come to in view of the above assertions is that God’s purpose was to create a world in which His glory could be manifest in all its fullness. The glory of God is the overarching goal of creation. In fact, it is the overarching goal of everything He does. The universe was created to display God’s glory (Psalm 19:1), and the wrath of God is revealed against those who fail to glorify God (Romans 1:23). Our sin causes us to fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), and in the new heaven and new earth, the glory of God is what will provide light (Revelation 21:23). The glory of God is manifest when His attributes are on perfect display, and the story of redemption is part of that.
The best place to see this in Scripture is Romans 9:19-24. Wrath and mercy display the riches of God’s glory, and you can’t get either without the fall of mankind. Therefore, all of the above assertions—fall, election, redemption, atonement—serve the purpose of glorifying God. When man fell into sin, God’s mercy was immediately displayed in not killing him on the spot. God’s patience and forbearance were also on display as mankind fell deeper into sin prior to the flood. God’s justice and wrath were on display as He executed judgment during the flood, and God’s mercy and grace were demonstrated as he saved Noah and his family. God’s wrath and justice will be revealed in the future when He deals with Satan once and for all (Revelation 20:7-10).
God knew that Satan would rebel and Adam and Eve would sin in the Garden of Eden. With that knowledge, God still created Lucifer and Adam and Eve because creating them and ordaining the fall was part of His sovereign plan to manifest His glory in all its fullness. Even though the fall was foreknown and foreordained, our freedom in making choices is not violated because our free choices are the means by which God’s will is carried out.
[Answered by Pastor HM]
*Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 190-191.
