According to your belief, Satan brought chaos to God's plan for humanity. God forbid! Does that mean that the will of Satan has overcome the will of God? Would not such a view contradict the dignity and magnitude of God?

Answer: The power and powerlessness of evil spirits are made distinct in the Bible, particularly in connection with Jesus’s appearance. Particularly the Gospel according to Mark describes Jesus’s working as the battle with Satan (Mk 1:23-28, 32-34, 39; 3:22-30). However, with Jesus, the stronger one appears who conquers evil. With Him the kingdom of God dawns because He drives out the demons with Gods power (see Mt 12:28, Lk 11:18; 10:189). Because Jesus Christ conquers evil powers and tyrannies once and for all, fear of demons is unchristian. Rather: Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith! (1 Pet 5: 8-9).

Church teaching is fully in line with this witness to the writings of the New Testament. For if the evil that keeps humanity in captivity does not originate from an evil principle, separated from God (as dualism teaches), then it must come only from creatures that God made good but who have become evil through their own will. Thus, according to Church teaching, there is not only evil but evil people too. Thus, firstly, Catholic teaching on human experience of the darkest depths of the world, as it is given in the Bible, is upheld. Secondly, this limits the significance and influence of evil spirits: despite everything, they are only finite manifestations, created by God and thus remain dependent on Him. Their unholy reign is broken by Jesus Christ and is ever more defeated by the working of the Holy Spirit. Hope has the last word.

Who wanted to instruct God on how He was to save sinful humanity from sin? There are no limits and no rules on God’s love. We can only wonder in grateful faith at the fact that God has chosen the path that He himself proclaimed in the word of the Bible. Read once more 1 Jn 4:7 onwards and Jn 3: 16-21.

Of course, we recognise with the benefit of hindsight that God loves in such a godly way as we love, we who were created in God’s image: whoever truly loves wants to be in solidarity with the loved one. Out of love, God wanted to be fully in solidarity with the humanity that He Himself had created. In all except sin.