Temptations of Satan

Wow ... a lot in that last post to digest. I'll try to summarize my views in response to your points.

• I do believe the Bible is correct; therefore, I do believe there are created spirtual beings that have chosen to rebel against God. These are known as "demons." There are created spirtual beings that have chosen to be obedient to God. These are angels. The first angel to rebel against God was Lucifer who, if I understand things correctly, is now generally referred to as "Satan."
• I'm not really clear on whether or not these fallen angels have the ability to take the form of humans. I don't think the Bible suggests that's true, but I could be wrong. I think it can be said with fair confidence that demons have the ability to tempt humans and influence their behavior.
• I believe that once someone has chosen Christ to be their saviour, then Satan can't get that person back. But Satan can still tempt that person to rebel against God. Some of the arrogance and spitefulness of people professing to be Christians might be just that. It might also be that someone professing to be a Christian isn't really one.
• I think it's important -- difficult, but important -- to understand that God is capable of possessing love and wrath at the same time. The fallen angels chose their path with the full knowledge of what they were doing. That is why it is commonly accepted that demons do not share in the salvation offered through Christ, and that they do not have the opportunity to be "born again." The wrath of God is upon them now. Does God then still love them? In some way I can't comprehend, I suppose so.
• The Bible seems to be pretty strong that "hating" in our eathly realm is an exercise not well suited to our fallen nature. When someone hates another, it's hard for me to fathom how the true spirit of Christ can be in them. I count myself in the category of those who stands accused of failing to show the true spirit of Christ.
• I think it's altogether possible that Satan is able to tempt people into formenting hate in their hearts and thus set aside Christ-likeness. I suspect that is Satan's chief aim -- to thwart God's kingdom. Ultimately he can't and won't win; but by some mystery God permits it in our time.
• I am not the right person to discuss this with ... I am weak in too many areas to do justice to this topic.

At the gut level I suspect the tension and difficulty in that topic is reason enough to avoid trying to balance between righteous hate and love and to allow "vengeance to be God's" and not ours. But as I've stated before, I have no idea how to truly "love my enemy." I suspect it's not something we are capable of doing on our own. I suspect it's another in the category of "letting go and allowing God work through us." I'm not clear on what all that really entails, though.